Honda is announcing the arrival of the
Honda Racer�, a much-anticipated 1/64th scale Hot Wheels� car
designed by Honda R&D Americas, Inc., in Torrance. The Honda model,
along with designs from five additional automakers, were selected as
part of the Hot WheelsDesigner's Challenge� as a way to celebrate
the die-cast brand's 40th anniversary. The Honda Racer arrives on
store shelves in May 2008.
"The Honda Racer
combines the excitement of Honda's racing heritage with Hot Wheels'
reputation for speed, power, performance and attitude," says
Guillermo Gonzalez, senior designer of Honda R&D Americas, Inc., and
designer of the Honda Racer. "The core concept is built around our
idea for an 'ultimate racecar' and leverages the design freedom made
possible by a scale model car."
The key element to the
design of the entire car is that the body is in the shape of the
Honda "H" emblem. The exterior shape resembles an imaginative
side-by-side racecar of 1960s vintage that encloses a driver and a
navigator. The general shape, styling and paint scheme is further
inspired by Honda's early participation in Formula 1 racing and its
1967 RA 273� racecar. The white and red paint scheme, the open
cockpits, large exhaust system and open wheels are all elements
inspired by the historic Honda racecar.
A powerful Honda V-10
VTEC� engine sits between the piloting team. If brought up to scale,
the engine would displace an amazing 2.0 liters per cylinder. A set
of velocity stacks and an intake that receives air through the body
of the car sits between red DOHC valve covers to provide a
technologically-advanced look. The exhaust system is a giant set of
twisted, yet balanced tubes that reside high above the engine,
complementing the power plant design at the back end of the car. The
dynamic expression of technology, history and detail is evident
throughout the design of the car.
"Sure, it is awesome to
play with the cars on the orange track again, but I discovered that
designing a Hot Wheels car is very different and in some ways more
liberating than designing a production car," says Gonzalez, a native
of East Los Angeles who considers automotive design to be his dream
job. "For example, the primary design constraint is that the car had
to fit on the orange track and perform a loop. Aside from that, the
possibilities are without limit."
Mattel invited auto
manufacturers to participate in the Hot Wheels Designer's Challenge
as part of the die-cast brand's 40th anniversary celebration. The
design of the Honda Racer debuted at the 2007 Specialty Equipment
Market Association (SEMA) show in Las Vegas in October as a 1/5th
scale model.
