Honda has roots in both two-wheel and four-wheel racing, and these two passions have come together in a new concept car called Project 2&4.

The car combines the look and the maneuverability of a standard four-wheel racing car, yet it has the openness and revving engine of a motorcycle.

"Embodying the concept of 'creative craftsmanship,' Honda Project 2&4 celebrates Honda's position as the world's leading engine manufacturer, providing engines to 28 million people per year across two- and four-wheel automotive, power equipment, marine and aerospace applications," said the company in a press release.

In the car can be found the Honda RC213V competition motorcycle engine. This is essentially a MotoGP racing engine that has been modified for public roads. The car's four-stroke V4 engine peaks at 212 horsepower at 13,000 rpm.

The concept car essentially takes that engine and puts it in a lightweight chassis that basically looks like an oversized go-kart. The entire car only weighs 893 pounds, with a very low center of mass, and the overall footprint of the car is 10 feet long by six feet wide.

Perhaps the most interesting part of the car is its "floating seat" design, which evokes both a motorcycle and a go-kart and places the driver as close to the road as possible. The car doesn't have any kind of dashboard or windshield, and the driver simply has the steering wheel and a small glass panel for the instruments.

Of course, while the car certainly looks cool, it doesn't seem to have anything in place for driver safety, making it almost impossible that it will ever be sold to a customer. It will, however, be shown off at the upcoming Frankfurt Auto Show.

Via: CNet