That is until Top Fuel President Yasuji Hirano unwrapped his 550hp, 10-second, rear engine, rear-wheel drive, GT3240 ball-bearing turbo-powered Honda del Sol. And suddenly, there was silence.

The Del Sol harks back to the Clinton administration, but it doesn't come close to being Honda's most senior automotive citizen. In fact, the very first Honda to be sold in the U.S. was the Honda ...