Honda’s sports car heritage can be forgotten about. Though barely a day passes without someone learning what they sold an S2000 for and what they’re apparently worth now, the classics don’t really register. Sure, the S500 and 600 didn't come here§, but the S800 was sold in the UK, a 9,500rpm alternative to the MG Midget. It wasn’t even enormously expensive, yet seems rarely discussed now in a classic car context.
And who could forget the Beat? When most took the kei car regulations to mean narrow-tracked, high-roofed econoboxes, Honda made a manual, mid-engined, rear-drive sports car with the best seat upholstery ever seen. But probably the Suzuki Cappuccino remains more fondly remembered. If only Honda had thought to put a Type R badge on these old ones they’d be worth a small fortune now…
It was the Beat that the S660 celebrated when it launched in 2015. Though the name evoked those glorious little sports cars of the 60s, the layout was much more in keeping with the previous take on kei car mischief. The 660cc, 64hp turbo triple was in the middle with drive to the rear, it revved to 7,700rpm with the six-speed manual, and it weighed just 830kg. Just when it seemed that cool kei cars were done, Honda resurrected the Beat with the S660. (Interestingly, the project’s lead engineer was Ryo Mukumoto, who was just 22 when he was given responsibility for it.)
Though there were initial rumours that the S660 might get a larger engine for export markets, it remained a 660cc JDM special for its seven years on sale. It goes to show how well received the S660 was that you’ll often see one or two for sale in the UK, imports around to satisfy demand like the glory days of Impreza and Evos. Even by the standards of dinky Japanese sports cars, there wasn’t really anything like an S660. There seems unlikely to be anything like it again, either, given Honda’s apparent determination to make its electric cars as plain as possible.
This, on the other hand, is much more like it. A Carnival Yellow II S660, it has served as a rolling catalogue for Mugen’s parts. So there’s £20,000 of carbon fibre, uprated suspension, forged wheels, Mugen floor mats, Mugen side mirror glass, Mugen steering wheel… pretty much everything you could think of has been swapped out for a Mugen alternative, making for a very special little S660 It’s surely going to receive as much favourable attention as many more powerful mid-engined roadsters.
It’s being sold by Torque GT, the UK distributor for Mugen. It was on their Festival of Speed stand last year, and turned heads even in that environment. As we continue to crow on about smaller, lighter, more efficient cars that keep motoring fun, so the kei cars only look more interesting. None more so than the S660. £30k means it’s probably one for the very committed Honda or JDM collector - imagine how it might look alongside a 22B and NSX-R - but it remains hard not to love regardless. Long live the Honda sports car!
1 / 10
