Honda Small Hybrid Sports Concept sketch

By James Mullan

First Official Pictures

05 February 2007 09:34

Honda will show its first dedicated hybrid car since the Insight at the Geneva Motor Show in March.

Only the sketchiest details have been released about the Small Hybrid Sports Concept, but we know it will definitely make the transformation from concept to production reality to slot above the Civic Hybrid in Honda’s range. Unlike the Insight and Civic hybrids, the Small Hybrid Sports Concept was designed in Europe, at Honda’s Offenbach European R&D headquarters. This teaser design sketch reveals a two-door sports coupe with a low roofline and a hatchback rear end. One insider called it Honda’s riposte to the Prius, another standalone hybrid car that bears no resemblance to other cars in Toyota’s range. The Insight was a teardrop-shaped two-seater coupe launched in 1999. It was the world’s first petrol-electric hybrid production car and was notable for its lightweight tech and a low-drag design, including fared-in rear wheels. Jenson Button’s new F1 race car – the RA107 – and the FCX fuel-cell car will be shown alongside the SHSC at next month’s Swiss show, which starts on 6 March.

By James Mullan