Photos: Scivi , Via: Autoblog.com
You see, the HSV-010 GT is based on the NSX's replacement that Honda canceled at the end of 2008 due to the economic recession. The Japanese company had previewed the supercar which featured a front-mounted V10 engine in concept form through the Acura Advance Sports Car Concept at the 2007 Detroit Auto Show.
According to company sources, the V10 supercar would have been the Japanese automaker's most powerful production model ever.
The HSV-010 GT carries the production-ready supercar's shape and underpinnings though Honda's engineers swapped the V10 engine for a 3.4-liter V8 churning out some 500HP and replaced the rear-biased all-wheel drive system for a simpler rear-wheel drive layout to conform to the 2010 GT500 Regulations.
Honda's new GT is slated to make its official racing debut at the Super GT season opener at the Suzuka Circuit, held on March 20–21, 2010.
One of the quirkiest (some may say adorable) cars at this year's 2009 Tokyo Motor Show that kicks off today is Honda's EV-N concept which pays homage to the Japanese firm's N360 kei-sized mini of the late 1960s. The oh-so-square looking compact city commuter features an electric motor that gets power from a set of lithium-ion batteries. While Honda says that there are no plans to produce the EV-N, we wouldn't be surprised if the concept model inspired a production car in the near future. Video after the break.
One of the most important debuts at this week's Tokyo Motor Show is the near-production CR-Z Concept 2009. It harks back to the original CR-X small sports coupe of the mid 1980s and early 1990s but with a twist; the CR-Z features Honda's mild hybrid system comprising of a 1.5-liter i-VTEC gasoline engine (instead of the Insight's 1.3L unit) and an electric motor.While the Japanese automaker has yet to disclose any performance or fuel economy figures, Honda did reveal today that the CR-Z will be the world's first hybrid vehicle equipped with a six-speed manual transmission.
During today's presentation at the Tokyo Show, Honda's President and CEO Takanobu Ito said that the firm plans to launch the production CR-Z first in Japan in February of 2010 and Europe and North America, later in the same year.
This year's Tokyo Motor Show that runs for the public from October 24 to November 4, 2009 may be a shadow of its former self as aside from the domestic automakers, Lotus and Alpina are the only foreign brands that will be present at the event, but still, the show will play host to some very significant debuts including the hotly-anticipated Toyota FT-86 rear-wheel drive 2+2 and Honda CR-Z Hybrid near-production coupe concepts.The video below includes live footage of both coupes as well as from the Mitsubishi PX-MiEV SUV Concept, Mazda Kiyora Concept (Japanese Premiere) and the production Nissan Leaf, that were filmed by the folks over at Japan's Motor Magazine during what appears to be a special pre-show event.
Honda has published the first official photos and a short video of the interior of its new Accord CrossTour that's set to go on sale in the U.S. this November. Unlike the crossover's controversial -and that's an understatement- exterior styling that was met with public outcry throughout the net, chances are that the interior design won't cause any reactions since for the most part -sans the steering wheel- it's the same as the Accord sedan.
We don't know if it's roomier or more practical than the saloon model, but the five-seater crossover does feature an 8-inch deep under-floor Hidden Removable Utility Box with a reversible lid in the compartment area
"Honda has a longstanding reputation for maximizing interior space and utility in its vehicles," said Erik Berkman, vice president of corporate planning and logistics for American Honda Motor Co., Inc. "Like the award-winning Honda Fit, the Accord Crosstour uses a versatile design to create an interior that functions with the practicality of a larger vehicle."
The Japanese automaker also revealed that when the Accord CrossTour reaches the firm's dealerships in November, it will be launched with a 3.5-liter V6 engine and available four-wheel drive. Honda did not release any performance or economy figures, but in the Accord sedan, the 3.5 V6 churns out 271HP at 6,200 rpm and 254 lb-ft of peak torque at 5,000 rpm.
And just to tick you off, Honda also noted in its latest press release that, "The exterior styling evolves the Crossover Utility Vehicle (CUV) concept by integrating a sleek and aerodynamic shape that blends sporty, low-profile contours with versatile CUV functionality."
