Honda designs car without steering wheel

Alot of people are speculating that this will be the DNA of the next Honda S2000....

By David Millward, Transport Editor, Geneva

Instead of the steering wheel, this car is controlled with the aid of two levers.
The EV-Steer is intended to give the motorist the same experience as somebody riding a motor bike, who uses the handlebars to turn.
Instead of turning the wheel, the driver pulls and pushes the levers according to the direction of travel.

"It's fun, it is very tactile and it is very accurate," a Honda spokesman insisted.
"The car keeps the driver alert, because it is very sensitive to movement. Your whole body is kept moving.
"In fact it is a mini-cross trainer," the spokesman added, without the slightest note of irony.
While the car may lack a steering wheel, it is not short of dashboards. In fact it has three.
The middle one would normally display the routine information such as speed.
Then on either side, just above each of the levers are two more dashboards, which can be configured according to the driverﾒs wishes.
One, for example, can be dedicated for the satellite navigation system, while the other could be used to control the audio system or car temperature.
The car. which has a top speed of just under 100 mph, has already been driven thousands of miles on a Japanese test track.
Fitted with an electric engine, the car can travel up to 100 miles on a single charge. Charging the battery takes around three hours.
A mid-range sports, Honda expects to go into full production of the EV-Steer within the next three years. and will have a price tag between £30,000 and £35,000.

Source;

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/news/9126441/Honda-designs-car-without-steering-wheel.html

Geneva 2012: Honda CR-V European Prototype [Live Photos]

This handsome looking new crossover from Honda is the prototype for the CR-V that will replace the current one on the European market in autumn 2012. The styling is bolder and more upmarket than before, with a sculpted new grille and headlights.

The full production version of the 2012 CR-V is going to officially debut at the Paris Salon in autumn, but the looks will remain unchanged. As of yet, the interior is not fully complete, and the engine range has yet to be announced. But a bit of educated guesswork reveals petrol range will include a 2.0-liter i-VTEC, while the diesel one will focus on the 2.2 i-CTDi, which we know was refined for better economy in the new Civic hatchback. The 1.6-liter diesel that makes its debut in Geneva as well is unlikely to be offered at least for another year.

Source;

http://www.autoevolution.com/news/geneva-2012-honda-cr-v-european-prototype-live-photos-43168.html

Honda Announces Ambitious 2012 Le Mans Prototype Program

Honda Performance Development HPD) has an ambitious sports-prototype effort for the 2012 season as it takes part in both LMP1 and LMP2 categories in two series: FIA's World Endurance Championship (WEC) and the American Le Mans Series (ALMS).

This year marks the largest customer endurance program to date for HPD as it will have a total of seven HPD-powered cars on the grid in both series.

"In recent years, teams running HPD engines and chassis have delivered remarkable results at some of the world's greatest sports car races, starting with an amazing LMP2 victory--and second and third overall finishes--at our endurance racing debut, the 2007 Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring," Steve Eriksen, HPD vice president said. " Another highlight was Strakka Racing's LMP2 victory and fifth-place overall finish at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2010, also on our first attempt!"

Eriksen realizes that the return to LMP1 (first time since 2010) and continuing the LMP2 program will be the biggest challenge yet for the team's engineers and associates.

"I'm extremely confident in our capabilities and look forward to another exciting season in 2012," he said. "We expect that the proven design, development and engineering expertise of HPD and its technical partners will provide our teams with the tools they need to succeed. It will be an exciting season."

HPD has three accomplished racing organizations that will campaign its ARX-03a open prototype in the LMP1 class. Strakka Racing, a UK-based team continues its three-year association with HPD, moving from LM P2 to the premier LM P1 category in the new FIA World Endurance Championship. Drivers are Jonny Kane, Nick Leventis and Danny Watts.

JRM Racing, which won the FIA GT1 championship last year, is also campaigning an LMP1 ARX-03a HPD prototype this year with David Brabham (long an HPD stalwart), Karun Chandok and Peter Dumbreck at the helm for the eight-race WEC schedule.

An American-based team recently announced plans to take part in the full WEC schedule. Florida-based Starworks Motorsport had a second-place result at the recent 24 Hours of Daytona (with another engine/chassis combination) and will join the LMP2 grid for the first time with team regulars Ryan Dalziel and Enrico Potoliccio at the wheel.

Greg Pickett's Muscle Milk Racing team debuts the ARX-03a chassis in the American Le Mans Series championship with team regulars Klaus Graf and Lucas Luhr driving the LMP1 open race car.

Level 5 Motorsports, fresh off an undefeated ALMS season with HPD power in ALMS LMP2 competition, continues with a pair of new ARX-03b chassis for drivers Christophe Bouchut and Scott Tucker. The team also plans to return to the 24 Hours of Le Mans and follow up on their strong third-place result in LMP2 last year. Black Swan Racing is moving to LMP2 with HPD power, campaigning a Lola B10/80 coupe in the ALMS championship, after winning the GTC title in 2010. The driving duo of team owner Tim Pappas and Jerome Bleekmolen move up to this prototype class as part of the HPD lineup.

HPD is continuing its technical partnership with Wirth Research in the UK, building on the global successes they've achieved together in recent years. This include numbers class and/or outright victories in all the world's premier sports car races and championships, including both the Le Mans 24-Hour race and the Sebring 12-Hour contest.

Source:
http://www.motorauthority.com/news/1072740_honda-announces-ambitious-2012-le-mans-prototype-program