A concept car could be in the works?
UPDATE: Honda has responded to Motor1.com’s request to provide more information about the vehicle. Lynn Seely, a spokesperson for Honda, stated that this is not a design study related to a mass-production plan.
Honda doesn’t currently have a grand touring vehicle in its lineup. However, two Honda designers are at least trying to imagine what such a vehicle might look like. The futuristic design of their idea is striking, even in black-and white renderings.
The filing of paperwork This indicates that Ricky Hsu is the person behind this design, as well as Nicholas Renner. Honda submitted the paperwork to register this design on June 28, 2019. It was not published by the United States Patent and Trademark Office Until February 2, 2021
Although the images aren’t very clear, it seems that the entire central section in these images may actually be a transparent panel. This would give the vehicle a striking appearance that would partially reveal some of its mechanical components, such as the suspension or drivetrain.
Pointy headlights line the corners of the front, and they cascade down to the fenders. The center section is occupied by a large intake. The pentagonal shape of the intake is reminiscent to Acura’s current design language, and could hint at Honda’s premium brand.
The sleek silhouette is created by the sculpted roofline. Designers push the wheels towards the corners of the body to create a sporty look.
Acura has the performance-focused NSX but the brand does not have a large, luxurious coupe to compete with vehicles such as the Lexus LX and BMW 8 Series. This concept could be put into production.
This vehicle’s fully enclosed wheels suggest that it is more at the concept end of design than a production vehicle. We hope the project is able to move forward enough to merit a concept, as this design would be amazing in the real world.
Motor1.com reached Honda to find out more about the design trademark.