Honda S660

jayok

I know we have S2000 fans on here, and here's it's smaller cousin:

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/honda/66542/honda-s660-concept-revealed

Ok, it's only 100 bhp, but as a car that weights between 850-900kgs, it's bound to move.

Honestly, it looks like a load of fun!

djimi

The only nice looking thing about that car is its steering wheel...

CianRyan

100% yes!
Japan really needs to bring back turbo Kei Cars, they'd sell like mad over here!

ba_barabus

CianRyan wrote: »

100% yes!
Japan really needs to bring back turbo Kei Cars, they'd sell like mad over here!

I wish I could agree but I can't.

Mainly because the people who would like them can't afford them. And the people who could afford them would rather something else.

CianRyan

ba_barabus wrote: »

I wish I could agree but I can't.

Mainly because the people who would like them can't afford them. And the people who could afford them would rather something else.

Seriously?
New Hondas are a premium brand in Ireland, if people started seeing a brand new Honda with cheap tax and low MPG they'd be mad for them.

ba_barabus

CianRyan wrote: »

Seriously?
New Hondas are a premium brand in Ireland, if people started seeing a brand new Honda with cheap tax and low MPG they'd be mad for them.

You mean like a Jazz?

And to be fair you specified a Turbo Kei car like the one above.

HandsomeDan

CianRyan wrote: »

New Hondas are a premium brand in Ireland

Ya wha'?

Ivor cross shopping his A3 with a civic... can't see it.

CianRyan

ba_barabus wrote: »

You mean like a Jazz?

And to be fair you specified a Turbo Kei car like the one above.

Well I'm not a fan of the Jazz so I ignore that...
With the Kei above, you're talking a sense of luxury and upper class but for the price of a small Honda.
With the right marketing I think they'd sell.

HandsomeDan wrote: »

Ya wha'?

Ivor cross shopping his A3 with a civic... can't see it.

I wouldn't take car buying advice from anyone named Ivor.

Wibbs

I think it looks Okish. Not so "Honda" though. Power to weight should make it snappy enough mind you. The wieght goes down the fun goes up. Cars have become very fat and lardy of late(IMH of course), so you need more grunt to make em go, but then you need more brakes, more suspension trickery etc, but the laws of physics remain.

I'd love one of the original Honda S600's from the 60's. Roller bearing cranked engine that revs to 9000. Oh yes. If it had a Ferrari badge on it it would be worth milions.

ba_barabus

CianRyan wrote: »

With the Kei above, you're talking a sense of luxury and upper class but for the price of a small Honda.

The thing is that young people who would want them in this country can't get finance and older people who could afford them traditionally want bigger cars in Ireland.

Don't get me wrong, I'd love one, but I couldn't see it being a commercial success.

Wibbs

Yea but that's just Ireland BA. Other markets could sustain such a car. Their own domestic market for a start, I could see it go well in the US too.

ba_barabus

Wibbs wrote: »

Yea but that's just Ireland BA. Other markets could sustain such a car. Their own domestic market for a start, I could see it go well in the US too.

I agree, but it was in reference to Cians first comment that they should sell it here.

colm_mcm

The daihatsu copen didn't sell particularly well outside Japan to be fair

ba_barabus

colm_mcm wrote: »

The daihatsu copen didn't sell particularly well outside Japan to be fair

Even the Smart Roadster was quietly dropped. Everyone loves the idea of these cars but no one wants to pay the new price for them.

Chris_Heilong

I think that looks great, steering wheel is its only downfall.

CianRyan

Diahatsu are fairly unknown in Ireland so I was never surprised that wasn't a success, smart roadsters are but ugly and although made by Merc, it's uncharted territory for us sceptical Paddies.

They're not gonna sell like a Focus or. 3 series but I really think they'd do well enough. I know a fair amount of people dropping bigger and bigger money on cars lately.

colm_mcm

There were plenty daihatsu terios's sold though so I think it just didn't sell because nobody wanted them.

ba_barabus

CianRyan wrote: »

it's uncharted territory for us sceptical Paddies.

Even the new CRX falls in to that problem.

TestTransmission

It's no water boiling NSX

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1VblfWkhUDs

jayok

TestTransmission wrote: »

It's no water boiling NSX

To be fair to the car, it's not meant to replace the S2000, it's just an Honda S-class car. At the same token it's not gonna compete with the NSX.

Gotta look at the package overall, Honda is a well respected brand, know for the ingenuity in their power-plants. The S600, S800 and S2000 all introduced cutting edge technology at the time. It's not too difficult to imagine that the S660 will be something special in some regard.

If it's a mid-engine, RWD that's less circa 900kgs with a decent power-plant that can deliver impressive fuel savings, we're talking a low tax, a low running cost car, that's pure fun. Why wouldn't it sell?

TestTransmission

jayok wrote: »

To be fair to the car, it's not meant to replace the S2000, it's just an Honda S-class car. At the same token it's not gonna compete with the NSX.

Gotta look at the package overall, Honda is a well respected brand, know for the ingenuity in their power-plants. The S600, S800 and S2000 all introduced cutting edge technology at the time. It's not too difficult to imagine that the S660 will be something special in some regard.

If it's a mid-engine, RWD that's less circa 900kgs with a decent power-plant that can deliver impressive fuel savings, we're talking a low tax, a low running cost car, that's pure fun. Why wouldn't it sell?

I think you missed the irony in my post.It's obviously not an S2000 replacement.You do realise I own one don't you? :pac:

It won't sell well in Ireland, it probably will in Japan tho but theres some coupe apparently coming out which might.

jayok

TestTransmission wrote: »

I think you missed the irony in my post.It's obviously not an S2000 replacement.You do realise I own one don't you? :pac:

It won't sell well in Ireland, it probably will in Japan tho but theres some coupe apparently coming out which might.

You mean the Aural pleasure signature with at rev guage racing to 9K RPM for that you've had for over a year doesn't refer to an Octavia TDI???

TestTransmission

jayok wrote: »

You mean the Aural pleasure signature with at rev guage racing to 9K RPM for that you've had for over a year doesn't refer to an Octavia TDI???

It's not very clear is it.

Littlehorny

Did anyone else ever drive the Honda Beat? A tiny little 2 seater Honda had years ago, it only had a 600cc engine but because of its size was great fun to zip around in. 40 mph felt like 80, only problem was the car was totally impractical and you wouldnt exactly feel safe in the thing if you were unlucky to crash into anything else on the road.

TestTransmission

Took this photo a few months ago, they are very small cars

5500

I'd love a beat but they still sell for silly money, along with most other honda's in Japan

Most off all though i'd love a city turbo

colm_mcm

Feck that, I want the Honda Motocompo folding motorbike beside it

(Its small enough to fit in the boot of the City)

JohnBoy26

colm_mcm wrote: »

There were plenty daihatsu terios's sold though so I think it just didn't sell because nobody wanted them.

Apart from the terios, not much else sold well for them. The terios was the only daihatsu I remember a tv ad for.

The rest of the lineup was fairly unknown and badly marketed.

colm_mcm

They sold a good few fourtraks and sportraks in the 90s and the cuore was popular enough back then too. The sirion never sold in great numbers though, then there were cars like the materia that the uk got but we didn't.

5500

How about the charade Gtti/Gtxx



I remember a few guys living near me owning these years ago, I wouldn't mind one either but have never seen one pass the auctions.

You see the odd DeTomaso at auction though and I doubt there's many of them on the roads here any more either