Now that the madness of the Johannesburg International Motor Show has passed, we can focus on the next big event on the automotive calendar which is the Tokyo Motor Show. Run bi-annually like JIMS, Tokyo is a hotbed for futuristic Japanese concepts and important consumer models and Honda has fired the first shot in preparation for next month’s show by publishing official images of their S660 Concept.
In the early days Honda made its fortune with motorcycles and in the 1960s they turned their attentions to building attractive, compact, sports roadsters that encompassed some of that carefree motorcycle fun. First it was the S500 with a little 531cc DOHC 32 kW engine that revved to 8 000 r/min. Then the S600 and S800 followed with more power and a price that undercut Minis and Triumph Spitfires of the late 1960s.
Now Honda appear to be returning to the compact roadster segment with a vehicle intriguingly coined the S660 Concept. Concept wise, the S660 looks like an evolution of the all-electric EV-STER Concept of 2011, but now it’s powered by a petrol 660cc three-cylinder turbocharged engine. The Honda S660 Concept has 47 kW and 104 Nm of torque this time around.
This engine complies with requirements for the Japanese market’s ‘kei class’ (short for keijid?sha or ‘light automobile’ class).Rather disappointingly, for those thinking in terms of a return to the brilliant Honda S2000 from a decade ago, the S660 roadster’s power is sent to the front wheels via a CVT gearbox.
Styling wise, the Honda S660 Concept is reminiscent of a small convertible Honda sold in Japan in the early the 90s, the Honda Beat. Look closer though and you’ll see lovely details that were once the preserve of the Honda NSX Concept and the two passenger interior boasts a very futuristic and funky look courtesy of that fully-digital instrument cluster (a-la Honda S2000), lots of exposed carbon fibre and smooth smartphone-like surfaces that handle the manual adjustments of windows, etc.
It’s hard to know what the Honda S660 Concept’s future holds as regards production viability, but Honda boss, Takanobu Ito, did confirm some time ago that Honda wanted to return to the compact roadster segment with a true ‘open-top sports-type mini-vehicle.’ The 43rd Tokyo motor show begins on November 20th.
