Tokyo, February 23, 1999 --- Honda Motor Co., Ltd. today announced the development of - a new open car body structure - offering the same level of rigidity and collision safety as that of a closed body.

To develop this new-generation open car body structure, Honda rejected conventional approaches and implemented a new "high X-bone frame" in which the central floor tunnel serves as the backbone of a structure connecting to both front and rear side members on a single horizontal plane to form an X-shaped structure. The completely straightened side member, center floor tunnel, side sills, and central floor frame are all connected together, creating a light open car body structure with the rigidity and collision safety of a closed one.

This new body structure will be introduced in the S2000 model scheduled to be launched in Japan this spring.

New open car body structure