Few motorcycle manufacturers have been so successful at sensing consumer desires so well Honda has. In 1958 Honda caught lightning in a bottle by selling the Super Cub to non-drivers and cyclists alike. In a subsequent attempt to attract more riders, Honda sought to attract new riders to the two-wheeler lifestyle.

How? A common belief is that Honda’s automotive design team created a motorcycle to get motorists excited about motorcycling. But the reality is a little different.

This is the Honda Pacific Coast 800. Launched in 1989, this futuristic looking motorcycle had some ideas that are still good today, over 30 years later.

One of the most striking features of the PC800 design is the fully enclosed motor. Not even the track sportbikes hide their engines as completely as the PC800.

The entire bike is covered in plastic feet from top to bottom, hiding all sorts of bike parts. Deliberately hiding motorcycle parts might make you wonder, who is the motorcycle for? Why hide the parts that make it a motorcycle?

I had the same question while researching the PC800. I came across a number of articles from various outlets stating that the bike was developed in a Honda automotive division. Supposedly, the bike was designed to get motorists onto a bike. Then I found a funny video by fortnine Youtube channel.

I love Fortnine’s videos and this was no exception. However, it deepened the mystery for me as the bike wasn’t just supposedly designed by Honda’s car designers, it was specifically Acuras designers. Perhaps. I mean, it definitely looks car-inspired. Check out this instrument cluster:

It even has a trunk that looks straight out of a car.

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Forget side pockets, forget suitcases, throw your belongings in an integrated trunk! Best of all, it can be drained so it’s easy to clean.

Despite the bike’s car-like design, I haven’t found anything from Honda to back that up. The earliest mentions of it were in the personal blogs of Pacific Coast owners.

I decided to contact Honda’s powersports department. The Honda representative was present at the launch of the PC800 and had also heard the same rumours. Unfortunately, it was confirmed by one of the motorcycle designers that the Pacific Coast was designed entirely by Honda’s motorcycle division:

I was able to confirm that all the motorcycle staff were design in Japan. Not an Acura or Honda car. This rumor probably arose because they initially built the clay model with one of the car studios. But it was all design on the side of the bike – sketch, sound to production.

That’s certainly the end of it. The Pacific Coast wasn’t designed by Acura or even any automotive designers. The theory of how the rumor originated actually makes sense. A good two decades have passed since the rumor originated and morphed like a bad phone game. It’s a good example of how people can believe something they read on the internet, only to find it to be untrue.

But that still leaves the question: who was it made for? The PC800 looks and drives like a car. But if it’s not designed to attract motorists, then who was it made for? The representative had an answer for that, too.

What I can tell you is that the PC800 was originally aimed at introducing new riders to motorcycling. People who wouldn’t consider a motorcycle because of the “inconveniences”… maintenance, storage, wind protection… hence the design is more car-like. Plastic encased everything so easy to clean, and it was thought at the time that this target customer wasn’t mechanical, so seeing the engine could be intimidating. Had a large trunk to make carrying things easier. You don’t have to strap anything, just throw it in the trunk. Large windshield/fairing for protection from the elements. Everything was developed with this potential customer in mind.

That actually explains a lot. Honda wanted this bike to be all about the riding experience without the downsides. The motor is encased in plastic and rubber mounts not to hide it from a motorist, but to attract someone who might not want to tinker with their own bike. Because of this, Honda has gone to great lengths to make it as maintenance-free as possible. This is a big bike for a non-rider and non-wrench.

The bike itself wasn’t bad. Motorbike.com found the Pacific Coast 800 tame but reasonable. The engine propels the roughly 640-pound bike with just 57 horses on tap, so performance is predictable.

To perform major engine work, you must remove several pieces of plastic. There is so much to remove to work on the carburetors that Honda placed the idle adjustment screw next to the gas cap.

The Pacific Coast 800 didn’t stay long in America. The quirky bike was not offered between 1991 and 1993 and Honda stopped selling the model in 1998.

Honda tried a few more times to invite non-riders to their bikes with the DN-01 and NM4. These even had automatic transmissions but were sold in small numbers just like the PC800. The DN-01 may be known as the to Grand Theft Auto V players thrust.

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I dig the PC800. It looks straight out of a 1980s sci-fi movie set in 2020 or so. I could picture myself filling the trunk with drinks and heading to the beach for a day under the sun. These are cheap too. You can get one for $1,500 to $2,000 all day long. Oh crap, I’m watching one Now.

Fortnite’s video is still a good watch – this bike is really weird!

It’s now clear that smoking isn’t the smartest way to burn your money, but there are still plenty of people who smoke — including those who puff on regular old duries, puff on cigars, or smoke e-cigarettes (also called vaping).

• Smoking a cigarette while driving is not illegal under certain circumstances
• Some states have strict laws about smoking with children in the car
• Throwing a lit cigarette out of the car can result in a huge fine

The bottom line is that you can smoke in your car if you are not considered a minor and there is no minor in the car at the time. The definition of a minor varies from state to state – see below for details.

And you might be surprised to learn that while smoking and driving are illegal under certain circumstances, the biggest penalties for this activity aren’t related to smoking – they’re caused by dumping lit cigarettes out of your car window.

In New South Wales you can even be fined up to $11,000 and 10 minus points for throwing a lit cigarette out a window on a total fire ban day. Unless the fire risk is at this extreme level, a cop could still stab you or your passengers with a five-point, $660 misdemeanor.

So, sure, don’t scatter, especially if you’re thinking about flicking your dart out the window. It’s stupid, dangerous and potentially life-threatening.

Here is an overview of the smoking rules you need to know when it comes to driving and smoking.

NSW

As in many other jurisdictions, if you smoke in a car with anyone under the age of 16 present you will be in trouble as it is a criminal offense under the Public Health (Tobacco) Act 2008. The aim of the law is to protect young people from exposure to second-hand smoke, which can harm their health and development.

If you’re caught doing the wrong thing, you could be hit on the spot with a $250 fine, and that applies to the passengers in the vehicle, not just the driver. If it goes to court, a judge could increase that fine to $1,100.

Victoria

You are allowed to smoke and drive in Victoria if no one in the car is under the age of 18. Smoking in the car with a minor risks an $826 fine.

Queensland

In QLD, the law states that smoking is illegal in motor vehicles when a person under the age of 16 is present or when the vehicle is used for business and there is more than one person in the vehicle. And don’t think vaping is okay — the law applies to “all smoking products, including electronic cigarettes.”

South Australia

SA smoke-free car legislation requires drivers and vehicle occupants to refrain from smoking in a car when a child (a person under the age of 16) is present. The state can impose fines of up to $750, but there’s a $105 fine if you admit you did the wrong thing.

Western Australia

Much like the rest of the nation, WA wants its adults to smoke responsibly.

Smoking in or on a vehicle – whether in a car or on a motorcycle or on the back seat of a bus – is illegal when the vehicle is on a road.

“If you smoke in or on a vehicle when a child under the age of 17 was present, the following fines may be imposed: maximum fine ($1,000); Violation Notice ($200).”

Tasmania

Apple Isle was the first state in Australia to introduce a ban on smoking in cars when a minor (a person under the age of 18) was present – this law came into effect in 2007.

An on the spot fine, reportedly $120, seems like small change compared to taking the matter to court, where a judge can impose a $2400 fine.

LAW

The nation’s capital is following the “don’t smoke in the car with a child” mindset, declaring that it’s a criminal offense to smoke or vape in a car while on the road or in a traffic-related area with anyone under the age of 16 are of age.

The laws went into effect in 2012 and if you had challenged the immediate fine ($250 at the time) you could have been fined $5500 if found guilty in court. Who knows what that number is today, what with inflation and cigarette prices and all.

Northern Territory

Same story in the NT where you can be fined for smoking, vaping or using an e-cigarette in a “motor vehicle when carrying passengers under the age of 16”.

You could face an immediate fine of $298, which could increase 10-fold if you go to court and are found guilty.

Not intended as legal advice. Check with the appropriate highway authority in your state or territory.

• The 2024 Lamborghini Revuelto retains the 6.5-liter V12, which now produces 814 hp.
• But now it’s a hybrid and is assisted by three electric motors.
• It has a minimal pure EV range but promises massive performance.

We have already told you about both hybridized V-12 powertrain And carbon fiber structure the replacement for the long-lived Lamborghini Aventador. But now we can show you the finished car and tell you its name. This is the 2024 Lamborghini Revuelto.

Yes, like most famous Lamborghinis, there is a Taurus connection. The original Revuelto apparently fought in Spain in the 1880s. But the direct translation of the name from Spanish, “scrambled eggs”, fits well with this remixed Lamborghini. It exhibits the apparent paradox of both an onboard battery pack for its innovative new plug-in hybrid powertrain and the traditional presence of an almighty V-12 engine.

Powerful plug-in hybrid

The combination of the 814 hp 6.5-liter V-12 and a trio of electric motors gives a maximum combined peak of 1001 hp. There are two electric motors on the front axle, providing torque split both under power and through regenerative braking. A third motor is integrated into the eight-speed dual-clutch transmission, which is now located behind the combustion engine. The 3.8kWh battery pack mounted between the seats can only produce a peak power of 187hp, but this can be shifted between the three 147hp electric motors as needed. In contrast to the Ferrari SF90 Stradalethe Revuelto can send power to both ends while working as an electric vehicle.

The battery can be charged via a port in the front luggage compartment, and the awkward location suggests it’s intended for infrequent use only. More fun, if less green, will be the option to top it up with the V-12 that turns the rear electric motor into a generator. Charging the battery pack takes only six minutes.

Looks like a Lambo

The Revuelto’s design manages to be both familiar and different. Its proportions and stance are both hallmarks of Lamborghini – low, square and with visual mass congregating at the rear of the car. But there are also countless new details, most notably the concealed headlights, which sit beneath a hood that now extends all the way to the front of the car. It’s a detail that Lamborghini’s design chief Mitja Borkert admits was inspired by the superbike Panigale made by Lamborghini’s sister brand Ducati.

The front also features Y-shaped running lights, introduced by the limited edition Lamborghini Sián from 2021, as well as a pair of spherical radar sensors that provide a visual indication of the Revuelto’s dramatically increased level of technology. The side view is dominated by the huge air intakes behind the doors, made more aggressive by Blade-like details. What initially looks like a solid body is just a skin that is laid over massive air ducts on both sides. Borkert refers to these buttresses as “aerowings” and cites them as his favorite detail on the car.

The top of the Revuelto’s V-12 is visible through the rear engine cover, which is a key requirement of Lamborghini CEO Stephan Winkelman. The rear of the car is dominated by huge center-exit tailpipes under a movable wing element. We don’t have a final downforce number for the car yet, but Chief Technical Officer Rouven Mohr says the peak is greater than that produced by the Aventador SVJ when that car’s user-adjustable wings were in their low-drag configuration. Figure at least 650 pounds.

More spacious interior

Lamborghini says the limited space of the Aventadors The cramped cabin was one of the biggest complaints from buyers, especially American ones. The Revuelto is larger, with more headroom and elbow room, and its cockpit also gains multiple storage compartments (the Aventador lacked any), as well as a pair of Porsche-style cup holders that deploy forward of the passenger position. Rich people have things too.

The Revuelto’s cabin also gets three digital screens. The driver has a 12.3-inch instrument cluster, an 8.4-inch portrait touchscreen suspended below the “alien’s head” vents in the center of the dashboard and serving as the primary user interface. There’s also a new 9.1-inch letterbox display in front of the passenger that can be configured to show different groups of spooky numbers when the car is being driven heavily.

To our slight disappointment, the wiper and turn signal controls have been moved to the face of the steering wheel. The Aventador was one of the last sticky supercars. That ergonomic flush is somewhat undone by the fact that the Revuelto now has an Audi-sourced stalk for its active cruise control instead. Rotary controls on the steering wheel control chassis and powertrain modes, as well as adjustable aerodynamic and ride height settings.

Impressive performance claims

The Revuelto has received a new mode in addition to the regular Lamborghini settings of Strada, Sport and Corsa: Città, the EV-only setting intended for low-speed city use. Electric-only range will be very limited, as Lamborghini says it’s likely to be just six miles under European testing protocol. We also learned that the available peak power changes depending on the driving mode. Città limits it to the 178 hp of EV-only mode, Strada bumps it up to 873 hp, Sport bumps it up to 895 hp and Corsa brings the full 1001 hp.

Although the Revuelto’s carbon core structure is said to be both lighter and stronger than that of the Aventador, and loses the mass of its predecessor’s front differential and propshaft, hybridization has increased overall weight. Lamborghini says the central battery pack weighs 154 pounds and that the front engines add just 81.5 pounds of mass, with the new dual-clutch transmission being 425 pounds, including the weight of its integrated electric motor. Total weight is said to be 3915 pounds based on the power-to-weight ratio that Lamborghini states, although we don’t know if that’s with or without fluids.

Even with the increase in mass and at its lowest launch specification, the Revuelto will be both the most powerful Lamborghini road car yet and almost certainly the fastest. The company’s claim of a 2.5-second 60-mph time might not stand out in a segment where pretty much everything is now running under three. But the claim that it can accelerate from standstill to 200 km/h in less than 7.0 seconds is a real eye-opener. It takes the Bugatti Chiron 6.5 seconds for the same benchmark.

Deliveries of the Revuelto will begin later this year, and while we don’t have a final price yet, Lamborghini says the first two years of production are already fully booked.

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