Honda S660- the rumored Mini-NSX?

[clean_green]

Hopefully this isn't a repost because it was on my Yahoo home page this morning. I hope this isn't the mini-NSX because of the paltry horsepower but is is a cool looking little car with lots of styling features from the new NSX. http://www.topspeed.com/cars/honda/2013-honda-s660-concept-ar160875.html


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[blue_myriddn]

Looks like one of those electric cars little kids ride around in.

 

[liftcontrol]

Mini NSX?????
This cute little number is a possible redo of the Honda Beat for JDM with a 60hp 660cc engine.

 

[WingZ]

Exactly too small to come to Fat America

 

[warrenw]

actually a mini S2000. smaller than a Miata.

 

[clean_green]

One article I read about the S660 said that a version with a turbo 1 liter 100 hp version would be for export. 66cc engine is JDM only.

 

[Silver F16]

This is not the mini-NSX. It is the smallest one of the three mid-engined sports cars.

Once again, info came from Rolled. Take it for what its worth

The middle one, may sport a 4 banger turbo hyrid with RWD priced between 60-75K Same info as what was rumored a year ago.

http://www.vtec.net/forums/one-message?message_id=1166855&page_number=1#1166855

 

[Lostbuckeye]

It reminds me a lot of the Honda Beat.

 

[mark0006]

Honda S660 Roadster Spied Undisguised





From the article:
As evidenced by these photos shot at a Japanese port, Honda is ready to ship the production 2015 S660 to dealers across the country.


6 pictures and full article


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[nsxtacey]

Seems like a lack of direction with Honda. Making all sorts of different cars and seeing what works. Including the NSX with its off again on again with various versions. Maybe one of the reasons why they replaced the ceo.

 

[gleibig]

Honda S660 Roadster Spied Undisguised


Please disguise it again.

 

[seaeyes]

One article I read about the S660 said that a version with a turbo 1 liter 100 hp version would be for export. 66cc engine is JDM only.

The US version will have a 1.0L turbo engine, but the output is around 140hp instead of 100hp

 

[Alpo]

Honda S660 Roadster Spied Undisguised


Please disguise it again.

I like it. Might be a fun city car.

 

[N Spec]

I like it. Might be a fun city car.

I wouldn't buy one as I don't live in the city, but it does look like a nice/better alternative to Smart cars, Fiats, or Mini Coopers. If it was shaped more like the new Miata, then it really would be a killer car!

 

[pjr300]

The show car looks sweet! But that version on the road.... is it just me, or does it look a bit gumpy in that pic? Maybe it's the angle, or because the top is up.....

 

[Hothonda]

Finally a decent golf cart

 

[jagtiger]

Honda and Acura needs to make nice and exciting cars again!! So sad that their new cars doesn't inspire me.

 

[Vanishing Point]

Fugly! And an insult to prior S600 nomenclature!

 

[Ravi]

Nope this is not the mini-NSX heck not even the s2000 successor. It's said to be the spiritual successor to the original Honda beat
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honda_Beat

 

[mark0006]

[h=1]Honda S660 Modulo Photos Leaked[/h]



From the article:
The white prototype with stripes is a S660 Modulo, essentially the Honda equivalent of Nismo. This body kit enhances the sporty appearance of the car even further. And get this: it even has a pop-up rear wing.


17 pictures and full article

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[NSX69]

C&d

2015 Honda S660 Mid-Engine Roadster

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.

 

[simplife]

From Jalopnik..........
http://jalopnik.com/the-honda-s660-looks-like-stupid-crazy-fun-on-the-track-1694813528