Honda Files Design Trademark For Mysterious, Futuristic Grand Tourer

Honda responded to more Motor1.com's request for more details about this vehicle. "This is a design study not related to a mass production plan," company spokesperson Lynn Seely told us.

Honda currently lacks a grand touring car in its lineup, but two designers within the company are at least imagining how such a vehicle might look. Their idea has a radically futuristic appearance that's striking even in the black-and-white renderings.

The filing paperwork indicates that Ricky Hsu and Nicholas Renner are the people behind this shape. Honda filed the paperwork to register the design on June 28, 2019, but the United States Patent and Trademark Office didn't publish it until February 2, 2021.

The images don't make things very clear, but it appears that the entire center section that appears black in these images might actually be a clear panel. This would create a striking look that would partially expose some of the vehicle's mechanical elements like the suspension and drivetrain.

Pointy headlights occupy each corner of the front and cascade down the fenders. A big intake occupies the center section. Its pentagonal shape is reminiscent of Acura's current design language and might hint at this being a concept for Honda's premium brand.

The sculpted roofline creates a sleek, low-slung silhouette. The designers push the wheels to the far corners of the body, which creates a sporty stance.

While Acura already has the performance-focused NSX, the brand lacks a big, luxurious coupe for competing against vehicles like the Lexus LC and BMW 8 Series. Putting a concept like this into production would be a way to fill that gap.

The fully enclosed wheels suggest this vehicle sits more on a concept end of the design spectrum rather than a vehicle that's destined for production soon. Still, we hope this project advances enough to warrant an actual concept because this shape would look amazing in the real world.

Motor1.com reached out to Honda to see if the company was willing to offer any more info about this design trademark.