Takanobu Ito, president of Honda Motors, answers questions during a press conference - photo courtesy of nydailynews
During the launch of the 2012 Civic Si (9th Generation Civic), a Honda executive told Car and Driver magazine off-the-record that “People have been saying that Honda’s lost its mojo, but that’s not true. We just put it in a closet for a while.” That may be true and perhaps Honda is working on reinvigorating its line-up to build and establish the next supercar benchmark.
While the 2012 Civic Si is mostly a cosmetic upgrade to the 8th Generation car and is not quite the proof-of-life we seek for Honda’s mojo, there are other indications out there of what may be coming down the pike. As things stand, Honda appears to be working on a performance version of the CR-Z, the NSX-II and a third project rather mysteriously kept under wraps. All that sources tell us is that it will be a vehicle that will slot in below the Acura TSX (European Honda Accord) and will be performance oriented and along the lines of the Lexus IS 350.
The news of CEO Takanobu Ito stating that Honda has resumed work on the NSX is old hat by now. This has been covered by multiple news sources and, after all the back and forth regarding the project over the last two years, the new information seemed not to generate any excitement but rather appears to have evoked mockery at best. The NSX redux will not be a continuation of the front-engined HSV-010 supercar but is expected to be equal parts of performance and hybrid. Whatever the ratio split between performance and gas mileage will be, we hope it will be as path breaking as the original NSX.
The Honda CR-Z - photo courtesy of Honda
Details have been scarce on the CR-Z Type R, Si or whatever Honda will call it. All that has been said in brief remarks to the press is that it will continue to utilize a hybrid drivetrain. Will this be able to overcome the inherent shortcomings of the CR-Z? Only time and Honda can tell.
The third Acura performance vehicle that is expected to slot in below the TSX is what has us racking our brains. The fact that it is smaller than the TSX bodes well, but then comparing it to a Lexus makes it sound like the mother of all oxymorons. For all intents and purposes, the Lexus vehicle is more luxurious and in a different class altogether than the TSX which is the entry-level Acura. What such a vehicle would be and how exactly it would fit into a slot currently occupied by the Civic Si/Type-R remains to be seen. Also as this is expected to be sold as an Acura, it will be interesting to see how this vehicle will fit into the Honda product mix globally. I guess anything goes as long as it’s not a baby ZDX intended to compete with the BMW X1.
What do you think? Will Honda be able to deliver a product worthy of the fine cars from its past or will we be subject to cars whose names are a jumble of alphabets that fade from our memories even while the cars are being made?
While Honda chips away at rediscovering its mojo and while the world and all of us sit here speculating possible outcomes, somewhere a CRX-Si and a Honda S2000 are setting the back roads ablaze. Both cars no longer in production and both displaying a bumper sticker that reads “HONDA’s LOST MOJO.”
References: AutoBlog and Car and Driver
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on May 5th, 2011 at 10:18 pm
Honda is going for what market they believe is the best. Like the older cars with fuel efficiency at its peak (during that time period) and also have great performance oriented cars. Now it seems like they are more focused on Economy and less performance, but still have some percentage there. (which is understandable $5.00 a gallon ill walk). I really feel that Honda does have to step its game up big time. Make a full size pickup that can achieve high 20s for mpg. (with a v8 engine) the ridgeline needs a full on redue!!!! total make over. Nissan and toyota all have full size trucks and even midsize trucks. introduce the first honda model with sh-awd like the civic SI sedan with its tq’y k24 engine (9th gen) and awd would be what a lot of the somewhat younger market looks for. A sporty yet economical car. (performance like an sti/evo) but better efficiency than both. The S2000 as we all know are fantastic cars. which i think should be first rather than the NSX. Not everyone can afford a NSX priced car. and it should have better specs than a r35, zr1, LFA ETC. (since its taking them so long to make a new one)( everyone else seems to have something still in production) Hybrid cars are just like the carb- tbi to MP fuel injection. ITs a phase in the automotive industry that will sometime in the future be somewhat phased out. as of Now. ditch the hybrid crap. Lets see some oldskool HONDA. Ridgeline: all New model standard or extended cab, or crew cab. 5.0 liter DOHC v8 makes 350+ hp. Now take that engine. and Make a new roadster and call it the s5000: 5.0 v8 dohc and bump up the compression 11.0:1 and bingo 500 hp NA v8. take that mustangs. Civic SI_SHAWD sedan or coupe. Honda ridge: mid size pickup. j35 v6 engine. with an actual SLA and 4×4 front lockers. CRX (ditch the CRZ Name): ditch the hybrid: k24 engine FWD 6 spd LSD. have like 6 colors, black, yellow, blue, red, orange, white.
From a guy who loves HONDAs. Dreams of what he wishes Honda would do.
on May 5th, 2011 at 10:48 pm
THE POWER OF DREAMS!!!!!!
on May 5th, 2011 at 11:00 pm
Hmmm…. Slots below the Honda Accord/ Acura TSX. Honda Integra/ Acura RSX anyone…??!!!
on May 5th, 2011 at 11:33 pm
Here’s hoping Honda really meant what they said. Mojo’s gone but can be reclaim if they did things right. The new Si is pure BS in my books. Using an ACCORD/TSX engine to propel the new Si is kinda a dumb move IMO, the K24 is ill suited for a car like a Civic. What’s next, using a V6 engine for the future Civic EX? A new roadster from Honda will be very welcome but it’ll most likely feature a V6 engine, the days of high revving, high screaming inline fours are gone. Honda’s direction nowadays is clearly going green and going eco, so they’re most apt to stick with hybrids for now. I just hope they never consider doing a hybrid NSX. The CR-Z desperately needs to be properly sorted out, it’s having a huge identity crisis, what is it really, a sports car, or just an impostor? Grab some balls Honda and start making proper cars, and not just pussy foot around like the past few years. It’s time to bring back the real thing.
on May 6th, 2011 at 7:16 am
Areas where honda/acura needs to turn things around:
-Exterior styling (Acura beaks, ugly Accords, spaceship-civic)
-Interior ergonomics (Acura: Land of a thousand buttons, spaceship-civic)
-Engine and drivetrain (Whatever happened to 9K RPM I-4s? Where’s our FR sports sedan, our FR roadster?)
Areas where honda/acura are doing just fine:
-Green-ness
-Wierdness
Is honda turning into a 21st century Citroen?
on May 6th, 2011 at 9:57 am
Hybrid NSX. no thanks. Why does everything have to be hybrid? can the tree huggers get their hybrids and the sports car guys get real sports cars? so tired of this mix garbage which ends up satisfying EITHER side. (see CRZ, see 4cyl turbo RDX)
on May 6th, 2011 at 10:00 am
Neither**** side.
on May 10th, 2011 at 7:08 am
My bumper sticker on My S reads “The Last Great Honda”
on May 10th, 2011 at 11:18 am
Hybrid nsx.. Smh.. Spaceship civics? no thanks..
on May 11th, 2011 at 9:45 pm
Look… Honda is the husband and we’re all abused wifes that will always come back. lol.
But to be on topic, the cars are lacking of that Honda esque..
on May 14th, 2011 at 2:09 am
@ ahweeuhl
I wouldn’t say everyone comes back. If a company is spitting in our face with style and lower quality than before why would you come back?
on Jul 15th, 2011 at 1:58 am
Honda continues to disappoint me (the CR-Z lowered my opinion of Honda to an all-time low) and the so-called new Civic while improved falls far short of the class leading cars that Honda once produced. Honda has introduced hardly any new features or technology in its products for years (ie. it still uses carry over engines, and dated 5 speed automatics and navi/info systems, doesn’t offer premium features in many of its cars (ie. HId lights, push button start, back up cameras, panaramic sunroofs. For the most part Honda/acura have some of the worse styling in the industry. As a car enthusiast, the CR-z’ s utter lack of performance leaves me cold (The decision to make it a hybrid only demonstrates to me that Honda leadership is continuing to make questionable decisions). At one time I would without reservations recommend buyin a Honda to my friends and family–I no longer do so and tell everyone to look it the alternatives offered by car companies. Even the quality in Honda has slipped (the new Civic already had a recall for fuel line leakage and earlier Accords and Odyssey have well documented transmission failures due to poor design). I expect the new NSX will be another poor performing car that will be burdened with another lame HOnda hybrid system.