Temple of VTEC Rumors and News - Update from Japan: 550hp '08 NSX and a new 7-passenger sub-CR-V Crossover

This just in from TOV's Tokyo Bureau chief, Daniel Garcia:

Hi Jeff, I just happen to be back in Japan for a short stay, and went to have a look at the rumors mags. I guess that with so much news in the US attention to overseas markets won�t be as high as other times, but I found a piece of news I thought worth to be mentioned. CR-V + Stream = New Honda Cross-over In fact, I counted three different mags featuring a new Honda SUV debut in Japan in March 07. Interesting enough, they all claim that it will be a cross between the new CR-V and Stream, and be able to seat up to 7 people (Japanese size) in an overall package that would be a little smaller than the CR-V. Powertrain-wise they all agree that it will inherit the Stream�s 1.8L 5AT and 2.0L CVT. The interior is also said to reproduce Stream themes. On the exterior all mags have somewhat different sketch/renders, but they all assume that it will build on the now extinct HR-V. I just took one of the renders that looked more accomplished. There is nothing written about a possible commercialization outside Japan. Acura V10 engine / sports car. Well, as almost every month / week, �Bestcar� has another look at a possible Acura sports coupe, and some talking about the upcoming Honda V10. Although announced as a �Top Secret� scoop, as always I wouldn�t really put to much emphasis on the accuracy of this information. They also claim though to have had an interview with somebody that has seen a real concept. Here is in short what they say though:

It will arrive in �08, together with the introduction of the Acura brand in Japan.
Honda will give a clear design clue in Detroit in the Acura PR event (that apparently that man has seen).
V10 powerplant will be a 4.5L, smaller than current BMW�s M5 and the upcoming Lexus V10. They also say that it would have a V angle of 95�, similar to F1 engines, and that for that reason the body will have to be wider. It should reach around 120PS/L with max output of 550Hp. Power is said to come to the wheels through a Semi-AT transmission.
Platform is said to be a newly developed FR+SH-AWD setup, together with a new suspension design, and inheriting an all aluminium body construction from past-gen NSX.
Style is said to be more in the line of British GT�s than Italian Ferraris. According to the source, he can�t really find similarities with other cars on the road, although he says that you could say it�s a Honda (Acura), but that you couldn�t think of it as a NSX successor.
Price would be in line with past-gen NSX (priced around 10 � 12 Million yen), which would be considerably cheaper than Lexus targeted price of 15-20 MYen for their GT-car. Please do not translate those figures into dollars at today�s rates. Car prices in Japan have remained unchanged for really long time despite Yen recent depreciation. For sure overseas market�s prices would be more expensive than just translating the currencies.

NOTE: Before somebody starts another comment thread asking if these are real pics, please note these are COMPUTER GENERATED images. Additionally, these images are NOT OFFICIAL, nor did they originate from Honda. Note that these are basically composite sketches and may very well be based heavily upon an actual photo of an entirely different car. If you're new to the scene, that's how they do things in these Japanese scoop mags.