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Mid-engine Honda sports car surfaces in EU patent drawings

Based on new patent drawings, Honda clearly isn't done with sports cars. The design you see above was registered and published by the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) and was first reported by AutoGuide. The drawings show a rakish, angular sports car design that is very clearly mid-engine. It could almost pass for a Lamborghini. But the name on the design is Honda Motor Company, and aside from the name, it bares a strikingly similar appearance to a mid-engine design found in a Honda patent two years ago. In fact, the only major difference between this car and the older one (seen below) is the lack of a windshield and top. The shape of the lights and the grille, as well as the front fender vent and character lines running from it, are reminiscent of the S660 kei roadster for Japan. The large, angular intakes look more related to the Acura NSX, though. View 6 Photos Unlike the previous patent renderings of the car, this one has an interior, and the inclusion of it may be why the top and windshield are absent. The interior also leads us to believe that this design is for an upcoming concept. The steering wheel is a small, rectangular piece similar to what you would find in an F1 car or Indy car. The seats also look like thin buckets designed to be as sporty and light as possible. A production version would probably have a bit more cushioning and a round wheel. It does look like there is a pushbutton transmission setup in the center console like current Acuras, though. So what does this mean? Honda is clearly still working on this design, and based on some of the more radical design choices for the interior, we're likely looking at a concept car that will show up in the next couple of years. Whether a concept will lead to a production car is tough to say. There's definitely room in Honda's global sports car roster between the S660 and NSX for something in between, and Honda has reported that it's getting pressure from dealers for sporty cars. The exterior design isn't so extreme it couldn't be tweaked for production, either. There have also been rumors that Honda is preparing a mid-engine hybrid sports car with the Type R's turbocharged four-cylinder. Honda also holds a trademark for the name "ZSX," which fits the naming scheme of the NSX and old RSX, but at least in Europe, Honda has held the trademark since 2009. We'll just have to wait and see what Honda does.

Racy, mysterious Honda spied in Spain

The next-gen Honda Civic five-door has been spotted near the IDIADA Proving Grounds in Spain, and Pistonudos was able to snap several photos of it covered in camouflage there. However, compared to the last spy shots we saw of this body, there have been some odd changes made for the latest test car. In front, the grille still wears a similar look to the pre-refresh Acura ILX like in the last photos. Although, this version might be a bit closer to production because as in the patent drawings, the air dam now sports three lower intakes. In profile, this Civic is largely the same as the earlier shots too, but now you get a better look at the tail's shape. The big, lightweight wheels and small brake discs are certainly odd on this example, though. The rear is where things get really strange because of the three exhaust pipes right in the middle of the bumper. Making things even weirder, the center one has a smaller diameter than the others. Because the Honda Civic Concept used a single, center-mounted setup, perhaps this is a way to test that design. Taken in total, this Civic test car is a head-scratcher. The bizarre exhaust layout and big wheels suggest a performance version, but the rest of the design doesn't look aggressive enough. One possible explanation is that Honda is testing a few components for the next Civic SI here. That would explain why some bits look racy but not the whole car. Related Video:

Toyota, Honda, Nissan and more collaborating to increase fuel efficiency

Toyota, Honda, Mazda, Nissan, Subaru, Mitsubishi, Suzuki and Daihatsu have announced an alliance that will see a push to improve fuel economy from both gas-powered and diesel-powered engines by as much as 30 percent before the end of the decade.
The newly assembled Research Association of Automotive Internal Combustion Engines put the roughly $20-million project together, with the Japanese government committing to half the cost while the eight manufacturers will chip in the rest.
According to Automotive News, the automakers will team up and share basic research on internal-combustion engines in a bid to cut costs. Eventually, the results of the research will find its way into a production vehicle, although it's unclear just when we'll see the fruits of this partnership on the road.