They are in no way "dead in the water" without a V8. The replacement for a V8 is called technology. Honda is the second largest company in Japan and has a reliability record that beats all others. If Honda made a V8 car it would have to be advanced to get at LEAST 24MPG and be an LEV. If it doesn't meet the HIGH HIGH HIGH standards Honda has for engines, it will not be made. It also has to be practical. Gotta be able to sell enough of them.