The two-seat Honda S660 kei car has been officially launched in Japan.
As was proven last week when production vehicles were photographed at a Japanese shipyard, the final version of the car doesn’t look dramatically different to the 2013 concept.
Behind the passenger cell is a 660cc turbocharged three-cylinder engine with around 47kW of power and 104Nm of torque. This tiny motor drives the rear wheels via either a six-speed manual or a continuously variable transmission with seven gear steps, which are accessible via paddle shifters behind the steering wheel.
According to Honda, the S660’s weight is distributed 45:55 front-to-rear, while stopping power is provided by 260mm disc brakes. The S660 rides on Yokohama rubber, with 15-inch alloy wheels and 165/55 tyres up front, and 16-inch alloys with 195/45 tyres at the rear.
Instead of a regular hand-operated pull-up/drop-down convertible top, the S660 is equipped with a roll out fabric roof that can be attached between the windscreen frame and roll-over bars to provide passengers with protection from the weather. During bouts of open-top motoring, this roll-top is stored in a specially designed space located underneath the S660’s bonnet.
Available features in LED headlights, a tablet-style infotainment system, front and side airbags, hill start assistance, stability control, climate control air conditioning, and automated city emergency braking system.
The S660 will go on sale in Japan in a few days time, with Honda looking to sell around 800 S660s per month. Only two trim levels are available: the entry-level β at 1.98 million yen ($21,400) and the top-spec α at 2.18 million yen ($23,500).
Earlier reports indicated that export versions of the S660 will be badged as the S1000 and will be fitted with a 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbocharged engine.
UPDATE: Don’t expect to see this in Australia any time soon.
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