Inside the new HondaJet Elite private jet

By David Flynn, May 30 2018

Honda's second-gen HondaJet Elite broke cover at this week's EBACE European business aviation expo in Geneva, which is a magnet for the maker and buyers of private jets – and the VIP ride has plenty to prise wallets wide open.

The Japanese company has boosted the Elite's range to 2,660 km, which is only a handful of hours but sufficient for the short inter-city hops of high flyers in around Europe, North America and Asia (basing yourself in busy Shanghai, for instance, puts Hong Kong, Manila, Beijing, Seoul and Tokyo within reach).

Inside the little sprintjet is a cosy cabin with room for five passengers.

They'll be cocooned in two-toned leather seats, enjoy meals and snacks from a full-service galley and have WiFi on hand to keep an eye on the market as they cruise above the clouds.

And those flights will be quieter for passengers, with new noise-attenuating technology for the engines and cabin. That dull drone can be pushed further into the background by pumping up the innovative speakerless sound system, which is integrated into the interior panel for what Honda promises to be "an immersive audio experience".

Even the private lavatory has its own seatbelt.

Honda has yet to confirm pricing but the original HondaJet lists for $6 million.

EBACE was also the launchpad for VIP versions of the Airbus A350 and Airbus A330-800 and -900 featuring a new Harmony cabin design created specifically for ultra-long flights – complete with a holographic globe to show the aircraft’s position (those on-screen moving maps are so yesterday).

Well-heeled travellers can look forward to a plush master bedroom, office and bathroom, along with four private suites, a conference room, lounge and inflight bar.