Honda Accord

It looks like an obvious evolution of the old one, but the Honda Accord revealed at Geneva is pretty much a new car. It's built on a wider platform and is, according to the UK marketing types, chasing the premium sector with its classier cabin. Project leader Katsumi Horikawa is more cautious. 'I don't believe we can step up to the premium-make area,' he said, 'but Honda is quite a minor manufacturer in Europe and we can achieve a higher quality at a higher price to achieve customer satisfaction. We will intrude into the premium makes at the lower end.' That's why Honda benchmarked the BMW 3-series and the Audi A4 for the new Accord. But what we want to know is: will there be a new Type-R? 'There is no Type-R planned,' said Horikawa, 'but maybe for special customers who want a bit more power, we are planning to develop such a car. I can't tell you concrete numbers but there will be a higher output. It will be regarded as an accessory option along with aero parts.' The Accord's 2.4-litre engine already produces 200bhp, and the previous model had an excellent chassis, so the 'high power' new Accord should be an appealing prospect.

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