What is green, soft, glows in the dark and can do a 360 standing in place? The Honda PUYO concept car. Although it is not literally green, not until it glows in the dark perhaps. With a design reflecting a cross between a space moon buggy and cartoon car, this concept car is pointless. Well, we mean to say it is all curves and soft bumps, and is void of sharp edges.
Late last year Honda opened the 40th Tokyo Motor Show with the theme “For the endless joy of mobility on our earth”, and I imagine they were going for safe with this concept car as well. The PUYO runs on a fuel cell and is constructed of a soft gel body that glows at night.
Now whether is evokes the ethereal feel of a bubble or the recoiling feel of a chewed bubblegum exterior is subjective. I would liken it to Mr. Bean’s car of the future; simple, safe, friendly. Along those lines it seems well suited as a vehicle for road therapy, one to be assigned to road rage offenders rather than a car you would purchase for a functional purpose.
The soft exterior bodywork is touted as safe. I’m sure as this new technology evolves it will prove useful to car manufacturers in the future. For now Honda’s PUYO, looking like a flitting robotic bug with its scissor doors open will have to wait for the future to catch up with it.
Meanwhile Honda’s CR-Z, or Compact Renaissance Zero, which is powered by a gasoline-hybrid engine made for an impressive showing. This is translating more into the look of the future that we expect…and coming from Honda a pleasant surprise. It is the Honda CRX reborn and a car you’d love to find at a show room near you. Perhaps the future is already here.
