The rumored roadster, which reportedly wouldn't be production-ready until 2014, would utilize a subframe with a mid-engine layout for optimum weight distribution. If this exciting-sounding ride is indeed in utero, the big question would surround the avenue Honda would choose for propulsion. Options include a small, possibly boosted gasoline motor, a CR-Z-like hybrid and possibly even an electric-only solution. All three options would likely be relatively efficient due to the roadster's small stature, but MT points out that a gas-only option could limit the vehicle's international appeal.
A mixture between a Beat and an S2000 sounds great to us, but is there any proof that such a vehicle is under development? The magazine did some digging and discovered a Honda patent pending in Japan for a subframe vehicle with an "engine being fitted to a center frame." Add to that the fact that last year we heard rumblings of a next-generation Beat that looks a lot like the rendering above, and we could finally be looking at a fun new Honda by mid-decade. Click on the photo above to check out Motor Trend's hot-looking rendering.
