The Accord is Honda's best-selling model in North America, selling over 354,000 in 2006, and its debut at NAIAS marks the first time that an Accord concept vehicle has ever been shown at a major auto show.

The styling of the Accord Coupe Concept conveys a powerful stance through its long hood, deeply sculpted lower body and fastback roofline. A six-sided grille and projector headlamps that recess deep into the front bumpers contribute to an unmistakable and aggressive front fascia. Quad exhaust outlets integrated into the rear diffuser further convey performance and style beyond any Accord to date.

"The Accord Coupe Concept demonstrates the styling direction for the upcoming, eighth-generation Accord," said John Mendel, senior vice president of American Honda. "As the industry's target for midsize segment excellence, the all-new Accord will set a new benchmark for safety, efficiency, performance, refinement and style."

A more powerful and lower-emissions V6 engine will provide higher fuel efficiency with the incorporation of Honda's next-generation Variable Cylinder Management (VCM) technology.

As part of Honda's "Safety for Everyone" initiative, all next-generation Accord models will include the company's Advanced Compatibility Engineering(TM) (ACE(TM)) Body Structure. Honda's ACE Body Structure incorporates a front-end frame structure that helps absorb and disperse crash energy over a large area in a frontal impact. ACE also makes the vehicle more crash compatible in frontal impacts with vehicles of differing ride heights.

The current generation of Civic (2006) and the soon to be released CR-V (2007) all have the ACE Body Structure. Together, the ACE-equipped vehicles represent more than 50 percent of all 2007 Honda vehicles sold on a sales-weighted basis. With the addition of the next-generation Accord to the lineup of vehicles with ACE, more than 75 percent will be equipped with the technology on a sales-weighted basis after it goes on sale.

The Honda Accord is currently in its seventh generation in 30 years and remains Honda's best-selling vehicle worldwide.

The Accord is available in Australia as a sedan with both four and six cylinder engines. Honda has no plans to introduce the Accord coupe into the Australian market.