2010 Acura ZDX to Lead Honda Rose Parade Float in 2010

Honda of America announced that it will again be the official Tournament of Roses vehicle, with the 2010 Acura ZDX leading the parade as the pace car. Moreover, Honda's multipurpose utility vehicle, Big Red, will also make its Rose Parade debut this year. The parade float, themed "A Cut Above the Rest," for the next year, is set to sail on January 1, 2010.

Honda's Rose Parade float, "Ship of Dreams," is a three-masted sailing ship captained by a model of the company's ASIMO humanoid robot and featuring seven of Honda's philanthropic partners that help improve the lives of children.

"Honda always brings a great amount of care to their Rose Parade entry and we hope that this world stage will bring benefit to their youth and education philanthropic partners featured on the float," said Bill Flinn, chief operating officer at Tournament of Roses in a release for the press.

The sails on the 45-foot-tall, 75-foot long Ship of Dreams feature the names and logos of the seven Honda partners including Big Brothers Big Sisters of Orange County, College Bound, National Youth Project Using Minibikes (NYPUM), Pediatric Therapy Network, Ride for Kids, Special Olympics Southern California, and Students Run L.A.

"All the nonprofits joining us on this year's Tournament float are long-time community partners and represent more than 120 years of working together to help fulfill the dreams of children and respond to children in need," said Stephan Morikawa of American Honda Corporate Community Relations.

Honda is one of the parade's longest-running corporate sponsors and it provides vehicles, Metropolitan scooters and generators for use by Tournament personnel annually.