Honda RSX trademark hints at a new sports car

Honda Australia has just trademarked a little-known but historically significant nameplate that’ll be a blast from the past for those in the know, paving the way for a new sports or supercar to come to market.

‘RSX’ was the name bestowed upon the fourth-generation (DC5) Honda Integra when it went to North America badged as an Acura – full name Acura RSX – and now the nomenclature is being readied for a possible Australian deployment.

Filed on October 3 exclusively under Class 12 (vehicles), the trademark submission revolves entirely around the ‘RSX’ nameplate as opposed to any badging, emblems or stylisation, suggesting whatever mystery vehicle it’s been earmarked for is still a little way off, but that doesn’t stop us from taking an educated guess.

There are a couple of possible answers, the most obvious being a new Integra, but it’s unlikely the current North American offering is being given a right-hand-drive birth given the existence of the Honda Civic, even though the two models co-exist stateside.

Honda Australia previously ruled out the svelte four-door for our market, declaring it a left-hook proposition only, with things made more difficult by its conception as an Acura – the main synergy of its coexistence with the Civic.

This then paves the way for Honda to restore the RSX name to its rightful place – the back of a compact and affordable coupe.

The brand has been talking about the resurrection of a compact sports car for years now, and with the Prelude finally returning, the stage is set for a smaller and/or more affordable model to slot back into the range.

Whether it’s internal combustion, hybrid or battery-electric remains to be seen, but there is very much a precedent for Honda to re-enter this niche market given the success of the Subaru BRZ/Toyota GR86 twins and the possible return of the Nissan Silvia, Toyota Celica and MR2.

With the Integra name currently in use in the US, it would make sense to utilise the related but also completely different nameplate for such a product in other markets.

An outside possibility meantime is the upcoming supercar herald by many, including carsales, as the third-generation NSX.

The original NSX is an icon and while the second-generation proved a very capable and versatile performance car, it never really found its feet with consumers.

While we’re unsure Honda would ever move away from the legendary nameplate for its top-flight speed machine, it’s possible the next version will be so fundamentally different from its predecessors it warrants a new nameplate.

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