Honda Showcases New Low Cost City Car in India, Production Model to Follow in 2011

The New Small Concept is Honda's proposal for a low-cost five-door hatchback in booming emerging markets such as India and it was introduced today at the Auto Expo 2010 in New Delhi. Honda was quite secretive about the five-seater supermini's underpinnings and mechanical hardware, but the company did reveal that it is planning to introduce a new model based on this concept sometime in 2011.

The supermini will initially be sold in India and in Thailand, though it has been reported that the vehicle is engineered to be a global car so don't be surprised if the small Honda makes its way in certain Western markets.

It goes without saying that the series model's styling will be toned down a notch or two compared to the concept, though some features such as the hidden rear-door handles could make it into production.

Honda HSV-010 GT: NSX's Racing Replacement Caught on Video During Testing

Earlier this week, Honda released the first official details and a photo of its new HSV-010 GT, which stands for Honda Sports Velocity, and has been developed to replace the racing variant of the NSX in the GT500 class of the 2010 Super GT Series. Now we have the first videos of the blacked out racer that's the closest we'll get to the next generation NSX supercar.

You see, the HSV-010 GT is based on the NSX's replacement that Honda canceled at the end of 2008 due to the economic recession. The Japanese company had previewed the supercar which featured a front-mounted V10 engine in concept form through the Acura Advance Sports Car Concept at the 2007 Detroit Auto Show.

According to company sources, the V10 supercar would have been the Japanese automaker's most powerful production model ever.

The HSV-010 GT carries the production-ready supercar's shape and underpinnings though Honda's engineers swapped the V10 engine for a 3.4-liter V8 churning out some 500HP and replaced the rear-biased all-wheel drive system for a simpler rear-wheel drive layout to conform to the 2010 GT500 Regulations.

Honda's new GT is slated to make its official racing debut at the Super GT season opener at the Suzuka Circuit, held on March 20–21, 2010.

Classic Japanese Cars at the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show

Together with their new production cars and concept studies, some domestic automakers also brought along with them a handful of Japanese classics to display at the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show floors. First up is the 1980 Mazda Familia hatchback which was essentially the Mazda3's forefather. Toyota had a 1981 Toyota Soarer Coupe and the GT HYBD, a gas-turbine hybrid concept version of its first production sports car, the Sports 800 that went on sale in 1965.

Mazda displayed the 1970 500cc rotary-powered RX-500 Concept while Mitsubishi exhibited Japan's first series production automobile, the 1917 A Model which was based on the Fiat Tipo 3. Finally, Honda showed off a first generation (1976-1981) Honda Accord CVCC three-door hatchback.

Photos shot by our Tokyo Motor Show reporter, Phil Alex