Is Honda Planning a Baby NSX Called the MSX?
Honda has just filed a trademark for the MSX name for use with “Vehicles; apparatus for locomotion by land, air or water; and parts and fittings for all the aforesaid goods.” It’s important to note those details because the company already has the MSX125 motorcycle in Europe and this could be just an expansion on the motorcycle trademark.
On the other hand, it could be the sign of something a lot cooler like, for example, a baby NSX! Honda’s plans for a smaller sports car were reported by Auto Express back in October of last year. According to the report, Honda will bring to market a successor to the S2000 in 2018. This successor will be a hardtop and have a mid-mounted, 1.5-litre, turbo electric hybrid engine generating around 300 horsepower.
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Having a mid-engine setup certainly puts the vehicle closer to a baby NSX rather than a new S2000 roadster-type configuration. Honda will leverage its F1 partnership with McLaren to develop technology for this new vehicle.
The unnamed Honda source in the article is quoted saying: “The Civic Type R is a good start, but the NSX will be out of reach for many. So Honda really needs a signature mid-engine sports car that does not break the bank and appeals to fans at the same time.”
Honda has also left room for a true S2000 successor – something to compete with the Mazda MX-5, the Scion FR-S and the new Fiat 124 Spider.
Sources: Auto Express, Autoguide.com