Honda has sidestepped this year’s Detroit Auto Show by revealing its GEAR Concept Study, a youth-oriented hatchback model, at the Montreal International Auto Show.
According to Honda, the GEAR is the company’s latest attempt to break into the ‘Generation Y’ market. For the less demographic buzzword enlightened, this market would target folks in their mid-to-late twenties and early thirties. In principle, that would encompass the tote-a-snowboard, iPad-owning, and more appearance-driven among us.
Which is interesting given the decidedly retro treatment doled out to the headlamps and grille. Other design features include wheel arch ‘slashes’ reminiscent of those on the nineties Fiat Coupe, wedge-shaped three-door profile and a glassed-in rear section.
The Honda GEAR Concept is inspired by fixed-gear bicycles and is both “customisable and connected” – probably capable of being festooned with extra body kit/wheel/trim addenda and possessed of a network-capable infotainment system.
Honda’s American R&D Design boss, Dave Marek, says “Subcompact cars are usually either utilitarian, but uninspiring or they’re fun, zippy cars that are impractical and too expensive for the Gen-Y buyer…GEAR Concept tears down those walls – it’s practical but fun, customizable, connected and affordable. Everything that young, discerning urban buyers would want in a car.”
It’s compelling stuff, but you have to ask why CR-Z (had it been equipped with a peppy petrol engine as opposed to its hybrid innards) could not fulfill such provisos.
The GEAR Concept is likely to tour a number of international motor shows this year, during which time production viability (if there is any) will probably come to the fore.
