TORRANCE, Calif., Dec. 6, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- On January 1, 2019, American Honda will ring in the
New Year and its 60th anniversary celebration with the
lead float in the 130th Rose Parade® presented by Honda.
The company's float entry, "Celebration of Dreams," will pay
tribute to Honda's heritage in the U.S. and its dreams for the
future.
The 25-foot tall float will be shaped like a giant birthday cake
to mark the occasion, complete with special "candles"—60 members of
Historically Black College and University (HBCU) marching bands.
The band members' schools recently participated in the Honda Battle
of the Bands, an annual showcase created by Honda as part of the
company's commitment to the HBCU community and music
education.
The floral confection will also feature a re-creation of the
company's first Los Angeles
storefront. The float will be punctuated by vibrant color, music
and video, with screens that share the story of American Honda's
commitment to the community.
"For 60 years, Honda has celebrated the power of dreams and has
been committed to making the communities where we live and work
better places for future generations," said Steve Morikawa, vice president of Corporate
Relations & Social Responsibility, American Honda. "We look
forward to celebrating this anniversary with our customers while
continuing to provide products and services that will bring them
joy for years to come."
The main float will be surrounded by five satellite units, each
dedicated to Honda products, themes and milestones:
- Honda Super Cub. The product that marked American
Honda's debut and represents Honda's motorcycle heritage.
- Environment. This unit will showcase a floral
re-creation of the 1975 Honda Civic CVCC, the vehicle that was the
first to satisfy U.S. Clean Air Act standards without the use of a
catalytic converter. It serves as a reminder of Honda's mission to
reduce the impact of its products and operations on the
environment.
- Safety. Honda believes in Safety for Everyone. To
visually demonstrate this, the float unit will feature crash test
dummies surrounded by an arch with five stars. The arch symbolizes
the top crash safety rating available in the National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration's NCAP program, which top rating has
been earned by many Honda and Acura vehicles.
- American Manufacturing. Focused on American Honda's
manufacturing presence, this float will highlight the 25 millionth
vehicle built in the U.S.—and one of the best-selling vehicles in
its vehicle lineup—the Honda Accord*.
- Future. Honda believes in the Power of Dreams and is
fulfilling its dreams of flight on the wings of HondaJet.
In keeping with Honda's commitment to the environment, the float
will be powered by a specially configured low-emission, Honda
hybrid powertrain. The Parade's theme banner float will also be
powered by Honda hybrid technology.
In addition to the float, the 2019 Honda Insight will be the
Parade's Official Pace Car. The Insight offers exceptional fuel
economy ratings and advanced standard safety features and joins the
Clarity series and Accord Hybrid as the fifth Honda electrified
vehicle introduced in the past year. The 2019 Acura RDX will serve
as the Sound Car. This third-generation RDX is the first to be
designed and engineered in America, with styling design conducted
in the Acura Design Studio in Los
Angeles, California, and development and manufacturing
conducted in Ohio.
The 130th Rose Parade® presented by Honda will be
broadcasted at 8:00 a.m. Pacific on
Tuesday, January 1, 2019.
Honda and the Tournament of Roses
Honda and the
Tournament of Roses® have worked side by side for nearly six
decades to bring entertainment and tradition to people around the
world. Honda became the first-ever presenting sponsor of the event
in 2011 and the Opening Show sponsor in 2016.
Honda first collaborated with the Tournament of Roses in 1961 to
provide two-wheeled vehicles for 1962 Parade operations. Honda has
been a float participant in the Rose Parade since 1977, and has
provided the official Tournament of Roses vehicle since
1994. Honda continues to supply two-wheeled vehicles and also
provides side-by-side (multi-utility) vehicles for Parade
operations.
As presenting sponsor, the Honda float is the first in the Rose
Parade and showcases the theme. As a result, it will not be
considered a commercial entry and will not compete during the
judging process. Prior to becoming presenting sponsor in 2011,
Honda floats won awards in 15 of the previous 16 years.
About Honda in North
America
Honda established operations in America in
1959 and today employs more than 40,000 associates in the
development, manufacturing, and sales of Honda and Acura
automobiles, Honda power equipment, Honda powersports products, the
HondaJet advanced light jet and GE Honda HF120 turbofan
engines.
Based on its longstanding commitment to "build products close to
the customer," Honda operates 19 major manufacturing facilities in
North America, working with more
than 650 suppliers in the region to produce a diverse range of
products for customers locally and globally. In 2017, more than 90
percent of the Honda and Acura automobiles sold in the U.S. were
produced in North America, using
domestic and globally sourced parts.
Honda also operates 14 major research and development centers in
the U.S. with the capacity to fully design, develop and engineer
many of the products Honda produces in North America.
About the Pasadena Tournament of Roses
The Tournament
of Roses is a volunteer organization that hosts America's New Year
Celebration® with the Rose Parade® presented
by Honda, the Rose Bowl Game® presented by Northwestern
Mutual and a variety of accompanying events. 935 volunteer members
of the association will drive the success of 130th Rose Parade
themed "The Melody of Life," on Tuesday, January 1, 2019, followed by the 105th
Rose Bowl Game. For more information, visit
www.tournamentofroses.com. Like us on Facebook and follow us on
Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
* Using domestic and globally sourced parts.
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SOURCE Honda