Four years ago, Honda unveiled a small roadster with two seats called the S660, a car some (exaggeratedly) dubbed at the time, a miniaturized cross between an NSX and an S2000. In truth, it’s the spiritual successor to the early 1990’s Beat convertible.
Despite several rumors surrounding a possible launch in the U.S. and other markets, the car was, and will remain, a Japan-only affair.
Designed specifically for the Land of the Rising Sun, the S660 is a kei car, which means that it’s very tiny, yet it can still be driven legally on highways.
At 133.7 in (3,395 mm) long, 58.1 in (1,475 mm) wide and 46 in (1,180 mm) tall, it’s actually smaller than a Volkswagen Up!. It’s also lighter, tipping the scales at around 1,870 lbs (850 kg).
Naturally, the small packaging doesn’t require much to move around. Thus, it’s powered by a 0.66-liter three-cylinder petrol engine, which makes 63 hp (64 PS / 47 kW) and 77 lb-ft (104 Nm) of torque. The mill is mounted behind the driver and is linked to either a six-speed manual gearbox or a CVT, which channel output to the rear wheels.
That’s right, it’s a mid-engine, rear-wheel drive model, with a very good 45-55 front-rear weight distribution.
Contrary to the tiny engine, the S660 feels quite agile on the go. The steering is sharp enough to encourage some sporty driving every now and then, and there’s even a dedicated Sport mode that makes it a bit more interesting.
There are of course some drawbacks to owning such a vehicle, which are very obvious just by looking at it. Others, like the annoying wind noise with the top down on the highway, were pointed out in the review-like video of the roadster posted below, which took place in Tokyo with a rental.