Honda S600 S800

Honda S600 S800

The Honda S600 and its successor the S800 represent Honda's first foray into automobile production, and they established a philosophy of high-revving engines, precise engineering, and driver engagement that would define Honda's automotive identity for decades to come. The listing combines both models under the S800 variant designation, which produced approximately 70 horsepower from just 791cc in the S600, or 70 hp from 791cc.

Honda's transition from motorcycle manufacturer to automobile builder was driven by Soichiro Honda's personal ambition and the company's engineering culture. The S-series sports cars applied motorcycle engineering principles to four-wheeled vehicles, most notably in the engine design. The tiny four-cylinder DOHC engine featured four carburetors (one per cylinder), a roller-bearing crankshaft (on early models), and a willingness to rev that was extraordinary for a road car. The S800 version, with its 791cc engine producing 70 horsepower at 8000 rpm, achieved a specific output of over 88 hp per liter -- a remarkable figure for the mid-1960s.

The early S500 and S600 models used a unique chain-drive rear axle arrangement, where the power from the engine was transmitted to the rear wheels through individual chains to each rear wheel, similar to a motorcycle final drive. The S800 switched to a conventional live axle with a driveshaft, which was simpler and more robust but lost some of the exotic character of the chain drive system.

The body was a diminutive two-seat roadster or coupe, beautifully proportioned despite its tiny dimensions. The car was small by any standard -- shorter than a modern compact car's wheelbase -- but the design was clean and attractive, with classic sports car proportions. The roadster version, with its folding soft top, was particularly charming and provided an open-air driving experience that complemented the high-revving engine's character.

Driving an S600 or S800 is an experience of mechanical intimacy. Everything is small, precise, and immediate. The engine demands to be revved -- below 5000 rpm it feels ordinary, but above that threshold it transforms into something magical, pulling with an urgency and producing a sound that is more motorcycle than car. The gearbox shifts with watchlike precision, and the car's tiny dimensions and light weight make it feel agile and responsive on any road.

The Honda S600/S800 was produced from 1964 to 1970, with total production of all S-series variants (S500, S600, S800) estimated at approximately 11,400 units. Today, these tiny sports cars are highly valued by collectors who appreciate Honda's engineering heritage and the pure, unadulterated driving experience they provide. Clean examples, particularly of the rarer S500 and early chain-drive models, command substantial prices.