Honda has made reliable and common cars for many decades. In the 1980s, Honda set out to create a special, mid-engine sports car. It was to use their new VTEC system and aluminium chassis. The result was the Acura NSX, which came out in 1990 and instantly became famous. However, the company had considered a mid-engine sports car long before that, and it could also have a V8 engine. This was in the year 1970.
This fantastic sports car project began in 1973. However, it was closed the following year in 1974 due to the oil crisis. By the time Honda stopped the project, the car had reached a full-size clay model. This clay model might have worked in another design. Only a few drawings and sketches of the car were left.
A few years ago, this mid-engine sports car concept from the 1970s resurfaced. Volunteers from Honda's design studio in Japan showcased it for the first time at the Honda Collection Hall. The volunteers created a 1/4 -scale model of the car with the help of old drawings and the original designers. He created digital 3D models by scanning 2D drawings and photos of clay models.
The original designers, who are now retired, gave their advice in this. The digital model was used to decide the colours of the time and see the targa-roof option. You can see this 1/4 -scale model in the Honda Collection Hall. This can make people think that NSX would have come 15 years ago.
At that time, Honda was mainly known for cheap scooters and ordinary cars. However, its founder Soichiro Honda considered racing an essential part of his company's research and development. The company also had a small V8 engine for its 1968 Formula 1 season.
It was a 3.0-liter RA302E V8 engine with a 120-degree bank angle. The same V8 engine may have been used in a 1970s Honda sports car. It might also feature the company's Compound Vortex Controlled Combustion (CVCC) cylinder heads. The CVCC was introduced in 1975.
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Its efficient functioning led to complete combustion and reduced pollution. It did not require a catalytic converter or leadless petrol to meet emission standards, but still delivered good power. The CVCC could do the same for a mid-engine sports car with a cylinder head V8. With this, Honda could compete with cars like Lotus Esprit (160 hp), Porsche 914/6 (109 hp) and perhaps Dino 246 (195 hp).
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What this unfinished Honda V8 sports car could have done, we'll probably never know. We want to know that. With the arrival of new things like the Prelude, maybe Honda will restart its mid-engine project. Or at least make a running prototype of the original 1973 model.
Source: Car and Drive
