autoevolution
 

Honda Trademarks ZSX Name In Europe, It Might Be A Baby NSX

Honda might be planning a baby NSX, as a recent patent filing has revealed.
Honda ZSX patent image 9 photos
Photo: Performancedrive.com.au from European Union Intellectual Property Office
ZSX patent filingZSX patent filingHonda Mid-Engined Sportscar Patent Images Leaked, Could Be S2000 SuccessorHonda Mid-Engined Sportscar Patent Images Leaked, Could Be S2000 SuccessorHonda Mid-Engined Sportscar Patent Images Leaked, Could Be S2000 SuccessorHonda Mid-Engined Sportscar Patent Images Leaked, Could Be S2000 SuccessorHonda Mid-Engined Sportscar Patent Images Leaked, Could Be S2000 SuccessorHonda Mid-Engined Sportscar Patent Images Leaked, Could Be S2000 Successor
The Japanese automaker has applied a patent filing at the European Union Intellectual Property Office. The filing is for the “ZSX” name, which shares two letters with the hybrid mid-engine sports car developed by the brand.

A patent application from last year, linked by the Australians at Performance Drive to this filing, shows a potential design direction for the NSX’s baby brother. At this point, we must note that Honda has not announced any intention of building a smaller model that would be inspired by the NSX.

However, the Japanese automaker has more plans with the platform and technologies used on the NSX, and designing a mid-engine sports car would be an intriguing possibility for the brand. According to the same Australian source, an unnamed Honda employee has said that the company is planning to showcase the ZSX as early as January 2017.

The specified presentation date would imply a public reveal at the North American International Auto Show, held each year in Detroit. Honda had yet to comment on the rumors, as automakers rarely do when it comes to potential products, but we do not see any reason why a concept named ZSX would not be showcased in the future by the Honda brand.

Rumors regarding the baby NSX claim that the car could get the Civic Type R’s 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, which would power the rear wheels. Meanwhile, the front axle could have one or two electric motors to provide hybrid assistance and all-wheel-drive.

We feel that the NSX’s baby brother might not get such a potent powertrain configuration. After all, the 2.0-liter i-VTEC Turbo unit would deliver sufficient performance in a body smaller than the ongoing Civic, while two electric motors could take the new model too close to the NSX concerning output and dynamic figures.

Instead, Honda might opt for a hybrid powertrain with a single electric engine, a choice that could help the car provide a trunk in the front that could be used for more than a duffel bag.

The most vital part of this equation is not the question if Honda could build this car, but rather the difficulty of developing a business case for a small mid-engine hybrid sports car.

Nissan abandoned similar plans with its IDX rear-wheel-drive concept, and the "Toyobaru twins," in the form of the Subaru BRZ and Toyota GT86, are not selling like hot cakes these days. The market for sports cars is limited, and those say that automakers do not build models like these any more would not necessarily buy a model like this if it comes to market.

Want to contradict us on that? Check out the sales figures for the Alfa Romeo 4C, the closest thing to an affordable mid-engine sports car.
If you liked the article, please follow us:  Google News icon Google News Youtube Instagram X (Twitter)
About the author: Sebastian Toma
Sebastian Toma profile photo

Sebastian's love for cars began at a young age. Little did he know that a career would emerge from this passion (and that it would not, sadly, involve being a professional racecar driver). In over fourteen years, he got behind the wheel of several hundred vehicles and in the offices of the most important car publications in his homeland.
Full profile

 

Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?

You will only receive our top stories