Honda S660- pics of production version undisguised.

[AudiMan2011]

Honda should really be making a new S2000 as a GT86/BRZ rival rather than this stupid Kei car rubbish.

 

[BobbyBRAKEaNek]

Honda should really be making a new S2000 as a GT86/BRZ rival rather than this stupid Kei car rubbish.

Blah, blah, blah. Honda is thinking outside the box and not another me too car.

 

[Badasp5.0]

But will it come to America?

I highly doubt it. Has any modern Kei car been legally imported to the US? I don't think so.

 

[Ranman20]

I highly doubt it. Has any modern Kei car been legally imported to the US? I don't think so.

The Mazda AZ-1 is legal here.

 

[The Vanishing Boy]

^ After the 25 year limit ban though...

 

[Cano]

You guys don't get the 86 twins in Mexico?? Why not?!

Because Mexico's car market sucks.

 

[homeforsummer]

A lot of my colleagues are going for it being a turbo. I'm not entirely sure why - it's not in the press release (in fact nothing about the engine is, but it's a good bet it's a 660cc 3cyl with 63hp, because "S660" hints at Kei regulations), the tach goes to over nine thousand and the car it's paying homage to, the Beat, was just about the only non-turbo Kei car...

Indeed. And I think many of Honda's current kei-cars are still naturally-aspirated too, so if they're using an existing engine then there's little to suggest it'll be turbocharged.

Honda should really be making a new S2000 as a GT86/BRZ rival rather than this stupid Kei car rubbish.

This "stupid kei car rubbish" accounts for over half of all new car sales in Japan. Outside your little bubble of existence it's actually fairly important.

 

[Ranman20]

I'm pretty sure it would sell well, just like the new NSX. It would be a good starter car for anyone. Imagine a hardtop on this bad boy.

It should go for $11,000 or lower.

 

[homeforsummer]

It strikes me that the timing of a kei-car like this is very deliberate.

The original Honda Beat arrived not long after the original NSX, purporting to feature similar technology, just in a really tiny package. And guess what - there's a new NSX on the way, and conveniently a new "Beat" to go with it.

It looks very much like Honda is using the halo effect of the new NSX to sell a smaller sports car to people who don't have the dosh for the big one.

 

[05XR8]

It looks very much like Honda is using the halo effect of the new NSX to sell a smaller sports car to people who don't have the dosh for the big one.

I bought a new '01 Accord(didnt want to wait 3 years for TSX) because we didnt get the Type R in the States. An '04 EP3 and an '05 Odyssey. Now that Im in a place where Type R's are/were sold, if I were Jonesing for a new NSX and low on cash, although I dig the S660, I'd get an older NSX, S2000 or wait to see what Honda cook up.

 

[Giygas]

Because Mexico's car market sucks.

That's not true, Mexico get cars that we don't get in the US, like this totally awesome Dodge Attitude.

Honda seems intent on re-inserting its sporty image, and I like where they're going with it.

 

[The Vanishing Boy]

^ It's a Hyundai Accent with amber rear turn signals...

 

[Yauma9]

That's not true, Mexico get cars that we don't get in the US, like this totally awesome Dodge Attitude.

Honda seems intent on re-inserting its sporty image, and I like where they're going with it.

Please believe when I say that car is anything but awesome.

Mexico's car market is bad but it doesn't 'suck'.

 

[BKGlover]

Two reasons the auto-market in Mexico doesn't suck

 

[RocZX]

A lot of my colleagues are going for it being a turbo. I'm not entirely sure why - it's not in the press release (in fact nothing about the engine is, but it's a good bet it's a 660cc 3cyl with 63hp, because "S660" hints at Kei regulations), the tach goes to over nine thousand and the car it's paying homage to, the Beat, was just about the only non-turbo Kei car...

They are right, it's TURBOed......

Due in 2015, the production version of the S660 has only been confirmed for the Japanese market and is unlikely to be sold in the U.S. because it would be too small, according to a member of Honda’s development team.

The concept features a turbocharged three-cylinder engine displacing just 660 cubic centimeters. The tiny engine is mid-mounted and mated to a CVT, with drive going to the rear wheels only. Peak output rates at just 64 horsepower. This may sound somewhat feeble, but the S660 is said to tip the scales at less than 2,000 pounds.

According to Honda, the S660 embodies the “freewheeling” thinking of its engineers, who want to make a cool and unique car. Pity cool and unique cars are off the radar for Honda’s lineup here in the U.S.

Motor Authority

 

[Ranman20]

Looks nice.

 

[Famine]

They are right, it's TURBOed......

Motor Authority

I have the same press release - no mention of a turbo still. Also no mention of markets - it hasn't been confirmed for Japan yet, despite what MA say:

Designed for the Japanese kei-car market, the model is being developed towards mass production in 2015.

The second press release of the day, however, deals with new VTEC turbo engines Honda have developed:

Honda has announced the introduction of three all-new VTEC TURBO engines as part of its growing Earth Dreams Technology range. These new engines come in three capacities; 1 litre, 1.5 litre and 2 litre

I'm not spotting 0.66 litre on that list.

Unless they have a press release I'm not aware of, they've just rehashed the same assumptions about it being a 660cc 3 pot turbo that everyone else made a month ago.

I'm not saying it's not a turbo, but that information hasn't appeared in any press release, there's no existing engine they can use and Honda haven't mentioned it in their new engine press release.

 

[Keef]

I have the same press release - no mention of a turbo still.

According to this site, posted an hour ago, Honda hasn't published an S660 press release so I'm not sure what release you're looking at. Nevertheless, they also mention a turbo 3-cylinder 660cc engine. This site and Motor Authority must be getting their information directly from the display because Autoblog and Jalopnik don't have features up yet and have never mentioned a turbocharged engine in the past.

 

[RocZX]

I have the same press release - no mention of a turbo still. Also no mention of markets - it hasn't been confirmed for Japan yet, despite what MA say:The second press release of the day, however, deals with new VTEC turbo engines Honda have developed:I'm not spotting 0.66 litre on that list.

Unless they have a press release I'm not aware of, they've just rehashed the same assumptions about it being a 660cc 3 pot turbo that everyone else made a month ago.

Maybe they just were trying to jump the gun on it.

I'm not saying it's not a turbo, but that information hasn't appeared in any press release, there's no existing engine they can use and Honda haven't mentioned it in their new engine press release.

The S07A turbo from the N-one/NBox, it's a about 660cc and has 63hp.wiki page(it's in Japanese but it's translated)

Edit: Tree'd

 

[Famine]

According to this site, posted an hour ago, Honda hasn't published an S660 press release so I'm not sure what release you're looking at. Nevertheless, they also mention a turbo 3-cylinder 660cc engine. This site and Motor Authority must be getting their information directly from the display because Autoblog and Jalopnik don't have features up yet and have never mentioned a turbocharged engine in the past.

The first S660 press release was October 23rd - and contained no real information other than that it was an open top sports concept and scheduled for display at Tokyo alongside a bunch of other things - like the UNI-CUB "personal transportation system", Miimo lawnmower, several historics and a selection of motorbikes. Pretty much everyone - including me - got all their information from there. There wasn't much else we needed to know - it's called S660 and that screams "Kei car". You can fill the rest of the stats in as you please at that point and draw some comparisons to the Beat if you like - I know I did.

The second S660 press release was today and very similar. It formed half of a release with the Honda Vezel "Urban SUV" reveal and added no further information than a nice quote from Takanobu Ito and that it was being developed towards mass production in 2015 - quite a different situation than confirming it for market in Japan in 2015.

The VTEC turbo engine press release was yesterday.

Maybe they just were trying to jump the gun on it.

Indeed - but everyone did that last month too, hence my original comment about no turbo being confirmed.

The S07A turbo from the N-one/NBox, it's a about 660cc and has 63hp.wiki page(it's in Japanese but it's translated)

Edit: Tree'd

In turbo form that only revs to 6,000 - S660's tach redline doesn't even start there and it buzzes to 9,000.

Of course that may just be a design decision, rather than any evidence of a specific engine.

But that's rather been my point from the get-go. We've got no information on the engine from official press releases. If Motor Authority are getting their information off the stand then all power to them - they've got information no-one else has - but the press releases don't contain that information yet. And of course they mentioned the turbo in their preview last month, when they got the same press release as the rest of us.

 

[jus1029]

Of Happenings! The S660 has been given a greenlight for 2015!

http://jalopnik.com/mid-engined-baby-roadster-honda-s660-set-for-2015-launc-1572868495

 

[YSSMAN]

Green lit for Japan. I'm guessing that the likelihood of this country leaving their domestic market is slim to none. Although, a reasonably powerful version in the US would be very interesting compared to something like an MX-5, or even a FR-S 'vert.

 

[eSZee]

It will depend on the dimensions. If it's big enough, we might see it here.

 

[LMSCorvetteGT2]

I much rather see this than the Nissan mini sports car

 

[xNEVER-ONEx]

I don't think the CRZ reboot they brought over to NA was successful enough to warrant this coming here as well.

 

[CinnamonOD]

If it doesn't come to America (specially Mexico) WE RIOT!
I'm looking at you Toyota. (cough 86 cough)

You guys don't get the 86 twins in Mexico?? Why not?!

Because Mexico's car market sucks.

What @Cano said...

I've seen a couple of FR-S' around the city, but they all had californian plates, yes, it does suck, they would only arrive in Mexico if Toyota thinks "Hmmm... maybe we should release the 86 here... hmmm...." it's a long way until those cars start to get noticed by people here, and by that time, people will be able to import those cars at a very low cost

 

[05XR8]

I'm waiting for the Spoon and Type-R versions
Honda back in F1 surely had something to do with this.

 

[homeforsummer]

It will depend on the dimensions. If it's big enough, we might see it here.

The dimensions will be the same as any other kei car - narrower than a Smart Fortwo, a couple of feet longer, and in the case of this thing, probably about half the height.

That said, size has very little to do with it, other than perhaps in terms of perception, and its effect on sales.

It entirely depends on whether Honda decides to build it with passing U.S. crash tests in mind. For the minuscule volumes in which it would sell, I strongly suspect they won't bother.

 

[Luminis]

While the US might not be exactly the market the S660 might be aimed at, I'd be surprised if it doesn't come to Europe. Small, light, economical due to the small engine and light weight, sporty looking - yeah, sounds about right.

And I actually quite like it, as far as visuals go.

 

[eSZee]

The dimensions will be the same as any other kei car - narrower than a Smart Fortwo, a couple of feet longer, and in the case of this thing, probably about half the height.

That said, size has very little to do with it, other than perhaps in terms of perception, and its effect on sales.

It entirely depends on whether Honda decides to build it with passing U.S. crash tests in mind. For the minuscule volumes in which it would sell, I strongly suspect they won't bother.

I think the KEI car size plays a very big role as to why cars that small are almost never considered as viable in the US.