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This is what Honda's new F1 engine will sound like

It appears that not even the legendary pairing of McLaren and Honda can produce a 2015-regulation Formula One engine that sounds as good as the current V8s. Much like Mercedes-AMG Petronas, McLaren Honda have released a clip of their turbocharged, 1.6-liter V6 ahead of next season, and well, at least to our ears, it's not the sweetest of singers.
We've reported on concerns that the new engines wouldn't sound "right," after years of the high-revving V8s and V10s. The more we're hearing of these new engines, the more reasonable those worries seem. That said, we'll need to wait until we really hear these cars driven in anger to render a final verdict.
Scroll down to view the official press release from Honda and to hear what the future McLaren Honda will sound like when it hits the grid in 2015. For comparison, we've also included some on-board footage of Jenson Button's McLaren's V8 from last season.

Honda bringing LMP2 racer to Pikes Peak

Pikes Peak always brings out an array of interesting entries. Honda has fielded quite a few of its own, but will take the unusual step this year of entering a Le Mans prototype. The new ARX-04b is the latest in a line of prototypes which Honda Performance Development and Wirth Research developed to compete in the LMP2 class in series like the FIA World Endurance Championship, the United SportsCar Series and at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Though it's designed to race on closed circuits, Honda has announced that it'll be taking on the 156 turns and 12.42 miles of the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb this year. Driving duties will be handled by Justin Wilson, an accomplished British circuit racer who's competed in Formula One and won races in the IndyCar Series and in Champ Cars before it. He's also tried his hand at Formula E and competed in Le Mans prototypes before as well. Though it will be entered in the Unlimited class, it won't be gunning directly for the record set by Sebastien Loeb two years ago in the Peugeot 208 T16. At least not just yet. "This is an exploratory effort," said HPD chief Art St. Cyr, "to learn as much as we can in advance of a possible future assault on the outright record." We're looking forward to seeing what she'll do when the event takes place later this month. Honda-Powered HPD ARX-04b to tackle Pikes Peak Jun 17, 2015 - TORRANCE, Calif. - Indy car veteran, race winner Justin Wilson to pilot LMP2 machine - New coupe design debuted at 24 Hours of Daytona - Utilizes production-based 3.5 liter Honda V6 engine A number of different types of Honda and Acura vehicles have taken part in the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb in recent years, ranging from the Acura NSX to the Honda Fit, and even a high-speed Honda Odyssey, but Honda Performance Development has upped the ante this year by entering one its newest sports cars in the race up the 14,110-foot mountain. The new Honda-powered HPD ARX-04b LMP2 coupe that competed in this year's Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona has been entered in the 2015 Pikes Peak event, and will be driven by Verizon IndyCar Series race winner and former Formula 1 driver Justin Wilson. The ARX-04b will be the first full-carbon monocoque vehicle ever sanctioned for PPIHC entry and will be fitted with a 3.5-liter V6 twin-turbocharged engine. The ARX-04b will compete in the Unlimited class, which features highly-modified cars that can navigate the 156 turns of the 12.42-mile course in under 10 minutes.

Acura NSX bodywork to be sheathed in zirconium e-coat, fewer paint layers

Automakers make halo cars to drum up excitement and show off what they can do, but there's more to it than that. Advanced platforms allow a company's engineers to experiment with all sorts of technologies. And in the case of the upcoming new Acura NSX, that includes new paint processes.
Speaking with Autoline in this video interview, Honda's North American Senior VP Jon Minto talked about an innovative zirconium e-coat which it's applying to the new NSX. Unlike some experimental paints developed for Formula One, however, this coating is not designed to minimize drag or enhance cooling: it's designed to be more environmentally friendly.
It's one of a few measures which Honda is implementing on the NSX before expanding it to more accessible models, along with another process that uses fewer coats to reduce energy consumption by 40 percent. Watch the interview with Autoline host John McElroy right here.