The Honda GEAR Concept proves that Honda still knows sexy

Flashing lights bounced of the Honda GEAR Concept at the Montreal International Auto Show this week, lighting up an event that tends to take a backseat to the North American International Auto Show. I have to ask… why the hell was the Honda GEAR Concept NOT at the Detroit Auto Show!? This thing looks amazing and is exactly what Honda should be focusing on.

I mean… just look at it!

Honda is a tough nut to crack. They are lousy with PR, (usually) design by committee and lost some hard-earned consumer loyalty to upstarts and competitive usurpers. Yet, knowing how good they are at engineering, I have been a long time subscriber that Honda builds great machines. They tend to polarize with some of their aesthetic choices, but their fleet still has solid bones.

It’s like loving someone who can’t love you back.

Honda implied that the Honda GEAR Concept is nothing more than a design study. It’s supposed to attract young buyers, blah – blah, demographic, blah – blah, bicycle-inspired, blah-blah…. Basically, the same pitch most designers/automakers make when they have something to offer the youth. The term GEAR comes from the simplicity of a single gear bicycle as it is one of the most simple forms of transit.

There was no mention of power-train, interior, production possibilities or anything.

The Honda GEAR Concept was thrown on a (Canadian) wall to see if it will stick. Given its size, which looks like its slotted between a Honda Fit and a Honda CRZ, the overall theme of the Honda GEAR Concept stems from the Civic hatchbacks and even the Honda CVCC. The moment I looked at it, that’s exactly what I though – and so did you.

This is one of the coolest, most enjoyable concepts I’ve seen from Honda in years.

If Honda manages to build the Honda GEAR Concept – it’s a good bet that one of the options could be the same power-plant that’s in the current CRZ. Even with a tiny, internal combustion unit like a 1-liter turbo, I bet this ride would give the FIAT 500 and MINI Cooper a run for their money.

There is nothing but enthusiastic conjectural hope regarding the Honda GEAR Concept, but it immediately solicits daydreams – and that’s a good thing.

I will follow the Honda GEAR Concept closely because it’s cool. How long has it been since Honda had a “cool” car?

Here’s the only Honda we got to test properly in 2012 – the CR-V!

Props to Carscoop for the photos