Honda Civic Sheds its Disguise at Frankfurt Motor Show +VIDEO

After teasing us for weeks with heavy cladding the Civic is disrobed

LONDON - September 13, 2011: Honda has launched the new Civic at the IAA Frankfurt Motor Show. Developed specifically for the European market, the Civic will be offered exclusively as a five-door hatchback and will compete in the C-segment, the heart of the European Car market. It will reach European showrooms in early 2012.

In the build-up to the reveal of the new Civic, Honda has released a series of short form films detailing its development. The fourth of these films focuses on the design and quality, while finally showing us what the vehicle really looks like.

Watch the 4th video

NEW HONDA CIVIC: Distinctive sporty design with class leading utility

The designers of the new Civic wanted to keep the sporty and advanced elements of the car's character but tailor them to express the new model's even more elegant yet dynamic feel. "We have lowered the height by 20mm and increased the width by 10mm compared with the current car," comments Mitsuru Kariya, Civic Development Leader.

"Defining the correct proportions was the most important challenge for the design of the new Civic," says Kariya. "We enhanced the sporty aspect of the design while creating a clean, dynamic shape." Sources of inspiration included a 'blended wing body' aeroplane* in which the fuselage and wings blend into a single body for superior aerodynamic performance, quietness and habitability.

The new interior is focussed around the driver and creates a sporty ambience. "We wanted to create the feeling of a cockpit, like a racing car or an aeroplane," explains Yukio Emi, the Design Chief of the Civic Interior.

   • FYI: Watch the other 3 videos and learn more

The quality of the interior for the new Civic has been improved without compromising the class leading utility space. "The key target was to increase the feeling of quality," says Kariya. "We have changed our approach to match customer expectations and European standards. The new Civic has a high quality cabin, both in the way that it feels and the way that it looks. Offering class leading boot space and with the versatile seat combinations means that it is the most practical yet."

*Copyright Silent Aircraft Initiative, published with permission. (A concept model designed by engineers at the University of Cambridge)