Convertible concept unveiled at London Show

Honda has chosen the British International Motor Show to unveil its latest concept – The Honda OSM roadster.

The Honda OSM (Open Study Model) is a small two-seater convertible, which will be powered with economical engines if it goes into production.

While some motor show concepts look too crazy to imagine on the street, the Honda OSM looks as if it could be built right away and sit comfortably in Honda’s current line-up.

Inside, the dashboard is the same white hue as the exterior, which brings more light to the cabin.

Digital displays and dials are of a similar design to the futuristic Honda Civic hatchback, stacked vertically in the driver’s line of sight.

Designer Andreas Sittel said: “We’re trying to show that low emission cars can be attractive.”

“There is no reason why a car that’s more environmentally friendly can’t look great too – and be sporty and fun to drive.”

A centrally-mounted semi-sequential gearbox can also be operated with paddle shifters at the side of the steering wheel.

And, like a McLaren-Mercedes SLR, there is a red button mounted in the gear knob which starts the engine.

Honda is a leader in fuel-saving technology and is also displaying the confirmed-for-production CR-Z sports hybrid and the FCX Clarity hydrogen fuel cell car.

The world’s cleanest sports car is the Tesla Roadster, which uses batteries to power it from 0-60mph in just 3.9 seconds – but it costs more than £50,000.

Check out the Auto Trader British International Motor Show microsite for more news, images and videos from the event.

And don’t forget to visit us at the Auto Trader stand (stand N116) at the British Motor Show. We’re making the world of cars easy, with a range of interactive features to help motorists to find their ‘ideal match’ of new and used cars, a recording area for motorists to complete a video review of their car PLUS 100 ways to reduce the cost of your motoring.

View more pictures of the Honda OSM

by Andy Goodwin