1984 Honda HP-X Concept

Honda is celebrating the 40th anniversary of its first concept car, the 1984 Honda HP-X Concept, with its North American debut at the Monterey Car Week. This event is one of the most prestigious gatherings of automotive and motorsports enthusiasts. Styled and handcrafted by the renowned Italian design house Pininfarina, the radical wedge-shaped HP-X (Honda Pininfarina eXperimental) Concept first appeared in public at the 1984 Turin Auto Show, preceding the development of the first-generation NSX supercar.

• Honda celebrates 40 years since the debut of the 1984 Honda HP-X Concept at Monterey Car Week.
• The HP-X was styled and handcrafted by the renowned Italian design house Pininfarina.
• The concept car's radical wedge-shaped design preceded the development of the first-generation NSX supercar.
• The HP-X underwent extensive restoration at Pininfarina's workshop in Italy.
• The car will be featured in the Wedge-Shaped Concept Cars and Prototypes Class at the 73rd Annual Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance.
• The HP-X was notable at the 1984 Turin Auto Show for its extreme wedge-shape styling and engineering excellence.
• The concept car featured advanced aerodynamics, including "ground effects" and innovative cooling solutions.
• The HP-X explored alternative materials like honeycomb panels, carbon fiber, and Kevlar for weight reduction and performance.
• Interior innovations included comfort, ergonomics, and Honda's "Electronic Drive Support System" with real-time telemetry and GPS.
• The HP-X influenced future Honda models, particularly the mid-engine two-seat NSX, embodying the concept's innovative ideas.

After undergoing extensive restoration at the Pininfarina workshop in Italy, the legendary Honda HP-X Concept will be showcased in the Wedge-Shaped Concept Cars and Prototypes Class at the 73rd Annual Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance on Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024.

"The Honda HP-X Concept was a standout at the 1984 Turin Auto Show, highlighting engineering excellence and cutting-edge design with its extreme wedge-shape styling," said Dave Marek, Acura design executive and honorary Pebble Beach Concours judge. "The forward-thinking HP-X significantly impacted the industry, underscoring our dedication to innovative automotive design."

The HP-X featured advanced aerodynamics, including "ground effects" and innovative cooling solutions for its mid-mounted 2.0-liter DOHC 24-valve V6 engine, derived from a Honda F2 racing engine. The concept car has no doors, instead featuring a jet-fighter-style removable single-piece Perspex canopy. The rear of the canopy extends into a fairing, improving the car's streamlined appearance and serving as a driver-controlled air brake. The HP-X also explored the use of alternative materials like honeycomb panels, carbon fiber, and Kevlar to reduce weight and enhance performance.

The interior of the HP-X Concept focused on comfort, ergonomics, and functionality, driven by extensive styling research. Honda's "Electronic Drive Support System" previewed advanced features such as real-time telemetry, GPS, and road condition warnings via "special sonar," technologies that are now commonplace.

"The Honda HP-X exemplifies Pininfarina's ability to present innovative ideas through concept cars that set future trends," said Felix Kilbertus, Pininfarina's chief creative officer. "At Pininfarina, we infuse our design excellence into every project, maintaining the essence of the brands we collaborate with while looking confidently towards the future. The HP-X, while not produced as such, influenced subsequent Honda models and the broader automotive landscape, showcasing both Honda's and Pininfarina's innovative spirit."

The HP-X Concept, designed to advance technology, served as a testbed for ambitious new ideas, technologies, and engineering principles that later appeared in Honda and Acura models, particularly the mid-engine two-seat NSX, which debuted a few years later. The first-generation NSX, designed and developed in Japan, embodied many innovations first explored in the HP-X, solidifying the concept's place in automotive history.

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