Honda EV-STER To Form Basis For New Sports Car: Report

Honda's EV-STER concept will form the basis for a new sports car from from the Japanese automaker, reports from Europe say.

The EV-STER concept was unveiled earlier this month at the Tokyo Motor Show, and although its roofless body may suggest links to the S2000, its compact cab-forward desing makes it more closely related to the targa-roofed CRX del Sol of the 1990s.

The concept's powertrain is an electric motor fed by a lithium-ion battery, supposedly good for a 0-100km/h sprint time of just five seconds.

The production car's powerplant has yet to be locked in, however Honda CEO Takanobu Ito reportedly said that a petrol engine may be offered alongside a battery-electric setup.

Although the EV-STER concept's drivetrain sent power to the rear wheels, it's not clear whether the prodocution version will be rear wheel drive, or front wheel drive like the recently-arrived CR-Z hybrid.

Ito also suggested that the new Honda sports car could be unveiled as early as sometime next year, making a 2013 launch a possibility.