Fittingly for a brand built around technical, design and engineering innovation, Honda’s star vehicle at this month’s Frankfurt Motor Show is the extraordinary Project 2&4 concept. It’s half bike, half car, showcasing the best of both worlds, with power supplied by Honda’s storming MotoGP engine, the RC213V, which develops over 215PS at 13,000rpm from its 999cc V4 casing.
It’s no coincidence that the engine chosen is Honda’s most impressive: the entire project celebrates Honda’s position as the world’s leading engine manufacturer. The company supplies engines to a staggering 28 million people a year across the automotive, marine, power equipment and aerospace sectors. It’s a stark reminder that Honda is about so much more than bikes and cars.
With the manoeuvrability of a car, Project 2&4 is modified to run on public roads. There is no cabin; a floating seat is positioned just above the road, placing the driver as close to the action as possible. The concept is the result of a competition among Honda’s design studios, challenging teams to share one goal and think as one Team Honda. It encapsulates both the extreme performance that the brand is capable of and its unique engineering.
Such is the diversity of Honda that Project 2&4 sits happily alongside the 2015 new and refreshed model range on the Frankfurt Motor Show stand. A quick glimpse at the metal on display reminds the casual visitor of the dynamic and energised model-year Honda has had so far. The amassed display is a fitting reflection of 50 years of Honda dominance in engines and design but, more importantly, a sign of exciting things yet to come.
