1964-1966 Honda S600

Honda's 2004 S2000 benefits from a displacement increase to 2.2-liters. This uncompromising sports roadster zips to 60 mph in well under six seconds, nudges the 150-mph mark and cheerfully revs past 9,000 rpm. "Car and Driver" voted it the best of five competing two-seaters last summer, calling it "a four-wheeler with crotch-rocket DNA."

History
Indeed. Forty years ago, Honda Motor Company was already well known for its high-performance motorcycles that were capable of winning races like the death-defying Isle of Man Tourist Trophy. Honda cars simply weren't available—yet. Soichiro Honda, the company's founder, reportedly told some journalists, "Driving a car is like sitting in the living room; driving a motorcycle is something like riding a horse—it's driving and controlling something that is almost alive." That said, Honda-san was very interested in expanding to automobile production; but he'd have to wait until his company had attained the size and the resources.


Honda's first serious effort was the S500, a diminutive two-seat roadster with a 44-bhp, 531-cc four-cylinder, motorcycle-inspired engine. S500's were available in Japan, Europe and the UK, in 1964. Some 1,353 units were sold, but they were never officially imported to the U.S. The following year, the S600 bowed in a race-tuned 606-cc version. It offered 70 bhp @ 10,000 rpm for the then-unbelievable output of 115-bhp per liter. Denny Hulme drove one to a class win at the Nurburgring in 1965, reportedly passing 33 cars on the first lap.

Performance
Production S600s offered 57 bhp with a redlined tach that stretched from 9,500 to 11,000 rpm. Reportedly, the engine was comparatively mild until the 6,000 rpm level was reached, then it developed a calico-ripping snarl that propelled the 1,640-lb S600 to 60 mph in 17 seconds, and would go on to 94 mph if you didn't mind the hornet-like buzz of its high-revving powerplant. S600s were also not officially imported to the U.S. Still, a few found their way here, usually imported by returning servicemen who'd paid about $1,800 U.S. for them in Japan.


Slightly smaller than a Sprite, Spitfire or Lotus Elan of its era, the S600, while not the quickest of the lot, would keep up with any of them when driven in a spirited fashion. The Honda's sophisticated four-cam, four-carburetor, water-cooled, hemi-headed alloy engine was linked to a differential located just behind it, that in turn ran a sealed roller chain drive setup. Four forward speeds, finned drum brakes, and quick rack-and-pinion steering were all part of the impressive specifications. Suspension was fully independent, with A-arms and torsion bars in front, single trailing links and coil springs in the rear. Inside, no-nonsense vinyl-covered bucket seats and a wood-rimmed wheel appealed to sports car purists of the era.

If you drove an S600, you were considered pretty serious.
"Road & Track" borrowed its road test S600 from a reader in 1965, and enthused: "There's no burning of rubber, but the S600 scampers along to good effect and is great fun to drive...the steering and handling of the Honda are excellent by any standards and, frankly, are reminiscent of the much more expensive Lotus Elan than the cars in its own price class." The high-revving four put out just 37.5 lb.-ft. of torque (at 5,500 rpm), so—just like today's S2000—drivers had to keep the revs way up on the scale to get the full effect. The S600 was a true sports roadster. Lollygaggers could choose from several low-revving, bigger-displacement rivals. If you drove an S600, you were considered pretty serious.