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With an acronym like P-NUT, this Honda concept car will probably be the subject of some humorous lines by journalists. But the design team doesn’t relate it to the peanut at all and explains that it stands for Personal-Neo Urban Transport, a design study which demonstrates a futuristic concept for an ultra-compact and sophisticated city coupe.
While the CR-Z, Skydeck and other concepts displayed at the Tokyo Motorshow two months ago were primarily the work of Honda’s Japanese studio, the P-NUT was developed by the Advanced Design Studio of Honda R&D Americas in Los Angeles. This is a 33-year old facility which started off doing local market research activities and steadily increased its capabilities to include all aspects of new vehicle research, design and development. Recent efforts include the Pilot, Ridgeline, Element, Civic Coupe and Civic Si Coupe, all developed with the US market in mind.
Conceived around a small "footprint" for maximum convenience in tight urban settings, the packaging concept integrates a centre driving position configuration (like the McLaren sportscar) and a rear powertrain layout.
The exterior styling has crisp angles with dynamic flowing lines that originate from the front of the vehicle and span outward toward the rear. The end result is a sleek and aggressive exterior that also allows for a spacious and open interior with excellent visibility. "A new generation is discovering the benefits of living in urban centres that provide convenient access to business, entertainment and social opportunities," said Dave Marek, Director of advanced design for Honda R&D Americas. "The Personal-Neo Urban Transport concept explores the packaging and design potential for a vehicle conceived exclusively around the city lifestyle."
The exterior styling is intended to capture a future direction for premium sophistication while balancing the need for maximum interior space and an aerodynamic appearance. The interior layout, in conjunction with the rear powertrain design, contributes prominently to the exterior's overall shape.
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The modular rear engine bay, depicted on the exterior by blue composite material, is designed to accommodate a wide variety of potential propulsion technologies including a conventional small displacement internal combustion engine, a hybrid petrol-electric powertrain, or a battery-electric powertrain. At this time, of course, Honda has much expertise in the IMA hybrid system which is already offered in the Insight and Civic Hybrid but the company is also exploring other type of propulsion systems.
Will a car such as the P-NUT be in Honda showrooms in future? It’s hard to say though a design study often has a number of features which designers are exploring and want to see what public reaction is like.
P-NUT DIMENSIONS(Jazz dimensions in brackets)Length: 3400 mm (3900 mm)Width: 1750 mm (1695 mm)Height: 1439 mm (1525 mm)
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