Honda
(1963 - today)
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In 1963, hardly anyone was interested in Japanese cars and certainly no one expected a sports car from the Far East. The 'hobby' makers were all the more surprised and impressed by the Honda Sports 500, which produced 50 hp from a displacement of just half a liter via a chain drive and also impressed with its attractive bodywork. And they also took a look at the S 360. This report reproduces the original wording of the vehicle presentation at the time and shows the Sports 500, its predecessor Sports 360 and the successor S 600 in historical photos, including a rare AS 285 brochure.
Honda made its debut in Formula 1 with the RA 272 and its predecessor, the RA 271, and showed right from the start that it could compete at the very front. The transverse-mounted V12 engine was more powerful than those of the competition and allowed for a compact monoposto design, which was ultimately rewarded with a Grand Prix victory. This report from the "Technology in racing cars" series looks at the special design features of the unusually built Honda Formula 1 racing car.
In 1965, the small Honda S600 sports car made its first appearance in Europe and was unveiled in Frankfurt. As a convertible, hardtop convertible or coupé, the Honda demanded high revs and correspondingly noise-tolerant owners. Those who were not afraid to demand 8,000 rpm and more from the engine made smooth progress, as racing successes in the small displacement classes proved. Today, the S600s are among the absolute rarities and are traded at correspondingly high prices. Our report tells of current driving experiences, the history of these sports cars and the technology used.
With the RA 302 from 1968, Honda wanted to eliminate the disadvantages of its predecessors. It was to be lighter and faster. The approach was radical, probably too radical for the time. The attempt ended in disaster and ultimately led to Honda's withdrawal from F1 at the end of the year. This article from the series "Technology in racing cars from 1958 to 1978" gets to the bottom of the failure of the 1968 Honda RA 302 and shows it in pictures.
Between 1966 and 1970, Honda built the S800 as a coupé and convertible. In contrast to its predecessor, the S600, which was only occasionally seen in this country, Honda also sold the speedster in our latitudes with some success. Anyone who heard it was thrilled, because its engine revved up to 9000 rpm and even significantly higher if necessary. And this was at a time when Formula 1 engines delivered their maximum power at well below 10,000 rpm. This driving report describes the S800 and shows it in current and historical pictures, supplemented by several sales brochures, technical data and the 80-page manual from back then.
Around 15,000 Honda Z600 Coupés were built in Japan between 1971 and 1974, only a few of them circulated here and today they are practically completely forgotten. The small car had a lot to offer in terms of technology and could carry four people and some luggage. This report is dedicated to the mostly orange-colored Honda Z600 and shows it in many pictures from today and in advertising from back then.
Well, it doesn't have a rear window heater. But apart from that, the tiny Honda Z came as standard with many features that cost extra in large European cars. In addition, the small DOHC twin was a spirited barrel organ and the handling was nimble. This historical test report reveals what else the bonsai coupé was capable of and why it almost didn't make it to Germany.
At first glance, the new Honda Prelude seemed too expensive. But on closer inspection, the coupé actually turned out to be a real equipment miracle. Only the rear seats were little more than a well-padded luggage rack. In the "mot" test, the sporty Accord offshoot impressed with its sophisticated chassis and safe handling.
With the NSX, Honda set out in 1989 to give the sports car top dogs Ferrari, Porsche and Lamborghini a run for their money with an innovative, fast and yet uncompromising mid-engined sports car. Despite very good reviews, the car was not a huge success; not even 600 units were sold in Germany, Austria and Switzerland in 15 years. The NSX has remained correspondingly rare. This report tells the story of the Honda/Acura NSX and shows it in historical photos and the original sales brochure.
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Honda CRX - Almost British
What nonsense to compare a Japanese sports car from the eighties with an English roadster from the sixties! Or is it? In fact, they differ in nothing so much as their engine characteristics - and of course the fact that the Japanese car has a fixed roof. This article introduces the Honda CRX and explains why, as a small, agile fun maker, it can certainly be considered the successor to British sports car culture.
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All 44 Honda models
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