Have A Detailed Look at the Honda S600

The Honda S600 marked the entry of the Japanese giant Honda into the European market and it was indeed a great car to begin with which was absolutely loved by the Europeans. The car had a lot of advantages going in its favor like its simple yet minimalistic design which clicked with not only the European audience but worldwide too. A nimble engine paired with a great chassis provided an absolutely fun driving experience, simple yet sleek interiors that offered practicality as well as luxury, and whatnot. Today we deep dive into the classic beauty’s various parameters to know what was it all about and what made it so special.

What is the Honda S600

One of the most classic and initial mass-market sportscar offerings from Honda, the S600 was a timeless machine that was offered by them in the 1960s. The S600 was a two-seater sportscar that was on sale for a short time period between 1964 and 1966. Successor to the Honda S500, the S series of Honda cars were famous for their lightweight construction, and reliable high-revving engines. The S600 indeed holds a lot of importance in Honda’s past as it was a result of Honda’s early entry decision of foraying into the sportscar segment. It showcased their marvelous engineering progress and set the standard for upcoming sportscars!

History of the Honda S600

Development of the Honda S600 started in the early 1960s and it was a successor to the Honda S500. The car was finally launched in March 1964 at the Tokyo Motor Show where it rolled eyeballs and garnered much attention and excitement. When launched initially in the Japanese market, it was manufactured in Honda’s Suzuka factory which was located in Japan, using advanced technologies of that time. The S600 also gained popularity in bigger markets like Europe and the United States, where people loved it for its simplistic yet classic design language, performance, and handling characteristics. In fact, it was the first Honda car to be launched in Europe. The S600 was on sale till 1966 and with just two years in production, it is relatively a rare car to be spotted today with just 11,284 units of coupe and 1,800 units of roadster being sold.

Timeless on the outside: Exterior

Talking of the exterior design of the Honda S600, the S600 featured a classic roadster design being overall compact and sleek in appearance. Apart from that, it had a low-slung profile, it was a two-door, and had a removable convertible top which provided the occupants with a wind in the hair feeling! Although, it also came in a coupe body shape. Overall, the S600 looked gorgeous like most of the roadsters of its time, and was very desirable at the same time. In the front, you could spot a pair of large circular chrome-surrounded headlights that extended from the vehicle’s hood and a small bumper and grille which were embedded in chrome. The rear of the car featured a squared and simple pair of rounded taillights finished off by a chrome bumper. Overall if we had to summarize the design language of the Honda S600, we would say it was simple yet desirable with all those beautiful elements.

Heart of the Honda S600

Talking of the performance of the motor of the S600, it was equipped with a high-revving, four-cylinder aluminum engine which was equipped with double overhead camshaft (DOHC) technology which was comparatively new at that time, with a displacement of 606 cc. Yes, a sportscar with a 0.6-liter engine. The engine was capable of producing 57 horsepower and it gave the S600 respectable performance in accordance with its size and weight!

The Transmission used in the Honda S600

At the time of production, the S600 was offered to customers in a couple of transmissions, the first one being a regular 4-speed manual, and apart from that there was also a 2-speed semi-automatic transmission which was known as the “Honda V-matic” in Honda’s term. The V-matic system was an innovative technology during that time as it differentiated itself by providing clutchless shifting and the S600 was one of the first cars to offer it.

How was it to ride and go through corners: Ride & Handling

Talking of the ride quality of the Honda S600, it had a firm and sporty ride that matched its overall segment or category of cars. Apart from that, the suspension was made for responsive handling and to provide a direct connection to the road and the driver, which automatically meant that the ride was going to be stiffer. Adding to that, the car’s size and lightweight construction, offered a more nimble driving experience. Also, since it was a rear-wheel drive setup, and it had a low center of gravity, it allowed for excellent cornering and balancing capabilities.

Suspension setup on the Honda S600

The S600 had independent suspension both at the front and rear, which was an advanced setup for its time and it had coil springs and a double wishbone setup which gave it better control and handling through the corners. Since the S600 was meant to be in the sportscar category its suspension was tuned in such a way that it provided a stiff ride but at the same time, it also provided a good balance between road feedback and comfort as compared to other cars of the same segment.

Beautiful on the inside: Interiors

The Honda S600 was a two-seater vehicle that had a minimal and compact interior design layout just like other sportscars of that era. The interior comprised of materials like vinyl, leather, and chrome in many places, The overall design of the interior was aimed towards elegance, practicality, and functionality for the user while being lightweight as it is a sportscar. Apart from that, it had a small-diameter steering wheel, which was wrapped in synthetic material or leather. The steering response was quite responsive for the S600 and provided a sporty experience. Talking of the two bucket seats in the front, provided a supportive and comfortable driving position to the occupants. The seats were also upholstered in vinyl or leather. Other than that it featured a functional center console that had all the controls for lighting, wipers, etc.

Rivals of the Honda S600

The Honda S600 did face stiff competition from other cars in its short lifetime, and some of its major rivals were the MG Midget, Triumph Spitfire, Alfa-Romeo Spider, Fiat 850 Spider, and the Austin-Healey Sprite. All of these cars possessed something special or other in their own way and provided competition to each other in some way or the other, and even appealed to different kinds of buyers.

Price

Talking of the prices of the Honda S600, it was initially launched in its home market, Japan with a starting price of around ¥1,080,000. After some time when its popularity grew, it was later exported to international markets like Europe and the US. Initially, it was priced at around $1,395 there. Although today, if you go out looking for a Honda S600 in an auction you find one ranging anywhere between $30,000 to $75,000 depending on the year of manufacture, condition, and shape of the car.