Will Honda show a roadster version of its sleek CR-Z coupe at the 2008 London motor show? This design sketch issued today confirms that ‘a low-emission Honda sports car’ badged OSM will be unveiled on 22 July 2008 at the Excel show centre – and it looks mightily like the petite coupe concept that Honda revealed at October 2007’s Tokyo show.
Details are notable by their absence in Honda’s press release, but the few facts we do know are these: this will be a two-seater roadster with ‘more efficient engine technology, to give lower exhaust emissions’. That suggests a hybrid system could be lurking under that wedgy bonnet, as Honda has already committed to a brace of new petrol-electric models (click here to see our full story).
Honda OSM, you say? What does that stand for?
The OSM stands for Open Study Model. It was designed at Honda’s R&D site in Offenbach, Germany – by the same team responsible for the Small Hybrid Sports Concept (Geneva 2007) and Accord Tourer Concept (Frankfurt 2007).
It certainly shares many of the cutesy styling tips that made the svelte CR-Z – the spiritual successor to the 1980s CRX – stand out. However, at this stage the OSM is ‘merely a design study model’ with no production intent. But then we’ve all heard that before…
Click here for our full story on the CR-Z. And be sure to come back to CAR Online on the week of 21 July 2008 as we’ll be reporting live from the 2008 London motor show, with a team of reporters, photographers and video crews to bring you all the latest news and gossip from the show.
Click here for CAR’s preview to the 2008 London motor show