2023 is a big year for Honda. This year marks the 75th anniversary of the brand which was incorporated in September 24, 1946. With that, there’s a good chance that Honda might do something special for this milestone occasion.
The last time Honda celebrated a significant milestone was back in 1999. 1999 marked the 50th anniversary of its first production vehicle, the D-Type motorcycle. That year, Honda also revealed the S2000. The S2000 would later become an icon in its own right, and production ran from 1999 until 2009.
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So, will Honda do something similar for its 75th founding anniversary? Autocar UK reports that it might happen. Tom Gardner, senior vice president of Honda Motor Co. Ltd. Europe, told the British publication the company could be planning something big for 2023. "Watch this space: [2023 is] 75 years - we had the S2000 at 50. Who knows," said the executive.
Now, this doesn’t mean that an S2000 revival is confirmed just yet. That said, the company is keen on celebrating its 75th birthday with a bang. "And we love a sports car. We love performance, and we're very grateful for the strong reaction we've had to the latest Type R. There is huge demand for it, and the performance has been very well appreciated,” said Gardner.
For now, there are no details regarding its potential powertrain options. However, it doesn’t seem likely that we’ll see another high-revving, naturally-aspirated screaming VTEC engine for the new sports car. Stringent emission regulations favor electrified powertrains or downsized turbo engines, making it difficult for that to happen again. Of course, we're dreaming that it will have the Type R's turbo engine, just like a recent build from the US.
Honda’s 75th birthday is just in time for the Japan Mobility Show that will kick off around October this year. Who knows, maybe Honda will reveal a new sports concept car during the show. Until then, we'll be waiting for more details.
