1984 was one other stocked 12 months for concept cars, all banished to obscurity. Ford showed its concept Aerostar minivan, the much cooler Maya coupe, and the Vignale Mustang Ghia that hinted at a production Probe. Bertone showed what the C4 Chevy Corvette might be with the Ramarro. Kia had what might need been its first concept, the KMX-90, on display on the Seoul Motor Show. A continent away, on the Pininfarina stand on the Turin Motor Show, opposite the brand new Ferrari Testarossa, Honda showed its first concept automotive, the HP-X, for Honda Pininfarina Experimental. The automaker created the mid-engined wedge to be a technology showcase previewing a future production model. That future model was, after all, the Pininfarina-designed Acura NSX, for Latest Sportscar Experimental.
The NSX stays famous. The HP-X got sent to a dungeon, absent from one other big public show for 40 years. Having been returned to motor-show recent condition, the concept makes a North American debut on the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance on August 18, Honda entering the coupe within the Wedge-Shaped Concept Cars and Prototypes Class. Honda says the HP-X’s appearance on the Pebble Beach lawn can be the primary Japanese Concours contestant in greater than 50 years.
Concerning the only fantastical item on the HP-X is the jet-style Perspex cover that replaces doors. All the things else has made it to production. The fairing on the trailing fringe of the cover is a driver-controlled air brake. Carbon fiber, kevlar, and honeycomb panels help shave weight. A ground-effects-style undercarriage would have improved downforce, getting more performance from the F2-derived 2.0-liter, 24-valve V6. The “Electronic Drive Support System” fed GPS location data and telemetry to the console screen within the cockpit, provided weather reports and traffic conditions, and used soundwaves to read the condition of the road ahead. This technique appears to be called Gyrocator, a terrifically Eighties name that Honda needs to utilize again.
We will crawl throughout this one once the lawn opens. Stay tuned.
This Article First Appeared At www.autoblog.com
