Honda Shows That Ultra-Compact Can Be Ultra Cool

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - At last December's 2009 Los Angeles Auto Show, Honda presented their high-efficiency Personal-Neo Urban Transport vehicle called the Honda P-NUT. The Honda P-NUT seats three people with the driver taking a central position and the two passengers sitting either side in the rear. With more people buying high-efficiency cars like the smart fortwo and Toyota's iQ, Honda is eager to enter the rapidly expanding Ultra-Compact segment where exceptional MPG and low C02 output are combined with high-tech luxury appointments.

Honda's P-NUT concept car has a rear positioned engine bay that can take either a low cc internal combustion engine, a gasoline-electric hybrid drive unit, or a 100% battery powered powertrain. The Honda P-NUT was designed by Honda's R&D Americas Advance Design Studio in Los Angeles, California. Honda says that the design intent was to create an urban fun car with maximized interior space, an aerodynamic exterior, and sophisticated driver cabin environement. Honda says that when the rear seats of the P-NUT are not being used, they can be folded back to increase the rear storage space for the driver.

Inside the Honda P-NUT, the driver can view the vehicles instrumentation and navigation system on a heads-up display projected onto the front windshield. There is also a rear view back-up camera display that can be used when reversing. Honda says that the P-NUT is a car that complements a pure city-based lifestyle, and it is very probable that Honda engineers are already working on a few production Ultra-Compacts to introduce into the marketplace in the next few years.