Honda has offered a sneak peek at its next-generation Accord Coupe, and a revealing peek it is.

Company officials call the car pictured here a "concept," but that description requires some context. Pure concept cars are a rarity at Honda Motor Co., and until now the company had not produced a concept car that carries the name of an existing model. Rest assured that the Accord Coupe Concept, revealed in January at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, is very close to the eighth-generation Accord that's expected to go on sale as a 2009 model sometime around the spring or summer of 2008.

Even Honda's press literature concedes that the Accord Coupe Concept "reveals a totally new look for the next-generation Accord, along with key technologies for safety, fuel efficiency and performance."

The Accord Coupe Concept is very close to production quality, in terms of finish and manufacturability, right down to its production-car tires. It has the classic flowing coupe look, with a long hood, fastback roof and short rear deck, yet in certain respects it's also quite angular. Its prominent honeycomb grille has six distinct edges, and its projector beam headlights are recessed deeply into the front fenders under angular covers. This is also the most aggressive looking Accord yet, with sculpted lower-body cladding and quad exhaust outlets that scream "go fast."

We can be quite sure that the next Accord will offer a choice between at least one four-cylinder engine and a V6. The V6 in the concept featured Honda's i-VTEC variable valve timing, and the company says the next Accord V6 will be more fuel efficient, thanks to its next-generation Variable Cylinder Management (VCM) technology. This system de-activates every other cylinder when the car is cruising under light load to reduce fuel consumption.

The auto-show buzz suggested the next Accord coupe will feature another first, which Honda officials didn't deny: a turbocharged four-cylinder engine. The recently launched Acura RDX features Honda's first turbocharged production engine in a car or truck in North America. By its design and performance, that 240-hp 2.3-liter four would be nicely suited to a coupe of the Accord's sporting intent.

Safety features in the next-generation Accord were established by Honda's Safety for Everyone initiative, which set a baseline for standard equipment on all future models: front and side-impact airbags for front-seat occupants, curtain-style head protection airbags front and rear, electronic stability control, advanced anti-lock brakes and Honda's Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE) body structure. ACE incorporates a front-end frame structure designed to absorb and disperse crash energy over a large area in a frontal impact. It also makes the vehicle more crash compatible in impacts between vehicles of differing ride heights.

A concept car, maybe, but this much is clear. If you like the look of the Accord Coupe Concept, you will probably like the next Accord coupe. You should be able to buy one in 2008.

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