2010/12/09

Honda S600 first sporty automobile 1965


Soichiro Honda put together a young engineering team to design and build a sporty automobile. Yoshio Nakamura, project leader for the Honda Sports Series and manager of Honda's first F1 team, joined the company. Honda launched an open, two-seat sports car called the S500 at the 1962 Tokyo Motor Show. Honda developed their aluminum four cylinder DOHC engine using a crankshaft rotating on needle roller bearings. The 531cc engine had 44 horsepower at 8500 rpm's and weighed in at 1500 lbs. In 1964 changes were again made to the body and an increase to 606cc's with 57 horsepower at 8500 rpm's.
 
Honda S600 was produced from 1964 through 1966. There were two bodystyles available, a two-door convertible and two-door coupe. This made it Honda's first car to be available in two versions and their first mass produced automobile. The design and appearance of the car was very similar to its predecessor, the S500.

As the years progressed, there were only mild changes to the vehicle. The most visual were to the frontal area including the headlights, bumper and grille. Under the hood was a four-cylinder, water-cooled, DOHC engine with four carburetors. The S500 had a displacement size of 492cc; the S600 increased that displacement size to 606cc, thus the changes to the name.

The SM600 was an upgrade package offered on the S600. The package included special paint colors, exclusive badging, radio and speaker, cigarette lighter, heater, upgraded seats, detachable seat rack, and reversing lights.

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