If Honda wants to go big they could bring resurrect the S2000 to rival the Supra and 400Z. Supposedly there's been rumors of it happening.
WHAT? This is pretty amazing news. ""According to a source close to Honda," Forbes magazine reported, "the brand’s marketing gurus are seriously considering the launch of a next-generation S2000 that could surface to celebrate the coupe’s 25th anniversary in 2024." The news gets even better...
www.civic11forum.com
I would fully support a RWD S2000 model revival. It would easily compete with the 400Z, Supra, Miata.
But for me, one of Honda's most well known legacies is their FWD coupes... the civic coupe, the integra/rsx, the Prelude, the CRX/CRZ... Honda doesn't seem like Honda without a FWD sports coupe. And when they repurchased their trademark for the CR-Z right before officially cancelling the civic coupe, it kind of rang an alarm for me. The civic coupe has been honda's only FWD coupe for some time now... and arguably it's been held back from being a truly sport focused car due to it's sedan origins and it's need to be "user friendly" and mass market friendly.
Something like a CR-Z revival would offer Honda a chance to create a sport focused FWD coupe/hatch that could set aside the convenience and mass-market useability of the civic structure and opt for more of a form over function appeal. Wide stance, low slung roof, small-ish interior 2 seater or even a 2+2 setup that would allow honda not only to have an affordable FWD sports car, but stretch it's hybrid powertrain in a performance direction (like the original CR-Z failed to really accomplish).
In my dreams, Honda would give such a car the 1.5T engine mated to it's hybrid setup, easily producing 230-250hp while still being able to return close to 40mpg. Keep the car small and as light as possible. I love the idea of a 3 door hatch like the CRZ/CRX was for at least some level of utility. Keep the pricing below $30k and offer both manuals and a DCT transmission option while keeping the trim level count low to keep production costs lower. I think something like that would sell better than the civic coupe did, just on performance merits alone, and would directly compete with the likes of other small coupes on the market. Heck, if they did it right, some small car buyers that liked the Fit might even buy into something like that... it could even compete with small city cars like the mini cooper.
Just my 2 cents. A guy can hope.