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The new European Accord is slated to go on sale in the UK from mid-2008. Its wider, lower look signals a more sporty styling approach. Innovative chassis technology will deliver an involving driving experience without compromising ride comfort. It will be powered by a range of advanced, low emissions engines.

The Accord Tourer concept has smarter, sleeker proportions than its predecessor, yet greater width, which makes for a more spacious cabin and also allows for an increase in the track to help give superb handling.

The new European Accord will be one of the first cars to offer an entirely Euro 5-compliant engine line-up. Two petrol engines of 2.0 and 2.4-litre capacities and a 2.2-litre diesel engine mirror those in the current European Accord range, but power output will be boosted and emissions and fuel economy significantly improved.

Production versions of the new Accord will debut in Saloon and Tourer forms at the 2008 Geneva Motor Show.

The European market Accord is known as the Accord Euro in Australia. Details of the Australian specification Accord Euro range will be announced closer to the launch date, expected to be in mid to late 2008.

HONDA AT FRANKFURT

This year’s stand focuses on two themes, Sport and the Environment, displaying an impressive line-up of car, bike and power equipment products.

Environment

This area will showcase Honda’s ground-breaking "greener" technologies, with a focus on our petrol-electric hybrid models. The display will include the Small Hybrid Sports Concept – first revealed at the Geneva Motor Show this year – which demonstrates the rare fusion of advanced hybrid technology and exciting sports car characteristics.

Alongside it will be an example of Honda’s next-generation clean diesel engine, a production Civic Hybrid and the latest driveable FCX Concept fuel cell car, with its fully-functioning, zero-emissions fuel cell technology.

Small Hybrid Sports Concept

The Small Hybrid Sports Concept, developed at Honda R&D Europe's design studio based in Offenbach , Germany , explores the idea that a car can have a low environmental impact, but still deliver the exciting drive that is expected of a compact sports car.

Its IMA petrol/electric hybrid system drives through the front wheels and compact dimensions help deliver nimble, agile performance and a good power-to-weight ratio. Meanwhile, a 2350mm wheelbase in conjunction with sports suspension, gives excellent grip and predictable handling. The car will wear a blue and green paint colour scheme like that of Honda’s Formula 1 car – as seen at myearthdream.com.

FCX Concept

Honda has been working on fuel cell systems since 1989 and the FCX Concept car on display at Frankfurt is the latest generation of the car – a driveable example of Honda’s efforts to create a car with zero-emissions (except water that is). A production version of the FCX Concept will go on sale in the US and Japan next year.

Thin film solar cells

Also featuring in the Environment display are Honda's thin film solar cells. These represent just one of the ways in which Honda is looking at alternative energy, particularly in order to address the issue of producing hydrogen in a sustainable way.

Electricity can be generated, using solar energy, which can in turn be used to produce the hydrogen required for fuel cells. Honda continues to research solar cell technology in view of this and has just begun mass production of thin film cells at its wholly-owned solar cell subsidiary, Honda Soltec Co., Ltd.

The thin film cell - developed by Honda Engineering Co., Ltd - is made from a compound of copper, indium, gallium and selenium (CIGS), and generates less carbon dioxide during the production stage than conventional technologies.

Motorsport

This second area of the stand will include Honda's current F1 racing car – the RA107 piloted by Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello - alongside Civic Type R and Honda S2000 production models. There will also be a strong emphasis on our motorsport heritage and featuring next to the F1 car will be one of Honda's first racers: the 1967 RA300.

The phenomenal success of Honda in motorcycle racing is an important part of the company's sporting history, so we’ll have some examples of our race-winning machinery on display. As well as the Repsol Honda RC212V from this year’s MotoGP series – raced by Dani Pedrosa and Nicky Hayden - there'll be the HM Plant Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade that John McGuinness rode to break the 130mph average speed lap record at this year’s Isle of Man TT races.

The extensive line-up of motorcycles also includes the world's first production motorcycle airbag system, available on the new Gold Wing.

Extensive crash tests conducted at our indoor omni-directional Real World Crash Test Facility, combined with applying advanced computer simulation technology, and leading the way with the introduction of motorcycle rider test dummies, has enabled Honda to gather and analyse a wide variety of data on the behaviour of motorcycles during collisions. The motorcycle airbag is the result and can help lessen the severity of injuries caused by frontal collisions.

Also on display:

A wide range of power equipment products can also be seen on the stand as well as examples of Honda’s expertise in advanced mobility. Honda's jet engine, which is due to enter production in 2010 at a new plant in Burlington , North Carolina and ASIMO, will both be on display. The ASIMO static display explains the developments Honda engineers have gone through to make the progress we can see today. It also hints at what lies in store for ASIMO in future.