We dunno. Maybe, but where's the location of the house? Even in this depressed housing market, we still have to make sure we're getting something of value. Because although a late model Accord coupe might intrigue some, even a free house may not be enough to make us interested in the vanilla two-door. But hmm... since the resale on those seems to be pretty good at the moment, we might be able to flip it pretty darn quickly for a profit. Well, OK, we'll bite. But only if you throw in that pool table, the set of lawn darts and a free tank of gas. [Burbia via Digg]

Suitability Parameters:
Speed Merchants: No
Fashion Victims: No
Treehuggers: No
Mack Daddies: Yes
Tuner Crowd: Yes
Hairdressers: Yes
Penny Pinchers: No
Euro Snobs: No
Working Stiffs: No
Technogeeks: No
Poseurs: Yes
Soccer Moms: No
Nascar Dads: No
Golfing Grandparents: No

Also Consider:
• Volkswagen GTI
• Subaru WRX
• Mitsubishi Lancer
• Getting a life
• Hyundai Coupe
• Nissan Maxima Coupe

Vitals:
• Manufacturer: Honda
• Model tested: Accord 2DR EX-L V6 NV
• Model year: 2008
• Base Price: $21,860 (2DR LX-S 4-cylinder)
• Price as Tested: $31,145
• Engine type: 3.5-liter SOHC 24-valve VTEC V6
• Horsepower: 268 @ 6,200 RPM
• Torque: 248@ 5,000 RPM
• Red line: 6,800 RPM
• Transmission: six-speed manual
• Curb Weight: 3,446 lbs
• LxWxH: 190.0" x 72.8" x 56.4"
• Wheelbase: 107.9"
• Tires: 235/45 R18
• Drive type: FWD
• 0 - 60 mph: 5.7 seconds
• 1/4-mile: 14.0 seconds
• Top speed: N/A
• EPA Fuel economy city/highway: 17/25 MPG
• NHTSA crash test rating: n/a

Also see:

• 2008 Honda Accord Coupe, Part One

• 2008 Honda Accord Coupe, Part Two

Acceleration:****
The 268bhp V6 does 0-60 in 5.7 seconds. That's ridiculously fast for a practical, mid-size car. 15 years ago this would have outrun most Porsches. We just wish it didn't try and light up the front wheels with such ferocity every time your right foot starts feeling heavy.

Braking:***
Everything you'll ever need, provided you don't need an ideal brake/throttle relationship for heel and toeing.

Ride:****
Unremarkable in that you don't notice it as it competently goes about it's job, absorbing all but the worst New York's roads could throw at it.

Handling:**
The biggest problem. Floaty and imprecise at speed, the experience is dominated by understeer if you slow down. Still, it'll get you where you're going safely and quickly, just don't expect to enjoy the experience.

Gearbox:***
As unremarkable as a six-speed manual could be. But, it's not an automatic, and that's something. First gear is ridiculously short, most of the time, second is fine for pulling away.

Audio:****
EX-L trim brings with it every audio function you could want, in an unremarkable and very buttony way that is.

Toys:***
If we could award stars for the number of buttons on the dash, the Accord's would stretch across the page. When you can see it, the Sat/Nav works well, the center mounted dial spinning through menus with ease.

Value:*
Ours was specced up to $31,145 with delivery. We'll take our $30k-ish V6 coupes in 350Z form please.

Overall: ***
You can't question the Accord's competence at everything it sets out to achieve, but you can question its motivations.

All the V6's silly speed does is make us long for a simple, no frills, practical sedan or coupe with solid engineering, good handling, a reasonably sized interior and good build quality. A Honda Accord if you will. Oh, wait...

Sebastian, the semi-pro mixed martial artist rolling gently for and aft next to me, holding a stack of galvanized steel planters in his lap as his seat's latches fail to find purchase on the rails, looks on bemused as Mr. Angry charges past in a suddenly open gap on the right. Gesticulating wildly, the Isuzu driver swerves violently at us forcing me swing the Accord quickly into the fast lane; braking hard to avoid hitting the huge SUV that has no idea any of this is happening.

All of this hardly troubled the Accord. In V6 coupe form, the eighth and latest iteration of Honda's mid-size sedan is amazingly capable. Both fast and frugal, the 3.5-liter V6 is the largest and most powerful engine ever to find itself in a Honda passenger vehicle. In the coupe, Honda's ditched cylinder deactivation in favor of out-and-out performance. The 268 bhp is bolstered at the low end by both variable timing for its inlet valves and variable lengths for its magnesium intake manifold. Yes, this middle-of-the-road car now comes with magnesium engine parts.

Of course, Sebastian and I wouldn't have been out on Long Island shopping for fiber board storage solutions if we hadn't had a car we could have fit it all in. The Accord coupe's trunk is amazingly capacious for a two-door and while the rear seats don't fold down flat and the hole in the rear bulkhead is small and impractically shaped it does manage to swallow a surprisingly large amount of furniture named for obscure people, places and fjords in Sweden.

After the Isuzu moves on to torment the next car in a line of traffic stretching all the way back to Brooklyn, Sebastian observes that the driver, someone similar to us in age if not cleanliness, probably wouldn't have acted in such an aggressive manner if he'd encountered us on the sidewalk instead of the street. Bear with me; this car thing is all new to Sebastian, a recent émigré from Berlin, if not to you and I. More used to motorcycles and sports cars — vehicles intimately involved in their surroundings — it's something that I've always heard, but never understood. Until now.

Trapped in the midst of nothing but competence, a vast array of technology working to isolate me from its engineering to the greatest possible degree, I can suddenly understand where road rage originates. Driving down the highway, there's no grand visceral experience to separate me from the realities of moving through traffic. No engine that might not be fueling correctly or a potential stiff spot in my drive chain, there's nothing but the tedious journey ahead of me and those outside my cocoon making it longer. I feel empowered by the Accord's performance but separated from the experience of driving it. Suddenly, I'm not here for driving's sake, but for a destination that's increasingly taking longer to reach.

I could put my foot down — the V6 Accord is faster than anything this side of a Boxster — charging up behind those keeping me from home, safe in the knowledge that they see only its red paint and not my scrawny arms, safely removed from the experience. But something in the back of my mind restrains me. Maybe it's the leaf of the potted plant behind, gently tapping the back of my head, that reminds me that this isolation is only temporary and that soon I'll be back home, once again involved in the world outside.

All of these are built using the "build your own" feature of the various automaker websites and reflect an estimated MSRP. We can't imagine anyone would pay this much for any of these cars as one way to get the price up is to ignore value packages. Honorable mention goes to all of our friends from Canada, who have to pay too much for any and every car.

10. 2008 Chevy Silverado 3500HD LTZ &ndash $97,011

Some people like their trucks and are willing to pay top dollar for them. Many of those people will pay $54,190 for a Silverado 3500HD LTZ, which is a lot of truck for the money. It's therefore impressive that one reader was able to add more than $42,000 in options. Duramax Diesel V8? Sure. Allison 6-Speed transmission? You'd have to. Power tilting sunroof? How could you live without it? Headrest DVD players? Would it be a truck without them?

9. Lincoln Town Car &ndash $56,020

On one hand, the Lincoln Town Car is the last of the V8 Lincoln sedans for a while and, though lacking in refinements, is a classic American luxury car. On the other hand, they've been giving these things away and asking for all that money on top of it is the height of ridiculous.

8. Smart Fortwo Cabriolet &ndash $28,928

While we like the idea of the Smart Fortwo Passion Cabriolet, it's a bit too much of a fashion accessory for the average Jalopnik writer. Additionally, the $18,500 base price for the supposedly loaded Passion seems a bit beyond our range and for that price we'd expect to be able to choose our interior and body panel colors... but that's a $10,000 premium. Nearly $30K for a car that seats two, doesn't go very fast and gets only moderate mileage is hard to fathom given the last 10 cars Murilee bought added up to about that.

7. Honda Accord Coupe &ndash $39,122

As mentioned, we built a 2008 Honda Accord for about $38,000 and were impressed. Our clever commenters were able to push the Honda Accord Coupe up to $39,122. While the new Accord is certainly a capable automobile, for that price you could have a decently well equipped G37 coupe.

6. Volvo C30 &ndash $46,792

There's nothing wrong with the Volvo C30, though we tend to prefer the cheaper and sportier European hatches like the GTI. At $46,792, it's more than twice the base price and $20K more than the well-equipped Version 2.0. Just to compare, you could have two VW GTI's for that price.

5. Mercedes C300 &ndash $57,944

The Mercedes C300 may be strong on looks, but it's still the cheapest option from Mercedes at $32,425. Throw in some options and you're spending as much for a C-Class as you would for an E-Class wagon. Nothing like spending all that cash for a sedan with a V6 that produces less than 230 horsepower. The Germans know value.

4. BMW 135i &ndash $52,550

There's a lot to like about the BMW 135i, including the 300 hp inline-six. Though it doesn't have a back seat big enough to carry anyone larger than a four-year-old comfortably, it's a decent performance deal. Then you start adding on options and you end up about $4,000 more than a Z4 M Coupe and very close to M3 territory.

3. Non-S Mini Cooper &ndash $55,535

If you thought the $50,000 BMW 135i was a steep price, imagine something slower and smaller without the Bimmer badging. We tried this a few times and you have to be clever to pul it off. If you don't accept any special packages and get everything individually you can jack the price up. Make sure to add lots of roof racks and attachable storage, as well as the JCW body kits. Just make sure you don't accidentally choose a Cooper S, because that'll make the $55K you spent on a 120-horsepower hatchback almost worthwhile.

2. Porsche Boxster &ndash $118,295

Just, wow. It's not only nearly three times the base price of a standard non RS Porsche Boxster, it's also the same price as a Posrche 911 GT3. The base Boxster has 245 horsepower, trots to 60 mph in 5.8 seconds and has a top speed of 160 mph. By comparison, the 911 GT3 not only looks better, it has 415 horsepower, it'll trot to 60 mph in 4.1 seconds and has a top speed of 193 mph.

1. Porsche Cayenne &ndash $163,573

It's almost a toss-up as to what you think is the most outrageous price for a Porsche. We say almost, because $164K for a V6 Porsche SUV that's basically a VW Toureg is nearly criminal. That's not only only almost four times the base price of the $43,400 of the base Cayenne, it's nearly two Cayennes more expensive than the Cayenne Turbo. That includes the reasonable, $2,990 for the air suspension, and unreasonable, like the $690 trailer hitch ball. Our favorite may be the $1,880 to make the air vents match the exterior color. At that price, the Boxster is a bargain.

Congrats to GrandmaSideways for finding this horrific price and props for all the work it took to carefully select and unselect the right options to get the price up. Email us at Matt at Jalopnik with your address so we can get the prize to you. Thanks to everyone else who submitted, as well.

Honda Introduces a World-Debut Concept Vehicle Based on the Accord and a Wide Range of Customized Vehicles and Racecars at 2007 SEMA Show

10/30/2007 - LAS VEGAS -

More than 17 Honda project and concept vehicles are on display at the 2007 Specialty Equipment Market Association's (SEMA) show in Las Vegas, American Honda Motor Co., Inc., announced today.

Making its world debut, the Honda Accord Coupe HF-S Concept represents a radical vision for customizing the all-new Accord's design and performance through stylish and functional modifications. A dual-port exhaust system can provide additional performance when needed while retaining low noise output during relaxed driving. Purely a concept, the Accord HF-S Concept is a creation of Honda Access America, Inc., the U.S. accessory development division.

The 2008 Accord Coupe equipped with dealer-installed Honda Factory Performance™ (HFP™) components melds a distinctive, custom appearance with an enhanced level of handling performance. All of the HFP components except the suspension kit (available Spring 2008) are currently available as dealer-installed accessories. All HFP products carry the same 3-year/36,000 mile bumper-to-bumper warranty as the rest of the vehicle, when installed at the time of new vehicle purchase, and are engineered to be fully compatible with the vehicle.

"The Accord HF-S Concept provides a glimpse into the future of vehicle customization," said John Mendel, executive vice president of American Honda. "The Honda Factory Performance-equipped 2008 Accord Coupe demonstrates the best of what the company offers today."

In addition to the Accords on display, fifteen more unique vehicles filled out the Honda booth, including the all-new S2000 CR and the recently-introduced Civic Mugen Si Sedan. A specially-prepared S2000 CR has been modified by Team Honda Research to compete in the 2007 National Auto Sport Association's (NASA) "25 Hours of Thunderhill" endurance race in December. Another racecar, the "One Lap Odyssey" modified by Honda Manufacturing of Alabama, LLC made its SEMA debut after winning its class in Car and Driver magazine's 2007 Cannonball One Lap of America.

Honda Accord Coupe HF-S Concept
Honda Access America, Inc., Honda's U.S. accessory development team designed and built the HF-S Concept to demonstrate how the customized use of technology could allow vehicle owners to fine-tune performance while adding their own senses of style. Key exterior and conceptual powertrain modifications represent functional performance and driving-experience enhancements.

Unique LED driving lights, placed on the fore-most corners, wrap around the front of the bumper providing increased visibility both forward and side for the driver while also creating a unique appearance. The shape of the front bumper is designed to create a vortex effect to enhance high-speed aerodynamics and engine cooling. On the sides of the vehicle, the shape of the carbon fiber panels decreases negative speed force around the wheel arches. The rear bumper diffuser is designed to reduce drag. The trunk spoiler is a prototype design engineered for high-speed down-force. The metallic color of the exterior is accented by Cadmium Orange Pearl - a color derived from super-heated metal. The use of this color for the brake calipers, badges, grille accent, and interior details underscores the vehicle's high-performance appearance.

Key to the concept is the use of technology to electronically customize throttle response, suspension settings, steering boost, and traction involvement to the driver's taste. Additionally, the exhaust is a two-stage design. It is engineered to be exceptionally quiet during relaxed cruising, and provide elevated levels of performance in high performance driving situations.

Honda Factory Performance (HFP) Accord Coupe
As a dealer-installed accessory, Honda's in-house HFP products carry the same 3-year/36,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty as the rest of the vehicle, when installed at the time of new vehicle purchase, and are engineered to be fully compatible with the vehicle. The Accord HFP package includes a wide range of performance- and style-enhancing products. The Sports Suspension package (available Spring 2008) reduces ride height by about 25 mm, lowering the vehicle's center of gravity, and enhancing the Accord Coupe's sporty road-handling characteristics. Larger wheels and tires include 19-inch, 10-spoke alloy wheels designed for high-performance 245/40R-19 tires (sold separately). A full aerodynamic body kit (front, sides and rear) further elevates the style quotient of the entire vehicle. Interior and exterior HFP emblems complement the package. All of the Accord Coupe HFP components except suspension can currently be purchased individually, and the full HFP package including suspension will go on sale in the spring of 2008. American Honda launched its performance accessory program in 2002 with the introduction of a Honda Factory Performance package for the Civic EX Coupe, and currently offers HFP products for the Civic, Accord and Fit.

S2000 CR
Enhancing the S2000's performance potential, the S2000 CR introduces more track-oriented suspension settings, aerodynamic-enhancing bodywork, a removable hardtop, higher rigidity and reduced weight. The added features are designed to appeal to enthusiasts who enjoy open track-day events and also provide a more ideal starting point for racers who modify the S2000 for competition in club-racing events. Taking this concept even further, Team Honda Research, a group formed from Honda R&D Americas, Inc., engineers, added modifications necessary to compete in the 2007 NASA "25 Hours of Thunderhill" endurance race. All of the modifications are consistent with the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) Touring 3 and the National Auto Sport Association (NASA) Performance Touring regulations.

Honda Manufacturing Alabama, LLC (HMA) One Lap Odyssey
The Car and Driver magazine 2007 Cannonball One Lap of America race included an Alabama-built Odyssey minivan, produced by a team of dedicated associates from Honda Manufacturing of Alabama (HMA) in Lincoln. The One Lap vehicle created by the HMA team was a fully-customized Odyssey minivan-turned-racer that sported a modified engine with a custom-built turbo charger, a six-speed manual transmission, a track-tuned suspension, competition roll cage and close to 400 horsepower at the wheels.

From May 5-12, the team raced from track to track over a 4,000-mile loop around the Midwest and western United States. The HMA Odyssey raced to an impressive first- place finish in the SUV category and 33rd overall in a field of 88 competitors. Along the way, the HMA team picked up a first-place finish - among all competitors - at the race segment held at the Mid-America Motorsports Park. This win came against the entire field, which included Corvettes, Vipers, Porsches and a Ford GT.

Tuner Project Vehicles Displayed at the Honda Booth

BRS autodesign Fit
BRS autodesign S2000
Zero 1000 Top Fuel S2000
DVS/Drag Cartel Fit
DVS/Drag Cartel Civic Si
Forever Orange Fit by Ryan Shutt
Ryan Shutt Polk Audio Civic Si
Kraftworks Fit
Kraftworks S2000
DSO Eyewear Element
RS-R S2000 Drift Car