LARGER ALL ROUND Increased dimensions make this the largest Accord to date

By Lionel Kong

THE EIGHTH GENERATION Honda Accord has arrived at the Kah Motors Showroom. Even though the first deliveries are expected to make their way here in March 2008, customers can already place orders for the car.

The Accord will come with three engine variants, starting with the 156bhp, 2.0-litre variant that costs $103,200 with COE, followed by a 2.4-litre, 180bhp variant that costs $106,800 with COE and a 275bhp, 3.5-litre variant that costs $125,800 with COE.

All will come with 5-speed automatic transmissions, and the 3.5-litre V6 engine comes with the much-vaunted Variable Cylinder Management (VCM) technology that allows the 6-cylinder engine to operate in 4 and 3 cylinder modes for maximum effiency and fuel economy.

Riding on independent double-wishbone front and multi-link rear suspensions tuned for spirited driving, the new Accord has a wheelbase that is 60mm longer than the previous model, and is 90mm longer and 24mm wider too.

Interior cabin dimensions have grown by 3.2 percent, with improved rear legroom over the seventh generation Accord.

Its increased size sees it moving up a segment in America, where the previous Accord was officially classed as a mid-sized sedan. The new car is now considered a large sedan there.

Besides the larger engine, the 3.5-litre Accord also features a 270 watt premium audio system that boasts a six-disc CD changer and seven speakers including an 8-inch subwoofer.

The bulk of the sales are expected to come from the 2.0 and 2.4-litre variants, and Kah Motors hopes to put 1,200 of them on the road in 2008. The 3.5-litre Accord meanwhile, has a rather more conservative sales target: just 25 units are expected to be sold for 2008.