Honda’s 1984 HP-X concept was the carbon fiber future we expected

Take a look astatine this HP-X conception from 1984 that has been restored, seemingly truthful Honda tin amusement the satellite however chill futuristic cars utilized to look.

As a car calved successful the Knight Rider era, the HP-X placed precocious tech wrong the driver’s reach, including a CD player, GPS, real-time telemetry, and “special sonar” exertion that warns you astir roadworthy conditions. At the time, Honda called this tech suite its “electronic operator enactment system.”

The HP-X was designed to tally connected a Honda F2 racing-based engine: a 2.0-liter DOHC 24-valve V6. And since determination are nary doors, the wide Perspex canopy comes off, truthful you tin leap successful similar a combatant pitchy pilot. The canopy besides helps with looks, aerodynamics, and functions arsenic an aerial brake. The plan apt inspired aboriginal two-seater vehicles specified arsenic the Honda and Acura NSX.

To marque it lightweight, the mid-engine wedge-shaped wonderment was built with uncommon-at-the-time car materials similar c fiber, Kevlar, and honeycomb paneling. According to Honda, “the first-generation NSX embodied galore of the ideas and innovations archetypal explored successful the HP-X” erstwhile it debuted a mates of years later.

On Wednesday, Honda besides highlighted a 2024 Red Dot Design Award for its similarly-smooth Saloon conception EV. Part of the Honda Zero bid presented earlier this twelvemonth arsenic an antidote to the inclination of “thick” EVs, seeing it adjacent to the HP-X shows however overmuch the thought of a “thin” and “light” conveyance has changed successful the past forty years.

The HP-X primitively debuted astatine the 1984 Turin Auto Show, and aft being restored by Italian plan steadfast Pininfarina, it’s present entering the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance (or contention of elegance). Considering the amusement is successful California, it would person been bully if they plopped a fewer artillery packs successful and made it into the coolest EV yet.