1964 HONDA S600 0.6

Vehicle Overview

After it surprised the Japanese market with the S500 roadster, Soichiro Honda developed an upgraded model: the S600.

The Japanese carmaker was already known in the young car enthusiasts communities thanks to the agile S500. But most of them cried for more power. Then, Honda gave them more power. Not as much as they asked, but it was more than they needed. The S600 was introduced in 1964, and it was available as a roadster or as a fastback, two-seat coupe.

Soichiro Honda didn’t want to spoil the charm of the S500 and took as much as he could from that style. It kept the vehicle simple and with minimum exterior size to keep the vehicle light. A chromed bumper accompanied the round headlights and chromed grille at the front. In the rear, the S600 featured two round taillights.

The cabin was simple for two passengers. For the driver, Honda installed a small instrument panel with a tachometer, a speedometer, a fuel gauge, and the coolant temperature. They were all mounted in individual metallic circles, while the carmaker made the slim steering wheel from wood and metal.

Unusually for a car from those times, the S600 featured an independent suspension in all corners and chain transmission for the rear wheels. A four-speed manual gearbox with the last three gears synchromesh ensured smooth and fast driving. The engine was a 0.6-liter inline-four, which was better suited for a motorcycle since it could rev up to 11.000 rpm!