In 1984, Honda enlisted the help of Pininfarina to design its first concept car: the Honda HP-X ConceptIt was presented at the Turin Motor Show and served to develop the Honda NSX production model.
Four decades later, Honda has taken this prototype to the Pininfarina workshop in Italy to restore it and display it in immaculate condition in a few days at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegancein United States.
An “Italian-Japanese” concept car that inspired the best Honda of all time
For decades, almost all brands have been accustomed to presenting prototypes to show a preview of the production cars that they will launch in the future. Since it launched its first production car in 1963, Honda took more than 20 years to make a concept car.
It was in 1984with the Honda HP-X Concept, a two-seat prototype with a mid-mounted 3.0-litre V6 engine and rear-wheel drive. Do these ingredients sound familiar? Indeed, they are part of the recipe for the Honda NSX, and it is no coincidence: the HP-X Concept is the prototype that inspired the production NSX that was introduced in 1989.
The name of the Honda HP-X Concept came from Honda Pininfarina eXperimental because Pininfarina was in charge of drawing it, as the designer’s signature on the sides of the prototype makes clear.
In any case, when he showed up at the Turin Salon 1984 There could be little doubt as to who its author was, not only because of the name, but also because of certain details, such as the gills on the sides that are joined by the engine cover and inevitably recall another of Pininfarina’s works, the Ferrari Testarossa that debuted at the Paris Motor Show also in 1984.
The aim of Honda and Pininfarina with the HP-X was to lay the foundations for a mid-engine supercar that was very light and as aerodynamic as possible, hence its striking wedge shape and dimensions, since it only measured 4.16 meters long1.78 meters wide and just 1.11 meters high.
The HP-X was also a test bed for developing technology and engineering principles that, years later, made their way to the NSX and other production models from Honda and Acura, its luxury brand for the American market.
For Honda, this prototype is very important, not only because it was its first concept car, but because it marked the path to follow in developing one of the best cars in history, the Honda NSX. For this reason, the Japanese company has decided to restore it to pay tribute to it by bringing it to Pebble Beachone of the largest motor events in existence. It will be exhibited in the wedge-shaped prototype category on August 18.
“The Honda HP-X Concept was the star of the 1984 Turin Motor Show, showcasing elements of cutting-edge engineering and design excellence, with extreme wedge-shaped styling that continues to inspire future generations of automotive designers and engineers,” said Dave Marek, Acura design director and honorary judge for the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.
“The groundbreaking HP-X had an undeniable impact on the industry, highlighting our commitment to pushing the boundaries of what is possible in automotive design,” Marek adds.
It will be the first time in more than 50 years that a Japanese car will participate in the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. Before going to the event, the Honda HP-X has been through the Pininfarina workshop, in Italy, to undergo a restoration with great attention to detail.
Source: www.motorpasion.com
