Thanks for giving me an excuse for reminiscing (or were you just baiting me?).
I put a $500 deposit down on one of those in 1999 and waited a year to take delivery (#221, silver). I bought my current one (red) in 2006 when Honda was discontinuing the model--I wanted to drive one as long as possible. The only software glitch was that to maximize performance, Honda tried to push the NiMH battery too hard, and they had to get more conservative (mpg's suffered) when they issued software updates (in the form of complete new computer boxes located under the passenger seat) to preserve those expensive components.
Never before had Honda made such a high-tech car and sold it (in North America) for so little. It's said the gen 1 Insight cost more than twice its $22K NA price to manufacture. Is the Clarity story a repeat?
