J.C.
08-08-2003, 12:04 PM
Marysville, Ohio -- Japanese automaker Honda is being sued by the ASPCA for illegal use of hamsters in its VTEC engines.
It was discovered earlier this week that automotive giant Honda has been using hamsters, smuggled illegaly from the Middle East, to power its high-performance VTEC engines. The once-mysterious valve timing system was revealed to be nothing more than half-starved rodents inside a wheel-like device, running after a morsel of food.
"The conditions inside the production plant," said ASPCA President and CEO Dr. Larry Hawk at a recent press conference "were deplorable. The floors were littered with the bodies of dead and dying hamsters. And the smell...My God, it was horrible."
Effective immediately, all Hondas equiped with VTEC engines are subject to full recall. It it not known what engines will be used as replacements, but industry insiders have hinted at General Motors-produced V-8 units. "I know the eight cylinder engine does not have the horsepower-per-liter of the VTEC," stated Rick Wagoner, GM's President and CEO "but at least we will be able to sleep at night, knowing that innocent hamsters are not being abused."
Honda representatives were unavailable for comments.
http://cnn.heavyplasma.com/www/cnn/2003/NEWS/08/04/world/319678index.html
It was discovered earlier this week that automotive giant Honda has been using hamsters, smuggled illegaly from the Middle East, to power its high-performance VTEC engines. The once-mysterious valve timing system was revealed to be nothing more than half-starved rodents inside a wheel-like device, running after a morsel of food.
"The conditions inside the production plant," said ASPCA President and CEO Dr. Larry Hawk at a recent press conference "were deplorable. The floors were littered with the bodies of dead and dying hamsters. And the smell...My God, it was horrible."
Effective immediately, all Hondas equiped with VTEC engines are subject to full recall. It it not known what engines will be used as replacements, but industry insiders have hinted at General Motors-produced V-8 units. "I know the eight cylinder engine does not have the horsepower-per-liter of the VTEC," stated Rick Wagoner, GM's President and CEO "but at least we will be able to sleep at night, knowing that innocent hamsters are not being abused."
Honda representatives were unavailable for comments.
http://cnn.heavyplasma.com/www/cnn/2003/NEWS/08/04/world/319678index.html