You sense Honda may have over-reacted when it essentially killed off all of its more exciting road car projects in the aftermath of our recent global financial meltdown. Today, this great marque, which above all else prides itself on being an innovative engineering company, finds itself rather sheepishly reduced to a portfolio of worthy but uninspiring cooking models - but perhaps not for very much longer.
We've been spending some time with Honda ahead of the 2013 Tokyo Motor Show, and as well as sampling a couple of laps in the new Civic Type R, we're happy to report the firm very much seems to have its mojo back.
Not destined for the UK unfortunately
Honda S660 heading for production?
S660 roadster
'concept' taking a bow in Tokyo? Consider it signed off for sale in Japan - with global creative director Toshinobu Minami even joking he was already clearing space in his garage. This is great, because the S660 looks brilliant: poised, modern and compact.
A little too compact for Europe, though, as it turns out, since it seems unlikely to pass our more stringent homologation requirements. Partly due to the 660cc turbo Kei-car engine, but perhaps also the pedestrian-unfriendly crash touch points. Ok, so c'est la vie - it's laboured with a CVT anyway. Next.
It's like a reversed NSX. Sort of
Super Handling All Wheel Drive and the new NSX
Next is the new NSX. No, we weren't offered the chance to drive it. But we did drive the American market Acura RLX, which has a similar Dual Clutch Transmission V6 and three -
- electric motor hybrid setup labelled the same Super Handling All-Wheel Drive.
The SH-AWD here is similar, but reversed. Where the RLX has the V6 up front, driving the front wheels via a seven-speed electric motor-assisted DCT while the rear wheels are controlled by the other two electric motors, the NSX is rear-mid-engined, principally rear-wheel drive and has the extra electric motors in its nose. Even so, it doesn't take long behind the Acura's wheel to appreciate the potency.
P-AWS lets RLX get a grip (sorry)
The electric motors at the back of the RLX are calibrated to operate independently. This is the ultimate torque vectoring concept, since it can not only speed up the outside rear wheel but slow down the inside rear wheel using the electric motor's regenerative capability, thus improving efficiency. More impressive on a big luxury American saloon is the way it magically neutralises understeer. At the front of the NSX, with the added expediency of the steering angle, it could prove utterly spectacular - assuming Honda can get the ultra-complex calculations right.
Incidentally, the RLX is also available with Precision All-Wheel Steering (yes, the acronym is P-AWS), which has actuators on the back that offer up to 3 degrees of steering angle. These also operate independently on either side, making this RLX surprisingly accurate and light on its feet. Why the two separate systems? "Because it's Honda," we were told.
Less weight, more want for carbon CR-Z
The carbon fibre CR-Z concept
This same Hondaism applies equally to the two other different new hybrid systems the company is now putting into production. But you probably don't care about that. You might, however, care about a CR-Z with a carbon fibre monocoque.
Great idea, the CR-Z - if it wasn't for that heavy old hybrid system, right? Well, at a little over 800kg including ballast, this one is 350kg lighter, thanks to an entirely new carbon fibre tub, accompanying aluminium spaceframe, carbon fibre body panels and weight-improved optimisation elsewhere. The result is a brilliantly eager little coupe that feels so much more lithe than the standard version, this increased agility accompanied by a 0-62mph time that tumbles by 30 per cent to 8.3 seconds and a 20 per cent gain in efficiency.
Shame the tech remains far too expensive for Honda to consider it viable for production - further reason to wish the BMW i3 and Alfa 4C every success.
While none of this new stuff is going to bring about an instant overhaul of Honda's everyday range, with the new Civic Type R finally approaching the horizon, the big H is suddenly looking a lot more vibrant than it has so far this decade.