Bartek Sikorski

First official green pictures

Will Honda show a roadster version of its sleek CR-Z coupe at the 2008 London motor show? This design sketch issued today confirms that 'a low-emission Honda sports car' badged OSM will be unveiled on 22 July 2008 at the Excel show centre – and it looks mightily like the petite coupe concept that Honda revealed at October 2007's Tokyo show.

Details are notable by their absence in Honda's press release, but the few facts we do know are these: this will be a two-seater roadster with 'more efficient engine technology, to give lower exhaust emissions'. That suggests a hybrid system could be lurking under that wedgy bonnet, as Honda has already committed to a brace of new petrol-electric models.

Honda OSM, you say? What does that stand for?

The OSM stands for Open Study Model. It was designed at Honda's R&D site in Offenbach, Germany – by the same team responsible for the Small Hybrid Sports Concept (Geneva 2007) and Accord Tourer Concept(Frankfurt 2007).

It certainly shares many of the cutesy styling tips that made the svelte CR-Z – the spiritual successor to the 1980s CRX – stand out. However, at this stage the OSM is 'merely a design study model' with no production intent. But then we've all heard that before...

And be sure to come back to CAR Online on the week of 21 July 2008 as we'll be reporting live from the 2008 London motor show, with a team of reporters, photographers and video crews to bring you all the latest news and gossip from the show.
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vtecnode

Cool looking design. I hope they stay close to that drawing and release it!
Thanks for posing it

Bartek Sikorski

New Honda S2000 Concept Blows Cover at BIMS

Honda is doing a straight 180 on the next S2000, judging by the concept car revealed at the BIMS today. The Honda S2000, a dynamic marvel with that screaming 2.0-litre engine and excellent short-throw 6-speed gearbox, has been due for a new model for some time now, as rivals keep bettering their offerings. The concept uses Honda’s hybrid technology, although our feeling is this would not be the engine of choice when the street car debuts.

Featuring integrated rear lights, a flowing bodyline and a shape clearly related to the Civic hatch, the S2000 concept seems to have been shortened and its stance widened. There seems to be a lot of flow in the lines, giving the car cleaner, more seamless looks. Interior again, is a Civic relative of some note, peppered with blue background lighting, digital speed readout and utility buttons. And the concept is no longer a roadster; we see space for two baby hobbits at the back. No sign of where the roof goes though, and none of whether said roof is made of canvass or tin either.

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LOW EMISSION HONDA ROADSTER BREAKS COVER

Two-seat design study unveiled at British International Motor Show

Honda’s low-emission sportscar study model has been revealed at the British International Motor Show, at ExCeL, London.

The lightweight roadster design study displays one of Honda’s core engineering principles – to design stylish and exciting cars that are also environmentally responsible.

Named the OSM (for Open Study Model), the two-seater joins the confirmed-for-production CR-Z sports hybrid and FCX Clarity hydrogen fuel cell car on the Honda stand at the show.

“We’re trying to show that low emission cars can be attractive,” says Andreas Sittel, Project Leader for OSM. “There is no reason why a car that’s more environmentally friendly can’t look great too – and be sporty and fun to drive.”

The concept for the project was ‘Clean and Dynamic’ – and this direction was followed for both the exterior and interior design, ensuring a joined-up, consistent ‘language’ between the two. One example of this can be seen at the rear of the car, where the body actually extends into the cabin between the seats.

The exterior design is a balance of smooth, rounded curves and sharp lines to provide definition in key areas. The headlights are cleverly integrated into the front end, stretching from the nose to the top of the wheel arches to look more like a part of the original body.

Inside, this uninterrupted, fluid approach is continued, with long sweeping curves extending from both door panels to form a frame for the instrument display. The concept for the dashboard was to avoid creating the traditional block of ‘heavy’ colour and material in front of the driver; in keeping with the clean and lightweight theme. For that reason, the dash is broken into sections, with the most important instruments in direct line-of-sight of the driver.

Key information is displayed in a rounded, enclosed central binnacle, with levels and figures in bright blue on a black background. This matches the trim inside the car, with the seats and door furniture trimmed in a new, gloss-effect blue leather, accompanied by white leather sections, in line with the exterior body colour, a one-off paint called Mystic Pearl.

The driver’s main controls and functions are distributed in an intuitive layout, close at hand on a panel that curves downwards to the right of the driver. A centrally-mounted semi-sequential gear-shift points towards a fun-to-drive transmission, along with paddle shifts either side of the steering wheel. Integrated into the gearshifter itself is a red ignition ‘start’ button, which reinforces the sporty direction of the car.

The Honda OSM was designed by Honda’s R&D facility in Offenbach, Germany. It’s the latest example of the young talent being developed within Honda’s design studios in Europe – following the Honda Small Hybrid Sports Concept (Geneva 2007) and the Accord Tourer Concept (Frankfurt 2007).

At present, the Honda OSM is a design study model, and there are no plans for it to enter production.

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