SEMA Motor Show 2009: Honda uses vintage iron to announce return to grassroots racing at AutoFans www Auto Com

SEMA Motor Show 2009: Honda uses vintage iron to announce return to grassroots racing

Honda is using SEMA to show off their 2010 vehicles and the accessories available for each. It’s also using the show to signal its return to grassroots racing, displaying several vintage racers and production cars alongside their descendants. Although we’re covering the entire Mugen-accessorized 2010 lineup elsewhere, we didn’t want to miss a chance to talk about three little cars at the back of the booth that had us drooling.

A mint 1971 N600, with its original, yellowed window sticker shows how far we’ve all come. At $1,395 the N600 cost just about a-buck-a-pound and its 598 cc air-cooled two-cylinder put out just 36 hp, but that was enough to get it to 80 MPH and still return 40 MPG. The N600 was also the car that introduced Americans to Honda automobiles, and firmly established Honda’s reputation for frugality and fun.

Next to the N600 sat “Tokyo Joe,” the 1974 Bolus & Snopes Civic 1200 racecar that scored six SCCA GT5 championships between 1985 and 1990. It was campaigned by American Honda employee Bob Boileau and once held the title of “World’s Fastest Civic” when it was clocked at 146.698 MPH on the Talladega Superspeedway back in 1976. It also looked like it might move the frugal/fun ratio for Hondas a little to the other side of the equation.

Balancing both nicely was the spotless 1984 Mugen CRX prototype. Using a host of parts developed by Mugen, the car showed the performance possibilities inherent in the CRX platform. The Mugen sported a body kit designed for high speed stability, engine mods, a thoroughly reworked suspension, and meatier (but still just) 13-inch tires. A real throwback to the early days of Honda road and racing machines.

[Source: Honda]

More excellent pictures and articles about 2009 SEMA Motor Show :
+   SEMA Motor Show 2009: The mid-engine RM460 Hyundai Genesis Coupe has landed
+   SEMA Motor Show 2009: 2010 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor 6.2 packs 411 HP
+   SEMA Motor Show Preview: Suzuki showing Kizashi-strong lineup
+   SEMA Motor Show 2009: Hennessey preps a 500-hp carbon look Genesis Coupe
+   2010 Chevrolet Hennessey HP700 Camaro to make official debut at SEMA
+   SEMA Motor Show Preview: 400-hp supercharged Lexus IS C hits the road to Sin City
+   SEMA Motor Show 2009 Preview: RM460 Genesis Coupe with 500-hp mid-engine V8 gets rendered

Other Honda Cars In www Auto Com:
+    Tokyo Motor Show 2009: Should Honda bring the Freed MPV to America
+    Officially Official: This is your 2010 Honda Accord Crosstour
+    Verdict: 2008 Honda Accord EX-L V-6
+    Verdict: 2007 Honda CR-V EX-L Nav
+    Leakage: Euro-spec 2009 Honda Insight
+    Honda cancels development of V10-powered NSX successor
+    Mugen Release Tuning Kits for New 2009 Honda Odyssey JDM
+    2009 JDM Honda Odyssey teased ahead of debut
+    Track Drive: 2008 Honda Civic Mugen Si
+    2009 Honda Legend reveals de-shielded Acura RL
+    Pics aplenty: 2009 Honda Civic Hybrid
+    Officially Official: Honda unveils updated 2009 Honda Civic
+    First Drive: 2009 Honda Fit and 2009 Honda Fit Sport
+    Honda’s Prius-killing hybrid gets a date: April 2009
+    Skunk2 project EP3 Honda CivicRR up for sale
+    Spycam: Honda’s all-new global hybrid and refreshed 2009 Civic Hybrid
+    Rendered Speculation: 2010 Honda S2000 replacement
+    Honda’s next Civic hybrid could revive Insight name
+    Long Term Arrival: 2008 Honda Accord EX-L
+    The Frugal Five: Compact Crossover Comparison
+    Honda Legend facelift leaks out
+    First Drive: 2009 Honda Pilot

SEMA Motor Show 2009: Honda uses vintage iron to announce return to grassroots racing

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This entry was posted on Wednesday, November 4th, 2009 at 8:16 am and is filed under Jeep, SEMA, SUV. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.