This was only Honda’s second car design, but it was a revolutionary take on the Austin Mini, with an overhead cam transverse twin, automatic gearbox in the sump and a top speed approaching 80mph from just 600cc!
Find more about this car and its stablemates at jhwclassics.com or on their Facebook page.
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Great car. The automatic gearbox that worked so well with a small engine really was unusual back then as most traditional automatics killed all the power in tiny engines, if automatics were even offered on cars in this price range. Even in 60's/70's America, smaller cars were mostly sold with manuals because the 3 speed automatics of the time killed the performance and economy, and added a big chunk to the price of a cheap car.
What else was even available back then with an automatic in this price range? The DAF 33?
Honda licenced motorcycle DCT transmission technology from Jawa, who first introduced it for motorcycles in 1967 with a 250 single & 350 twin 4 speed DCT 2 stroke models, which didn't catch on with bikers. Honda produced the CB250A & CB400A Hondamatic bikes, in the mid 1970's, which also didn't catch on with bikers.
I remember these well back in the day. They did rust quite badly though but then everything did in the 70's.
Before we have heard of Civic, Accord, Prelude, Pilot and CRV; there's the 600
You might try the DAF from the 1960 or 70s with the DAF RIBBON AUTOMATIC 😉 Thats also a great little ingenious car!
6:00 This design carried on for a while – the somewhat more modern Honda S2000 fuel flap release is in the exact same spot! It has a proper knob and operates a Bowden cable, but the operation is the same and it's in the same place.