Detroit show: Honda Accord Coupe Concept

The revelation that Honda is developing its eighth-generation Accord is definitely Important News. The Accord is Honda's best-selling car worldwide, and has shifted almost 10 million units in the US alone in the past 30 years.

However, although it's Important News, it's not particularly Exciting News. And that's part of the reason why Honda decided to show off the coupe instead of the saloon version of its concept Accord at Detroit this year.

It's the first time an Accord concept vehicle has ever been unveiled at a motor show, so the boys at Honda must be pretty proud of their efforts. And although the coupe's looks aren't going to slacken many jaws, it certainly has a more muscular and chiselled design than previous Accords.

The scalloped sides and fastback roofline are framed by projector headlights to the front and quad exhausts to the rear.

And although Honda is staying coy on what's under that long bonnet, we've been promised a 'more powerful and lower-emissions V6' incorporating Variable Cylinder Management technology.

All the next-generation Accords will get Honda's Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE) Body Structure - a front-end safety frame that absorbs and disperses crash energy in a frontal impact. The ACE technology is already found on the current CR-V and Civic models.

The saloon version of the new Accord is expected to reach the US in the autumn, with the coupe model following shortly after.

There's no definite word on when the mid-sized model will reach our shores, but early 2008 would be a safe bet.