Spanish designer's Honda RA-X concept has us intrigued

With the S2000 going, going, gone and sports car fans left to wait until the CR-Z arrives, some car designers have taken to creating Honda sports cars on their own. This effort is from Spaniard Xuacu Perez, who wanted to design a modern Honda that spoke to the company's Formula 1 cars from the sixties.

It's called the RA-X, the first two letters pulled from Honda's F1 nomenclature, with a direct tie being the exhaust outlets, which mimic those on the RA300 from 1967. Quite compact at just 13.3 feet long, 3.8 feet high, and 6.4 feet wide (4050 mm / 1163 mm / 1940 mm), theoretical power could be in excess of 350 hp from the mid-engined, rear-wheel drive layout.

The X in the name comes from the cross formed by the side's design elements. It's all kinds of edges and smooth bits all mixed together, with a rear end that reminds us of a slightly softer Zenvo ST1... which gets us to wondering what a small, nimble, Zenvo-by-Honda could be... And that's reason alone to justify the RA-X's existence. Hat tip to LoboSylva

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Whelan - 9/9/2009 9:53:05 AM

+3 Boost

Why Honda let such a fun little roadster die is beyond me. As with all things Honda is doing these days it was another dumb move. Dropping the RSX was dumb, could have bumped it up in a redesign instead of crying that the car was similar to the new Si. Clean it up to be more upscale and give it the 2.4L with turbo option. The S2000 could have easily been made into a edgy Acura model, they need more cars in the lineup with new styling to boot.

I read an article about how they are now offering a V6 in the TSX, wtf. They could have done very well with the RDX 2.4L turbo and given it AWD.

Honda is disappointing these days, and this thing is nothing near what a production car could ever look like.

dannyjeffers - 9/9/2009 12:36:37 PM

+1 Boost

some great design elements. We won't ever see anything close, though.

ceric - 9/9/2009 12:39:26 PM

-2 Boost

And yet, Honda is one of the few companies making money in touch economy. Explain that!
What you said does not make sense to me.
RSX drags down Acura image with an I4 engine. Find a luxury brand with I4 in USA.
Integra was a mistake (should be a Honda) in Acura. Acura should move up - way up, not trying to compete "units sold".
2.4L Turbo engine has about the same MPG as the V6. Why bother with turbo (pure reliability, therefore, resale value)?
Going down market spells the end of Acura. Honda will continue to do fine because no one buys a Honda because it looks great. It sells on reliability, resale value and utility. Styling is at the bottom.

Whelan - 9/9/2009 12:56:37 PM

+1 Boost

Honda walks on their motto "It's a Honda." And their business is very reliant on return business. Sure dealers rely on the repeat business but they have been one disappointment after another for me.

The RSX didn't drag down the image, they are doing that themselves even without the model anymore. They created a great car that gained a following and then offered nothing as a step up. It was have a fun sporty coupe, then move to a dull entry level TSX that has no additional power over a Type S but added weight.

The 2.4 turbo is a great engine, mpg aside most people would agree that since the TSX already has a 2.4L in it, why not add the turbo option, and then add AWD as an option as they have it paired in many other cars.

Honda wins on their reliability, I can't argue there, hence their dealers don't bargain on cars, ever. You pay the price and they make the money. But that's what they I guess can do.

If Acura wants to do something they should close down, or do some MAJOR revamping to make themselves better known. Honda is cutting off their own legs in the design department, not that Toyota is doing any better. Both companies have all but given up on giving people fun to drive cars (Supra, Celica GT-4, S2K no more, etc.) You still have the Civic Si (which they should offer a less boy racer looking version). Actually that's an idea. Bring he CSX down from Canada and give it the Si engine standard. But offer automatics too for those not interested in standards. As for the Accord Coupe, I'd rather have an Altima 3.5 SE Coupe.

thstone - 9/11/2009 7:37:43 PM

+1 Boost

I love it. Excellent job not including any design cues from Acura.