Honda S660

The Honda S660 is a two-seat targa sports car in the kei class manufactured by the Japanese manufacturer Honda with a transverse mid-engine and rear-wheel-drive layout. It is the successor to the Honda Beat (with regard to segment), and the Honda S2000 (with regard to nomenclature, as it also belongs to Honda's family of "S" models).

Honda S660 (JW5)
2015 Honda S660 α
Overview
ManufacturerHonda
ProductionApril 2015 – March 2022
AssemblyJapan: Yokkaichi, Mie
DesignerRyo Sugiura[1]
Body and chassis
ClassKei car
Body style2-door targa top
LayoutTransverse mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive
Related
Powertrain
Engine658 cc S07A turbo I3
Power output47 kW (63 hp; 64 PS)
Transmission
Dimensions
Wheelbase2,285 mm (90.0 in)
Length3,395 mm (133.7 in)
Width1,475 mm (58.1 in)
Height1,180 mm (46.5 in)
Curb weight830–850 kg (1,830–1,874 lb)
Chronology
PredecessorHonda Beat

Overview

The S660 is a lightweight mid-engined roadster with a targa roof. Its dimensions, due to kei car size restrictions, are nearly identical to the 1990s Beat. It is sold with either a 6-speed manual transmission or a 7-speed CVT with sports paddle shifters, both options being offered on the two trims available (Alpha and Beta). The S660 weighs approximately 830 kg with the manual transmission[2] and 850 kg with the CVT, and have a front/rear weight balance of 45/55.[2]

The naming convention of using the letter "S" followed by the engine displacement is a long-held Honda tradition going back to Honda's second production car, the Honda S500 (from which the S660 draws inspiration).

Performance

The S660 is powered by the same turbocharged 658 cc S07A Turbo engine used in the N-One with some mechanical improvements. In the S660, this engine is mid-mounted and produces 47 kW (63 hp; 64 PS) at 6,000 rpm and 104 N⋅m (77 lbf⋅ft) of torque at 2,600 rpm with a redline of 7,700 rpm for the manual transmission and 7,000 rpm for the CVT.[3]

Development and launch
The Honda S660 prototype

A prototype was shown at the November 2013 Tokyo Motor Show.[4] The prototype and proposed production announcement were widely covered in auto enthusiast news sites and blogs.[5][6][7][8] Initial reactions to the concept were favorable.

After the S660 entered the market, its first driving review was in June 2015 of a Japanese-market prototype driven by Top Gear in Tokyo.[9] The author concluded that the car was "supremely maneuverable" but lacked power, something he hoped an export model with a larger motor would amend, and felt that such an export model might be a potential Mazda MX-5 competitor.

First photographs

The prototype S660 was photographed by car enthusiasts at a wintertime car event in early 2015 and published in the Japanese car enthusiast magazine Mag-X, and subsequently republished in the US car blog The Truth About Cars.[10] The pictures included several exterior photos and one of the opened engine compartment.

Production

The development team of the S660 was led by Ryo Mukumoto, who beat out 400 other participants in Honda's in-house competition at the age of 22. Honda made him the youngest lead engineer in the company's history in spite of his lack of engineering experience, and he was given 5 years to develop the S660.[11]

Discontinuation

Production of the S660 ended in March 2022.[12] Partial production by year: 2015 - 9,296; 2016 - 10,298; 2017 - 4,075; 2018-2022 - about 3,000 or fewer each year.[13]

  • Honda S660 Concept Edition
    Honda S660 Concept Edition
  • Honda S660 α
    Honda S660 α
  • Honda S660 Modulo
    Honda S660 Modulo
  • Honda S660 Modulo
    Honda S660 Modulo
  • Honda S660 Modulo X
    Honda S660 Modulo X
  • Honda S660 Modulo X
    Honda S660 Modulo X
  • Interior
    Interior
  • S07A Turbo engine
    S07A Turbo engine

References
  1. "Honda to Go Small, Gas-Powered at Tokyo Motor Show". Wsj.com. Retrieved 4 July 2015.
  2. Oagna, Alex (11 August 2015). "2016 Honda S660". TopSpeed. Retrieved 3 April 2015.
  3. "Honda S660 公式情報ページ". Honda公式ホームページ (in Japanese). Retrieved 5 July 2020.
  4. Miersma, Seyth (20 November 2013). "Honda S660 Concept Portends a New Kei Car for 2015". Autoblog. AOL. Retrieved 21 November 2013.
  5. "2013 Tokyo Motor Show: Honda S660 Roadster Revealed, May Get Turbo One Liter Three For Export". The Truth About Cars. AutoGuide.com. 20 November 2013. Retrieved 21 November 2013.
  6. George, Patrick (23 October 2013). "The Honda S660 Concept Is A Sporting Return To Form For Honda". Jalopnik. Gawker Media. Retrieved 21 November 2013.
  7. Vijayenthiran, Viknesh (20 November 2013). "Honda S660 Mid-Engine Sports Car Concept Debuts In Tokyo". Motor Authority. High Gear Media. Retrieved 21 November 2013.
  8. Glon, Ronan (3 January 2015). "Honda'S Next Roadster – The S660 – Will be a Mini NSX Smaller than a Chevy Spark". Digital Trends. Retrieved 8 January 2015.
  9. Dobie, Steven (30 June 2015). "First Drive: Honda S660 0.7 2dr (2015-2015)". Top Gear. BBC. Retrieved 10 July 2015.
  10. Kreindler, Derek (16 February 2015). "Your First Look at the Honda S660". The Truth About Cars. AutoGuide.com. Retrieved 17 February 2015.
  11. "Meet the 26-year-old design prodigy behind Honda's subcompact roadster". The Japan Times. 30 March 2015. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
  12. Honda S660 Modulo X Version Z Marks The End Of The Sporty Kei Car - Motor 1.com(04/24/2021)
  13. [https://japanesenostalgiccar.com/honda-s660-production-run-sold-out/
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