Honda S660
11-13-14, 07:03 AM
#46
Honda S660 could spawn a high-performance S1000
Might be sold outside of Japan
We haven't heard much about the Honda S660 lately but a new report is indicating the company is working on a high-performance variant which could be offered outside of Japan.
Nothing is official but Motoring is reporting the model will be outfitted with a turbocharged 1.0-liter engine that develops more than 140 PS (103 kW).
Little else is known about the car but it could be developed with the assistance of Mugen and called the S1000. The website also says the high-performance variant will have more aggressive styling and larger alloy wheels.
If everything pans out, the S1000 could be launched in 2016 and be followed by an EV a year later.
We haven't heard much about the Honda S660 lately but a new report is indicating the company is working on a high-performance variant which could be offered outside of Japan.
Nothing is official but Motoring is reporting the model will be outfitted with a turbocharged 1.0-liter engine that develops more than 140 PS (103 kW).
Little else is known about the car but it could be developed with the assistance of Mugen and called the S1000. The website also says the high-performance variant will have more aggressive styling and larger alloy wheels.
If everything pans out, the S1000 could be launched in 2016 and be followed by an EV a year later.
01-02-15, 07:22 AM
#47
Honda S660 specifications revealed in new brochure leak
Several scans from a purported Honda S660 brochure have surfaced online.
Previewed by the S660 concept, the production model has a prominent grille, sweptback headlights and small lower air intakes. We can also see side scoops, a rakish windscreen and a retractable soft top. Moving further back, there's triangular taillights and a sporty rear bumper.
The interior is more restrained than the concept but features a digital instrument cluster and an iPhone-like infotainment system. The model also has metallic accents and a three-spoke steering wheel.
The specifications are hard to make out but the roadster will apparently measure 3395mm long, 1475mm wide and 1180mm tall.
The documentation also suggests the model will be powered by a three-cylinder engine that develops 64 PS (47 kW) and 104 Nm (77 lb-ft) of torque. It can be connected to either a six-speed manual or an optional continuously variable transmission. This should enable the 830 kg (1830 lbs) roadster to hit a top speed of 140 km/h (87 mph).
Previewed by the S660 concept, the production model has a prominent grille, sweptback headlights and small lower air intakes. We can also see side scoops, a rakish windscreen and a retractable soft top. Moving further back, there's triangular taillights and a sporty rear bumper.
The interior is more restrained than the concept but features a digital instrument cluster and an iPhone-like infotainment system. The model also has metallic accents and a three-spoke steering wheel.
The specifications are hard to make out but the roadster will apparently measure 3395mm long, 1475mm wide and 1180mm tall.
The documentation also suggests the model will be powered by a three-cylinder engine that develops 64 PS (47 kW) and 104 Nm (77 lb-ft) of torque. It can be connected to either a six-speed manual or an optional continuously variable transmission. This should enable the 830 kg (1830 lbs) roadster to hit a top speed of 140 km/h (87 mph).
01-03-15, 07:13 AM
#52
Pole Position
02-19-15, 02:20 PM
#53
Honda reveals camouflaged S660 production prototype in Japan
Powered by a 660-cc engine
Honda has unveiled a production prototype of its S660 kei roadster model in Japan.
The company invited local journalists to take a passenger ride in the vehicle that has a fully camouflaged body. The interior was completely undisguised with only the Honda badges taped. Interestingly, we noticed some differences compared to the scan leaks from earlier this year like the added parking brake on the center tunnel and the instrument cluster that is not fully digital.
From what we know about the model so far, it will be powered by a 660-cc three-cylinder petrol engine with a maximum output of 64 HP (47 kW) and 104 Nm (77 lb-ft) of torque. The motor will be mated to either a six-speed manual or an optional CVT transmission, enabling the car to hit a top speed of 140 km/h (87 mph).
Honda has unveiled a production prototype of its S660 kei roadster model in Japan.
The company invited local journalists to take a passenger ride in the vehicle that has a fully camouflaged body. The interior was completely undisguised with only the Honda badges taped. Interestingly, we noticed some differences compared to the scan leaks from earlier this year like the added parking brake on the center tunnel and the instrument cluster that is not fully digital.
From what we know about the model so far, it will be powered by a 660-cc three-cylinder petrol engine with a maximum output of 64 HP (47 kW) and 104 Nm (77 lb-ft) of torque. The motor will be mated to either a six-speed manual or an optional CVT transmission, enabling the car to hit a top speed of 140 km/h (87 mph).
03-24-15, 08:00 AM
#55
New Honda S660 Roadster Scooped Undisguised In Production Form
Honda's journey for a Beat replacement that started with the all-electric 2011 EV-STER Concept and continued with the more realistic 2013 S660 study, is ending with the production S660.
As evidenced by these photos shot at a Japanese port, Honda is ready to ship the production 2015 S660 to dealers across the country.
The sporty, pint-sized roadster is very close to the 2013 concept of the same name, with only a few modest exterior modifications such as the headlamp and tail light clusters, the grille, the smaller wheels, and if we're not mistaken, the less heavily sculpted door lines.
Honda also toned down the interior design a few notches removing the futuristic steering wheel, seat designs and the smaller touchscreens.
The 3.4-meter (134 in.) long S660 revives the spirit of the mid-engine Beat roadster, employing a 660cc (0.66-liter) three-cylinder turbocharged engine with around 63-horses positioned behind the driver, paired to either a CVT, or as you can see in the photos, a six-speed manual turning the rear wheels.
There have been rumors floating around of an export version named S1000 fitted with a –you guessed it- 1,000cc or 1.0-liter turbocharged engines featuring a slightly wider body and bigger wheels and possibly around 100 or more horses, but we wouldn't get our hopes up for a North American landing any time soon.
As evidenced by these photos shot at a Japanese port, Honda is ready to ship the production 2015 S660 to dealers across the country.
The sporty, pint-sized roadster is very close to the 2013 concept of the same name, with only a few modest exterior modifications such as the headlamp and tail light clusters, the grille, the smaller wheels, and if we're not mistaken, the less heavily sculpted door lines.
Honda also toned down the interior design a few notches removing the futuristic steering wheel, seat designs and the smaller touchscreens.
The 3.4-meter (134 in.) long S660 revives the spirit of the mid-engine Beat roadster, employing a 660cc (0.66-liter) three-cylinder turbocharged engine with around 63-horses positioned behind the driver, paired to either a CVT, or as you can see in the photos, a six-speed manual turning the rear wheels.
There have been rumors floating around of an export version named S1000 fitted with a –you guessed it- 1,000cc or 1.0-liter turbocharged engines featuring a slightly wider body and bigger wheels and possibly around 100 or more horses, but we wouldn't get our hopes up for a North American landing any time soon.
03-24-15, 09:25 AM
#56
Lexus Fanatic
iTrader: (20)
i love small light cars.
03-30-15, 06:24 PM
#60
C&d
Honda is on a mission to get its sporty groove back. We’ve already seen the new Acura NSX; the Civic Type R was revealed at the recent Geneva auto show; the company’s comeback as a Formula 1 engine supplier is underway; and now Honda has added a new, somewhat smaller, performance car to its range. 1st shown in concept form at the 2013 Tokyo show, the S660 is a spiritual successor to the tiny Beat roadster of the early 1990s.
Like the Beat, the S660 features a mid-engine layout with a 660-cc, 3-cylinder turbo that keeps it within the parameters of a kei car (a special class of ultrasmall subcompacts) in its home market of Japan. Sure, it looks cool, but why should Americans care? Well, as we reported in January, an inside source told us that the company is also currently working on an export version with a more powerful, 1.0-liter turbo rumored to pump out more than 125 horsepower—and that it’s earmarked for the United States. That’s reason enough to take this little funster for a spin.
From Show Floor to Track Paddock
As we arrived at Sodegaura Forest Raceway, 90 minutes southeast of Tokyo, 3 S660s sat in the paddock. They looked almost identical to the 2013 concept car that spawned the new model. The S660 is the result of an in-house contest that began 4 years ago, wherein more than 400 young engineers submitted ideas for new vehicles to company bosses, and the S660 design came out on top.
Honda has developed a mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive chassis just for the S660, which uses an aluminum-and-steel structure that’s stiffer than the old S2000’s. The Japan-spec S660 might be fitted with an uninspiring 63-hp engine, but we’re told this chassis could take a lot more power—hence the 125-hp version. You can feel the rigidity, too, in high-speed corners and under heavy braking.
Small Car, Small Engine
Tipping the scales at just 1830 pounds (according to Honda), the S660 employs the same 3-cylinder turbocharged engine found in the popular N-Box kei car. However, to improve throttle response, engineers have revised the turbo geometry to produce quicker off-the-line acceleration and stronger midrange torque.
To lift the overall performance of the engine, the redline is raised from 7000 rpm to 7700 rpm, while a deeper oil pan helps to cope with the higher g-forces during cornering and braking. The turbo spools up at about 2500 rpm and delivers a healthy dose of torque all the way to redline. It’s between 5000 and 7700 rpm that the engine really comes to life, though, letting out a high-pitched and metallic raspy roar that belies its tiny displacement.
Like the S2000’s legendary gearbox and shifter, the S660 features a positive-feeling, 6-speed manual transmission with delightfully short throws and gear ratios that are superbly matched to the engine. It also has well-positioned pedals and a light clutch.
Granted, there’s not a lot of power on tap, but even when flung into a corner at 60 mph, it’s difficult to get the planted rear end to budge. Honda’s “Agile Handling Assist” system can brake an inside front wheel to enhance turn-in and cornering stability, while specially developed 16-inch Yokohama Advan Neova tires provide traction levels previously unheard of in kei cars.
All that grip and the fact that the traction control can’t be switched off means there’s no oversteer to play around with. But there’s no understeer, either, just an at-the-limit neutrality that’s fairly rare these days. As for the steering—which is accomplished via an extrasmall, 13.8-inch wheel—it’s weighty enough to feel substantial, offers crisp responses, and provides decent feedback about what the front tires are doing.
The cabin is tight but comfortable. A 6-foot-2-inch driver can fit behind the wheel and change gears without smashing his knees against the steering wheel—only just, mind you. The large, centrally located tachometer sets a sporty tone, while the dash-mounted screen offers drivers the option of a g-meter that displays lateral and deceleration forces in real time.
Our only issues with the S660 are the lack of outright power and its fiddly softtop roof, which must be manually deconstructed and placed in the tiny trunk. But other than that, the S660 takes the kei-car genre to new heights—we just hope Honda can bring it to our shores.