Honda shows future Accord and new 'NSX'

They may be labelled concepts but what you are looking at are 'snapshots' of future Honda production models set to come Down Under.

Unveiled at the North American International Automobile Show (NAIAS) at Detroit this week, the Accord Coupe Concept and Acura Advanced Sports Car Concept are respectively design indicators to the next generation Accord range and Honda's flagship NSX supercar.

According to Honda, the styling of the Accord Coupe Concept is indicative of the next generation of its best selling car.

The concept features a "fastback roofline" and an aggressive new front-end design with six-sided grille and deeply projector headlamps. At the rear there are "quad exhaust outlets integrated into the rear diffuser [which] further convey performance and style beyond any Accord to date."

"The Accord Coupe Concept demonstrates the styling direction for the upcoming, eighth-generation Accord," said John Mendel, senior vice president of American Honda.

"As the [US] industry's target for midsize segment excellence, the all-new Accord will set a new benchmark for safety, efficiency, performance, refinement and style," he said.

Wearing the badge of Honda's luxury (and US-focused) sub-brand, Acura, the Advanced Sports Car Concept also made its debut at Detroit -- in the process confirming the configuration and mechanical package of the long-awaited car that will replace the much-admired NSX.

The Acura concept is a front-engined, V10-powered two-seater which features a rear-drive-biased version of the Super Handling All-Wheel Drive (SH-AWD) system debuted in Honda's current Legend exec saloon.

"The Acura brand will always be a home for people who love to drive," said Honda CEO Takeo Fukui (pictured) on the unveiling of the concept.

Referring to the NSX replacement he said: "As we advance toward building a car like this, I can tell you it will feature advanced technology matching our passion for performance."

According to Jon Ikeda, principal designer at the soon-to-be-opened LA-based Acura Design Center, the Advanced Sports Car Concept (ASCC) retains subtle cues from the original NSX. These include the concept's slim LED headlights (designed to mimic the NSX's pop-up units) and the "modern take on wraparound rear taillights and all black cockpit."

"Our intention was to design an exotic sports car that gracefully combines advanced technology and strong emotion," said Ikeda.

"The technical, machined surfaces and keen-edge design are balanced with sweeping curves and dramatic lines, all of which results in the ultimate exotic sports car," he opined.

The ASCC rolls on a 2763mm wheelbase and features 19-inch front and 20-inch rear wheels with ventilated carbon ceramic brake discs gripped by eight-piston calipers. Jet fighter style, the concept goes a step further than the original NSX, boasting a cabin constructed entirely of tinted glass.