Yahoo Autos The Honda Rugged Open Air Vehicle Concept Is the Side-by-Side Thing of the Moment
If there is one thing that most Honda Ridgeline owners have in common, it’s the desire to cut away most of their vehicle’s sheetmetal and create a size XXL side-by-side ATV thing that looks like the world's raciest maintenance cart. Thankfully, Honda is super in tune with the thoughts of its owners and got the jump on them by creating this Rugged Open Air Vehicle concept, which made its debut today in Las Vegas at the SEMA show.
Based on a modified Ridgeline body and suspension combined with elements of the Pioneer side-by-side ATV, it uses numerous current Honda components, including production Pioneer doors and steering wheel. The bed and tailgate are custom units inspired by those of the Pioneer, and the seats are Civic Type R units reskinned in the same waterproof material as the Pioneer seats for all-weather durability. The smartphone holders are from RAM Mounts, and the instrument panel uses durable paint-on surfaces to withstand the elements.
While it would probably be a bit wide for the trails here in the Great Lakes region, we imagine this Rugged Open Air Vehicle would be a blast in the desert, in the Glamis dunes of California, or on the beaches of Mexico; pack up some pals and a cooler, and you’ve got an epic day of fun ahead. Not to mention the boonie-bashing confidence provided by its presumed Honda reliability. Likewise, we could see adventure companies using these things to shuttle folks from base camp to primo surfing, kayaking, or mountain-biking territory.
While Honda hasn't yet revealed any additional details or even hinted at production, it's a pretty straightforward proposition. Like the long-gone the Volkswagen Type 181 Thing, what you see is what you get. And what you get is an open-air vehicle poised to put grins on the faces of its passengers. Now if we can just convince them to make it.
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