Honda’s wildest concept

A radical Honda that will never make it to the road is the surprise hit of the 2009 Los Angeles Motor Show.

The Honda FC Sport Concept shows how far the company can push its hydrogen-power plans, packing an on-board electric generator under the skin of a three-seater supercar.

"This is as radical as Honda has ever gone," says one company insider at the show.

"They won't build this car but it shows their commitment to the fuel cell concept. And the sort of things you can do."

The FC Sport Concept is much more radical than any of Honda's upcoming hybrid cars, including the born-again CR-Z which will go into production alongside the second-generation Insight family hatch, and was designed and built in California.

Apart from its tiny body and minimal overhangs, the big difference in the FC car's layout is a three-seater cabin which puts the passengers into an arrowhead formation, just like the McLaren F1 supercar of the 1990s.

"The Honda FC Sport explores how to satisfy automotive performance enthusiasts in a world beyond petroleum. People who love sports cars will still have a reason to love them in a hydrogen-powered future," says American Honda's executive vice-president, John Mendel.