New Honda HSC

[BLU CIVIC]

Honda HSC

What Is It?
Honda HSC

What's Special About It?
All-aluminum frame. Aluminum and carbon-fiber body panels. Sleek bodywork. Midmounted V6 engine. What does this call to mind? Acura NSX, anyone?

Introduced 14 years ago, the NSX is one of the few Hondas that doesn't adhere to the company's practice of redesigning its cars every four to five years — it's still basically the same car it was back in 1991. Though still exhilarating to drive by any reasonable standards, this $90,000 supercar is no match for the similarly priced Viper or Corvette Z06, while comparatively inexpensive cars like the Nissan 350Z and Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution make it seem way overpriced for what you get. Though few details were given at the Tokyo show, the HSC seems to be a glimpse of a long-overdue successor to the NSX.

Honda says the HSC "delivers output in excess of 300 horsepower," which is a must for a supercar in this day and age. Shifts are made with either an "easy-to-operate" dial shifter or paddle-shift levers — we would assume this indicates the use of a sequential manual transmission rather than a conventional manual gearbox. Indeed, press literature suggests that the HSC is a car that makes its high-performance threshold accessible to drivers of varying abilities.

The cabin bears no signs of deceased Preludes and appears fully modern and driver-oriented with individual gauge pods, heavily bolstered seats and liberal use of carbon fiber, aluminum and nubuck.

Why Should You Care?
Will the NSX finally get a redesign? The HSC seems to be a hazy picture of the direction the company might take with its supercar. A future production version could pick up this concept's styling cues and, perhaps, a sequential manual transmission. — Erin Riches

[mycivic]

i like it. but still way too pricey.

[BLU CIVIC]

they're not sure if it'll replace the NSX.....it looks like it should....

[housy_bigmike]

it's still a honda. admitted in the article, it can't keep up w/ the God domestic cars