GT SPORT: The return of Honda's nippy kei sports car

Let's begin with the Honda Beat, which is by no means one of the most popular kei sportscar emerged from the 90's and why it remains one of the most respected little kei sportscars in ages as I shall now explain.



Called by its slogan as the "midship amusement", the Beat is Honda's affordable kei sportscar ever to emerge from the 90's and it was well respected from the holy trinity of kei sportscars such as the Autozam AZ-1 and the Suzuki Cappuccino. Because of its little sizing, midship layout, and a turbocharged 660cc engine, not to mention some zebra-striped seats to make it look unique, the Honda Beat has became the ideal cure for their everyday boredom and it really behaves like a rat from the sewers, scaring away the fat cats.



Although Honda stopped making the Beat a few decades ago, its cult classic status remains  and it really is a collectible for speedo boys who want to collect the rarest JDM sportscars from the 90's. Because of the Beat's cult classic status, Honda decided to revive the magic the legendary Beat kei roadster delivered and it was worth the wait for people who can't afford an NSX.



And this could be the successor Japan has waited for...



This is called the S660, the modern-day take of the legendary Beat kei roadster and it was appeared from the recent GT SPORT content update. It's also becoming one of the cars I'm starting to grind my gears as I shall now explain.



Cars like the Peugeot 208 GTi and the Lexus LC 500 are labeled "Gran Turismo exclusive" ever since it popped up on GT SPORT since day one and the new Honda S660 joins the list of "Gran Turismo exclusive" cars and all "Gran Turismo exclusive" cars, well there's no other word for it, sucks. But since this is GT SPORT, things are a little different as a quick drive with the S660 will tell all.

First of all, the turbocharged 660cc engine only produces 64PS of power and 77.2ft-lb of torque so it is spritey but when taken to the straights, the droning really bores me down and you'll be having a hard time catching other cars from above. However, when taken through the corners, its small size and sport-tuned suspension really shows the S660's fun side and you can really slide past other cars without knowing. That is the wonder of a small sports car like this because the David and Goliath effect really shows that even the small guys can prevail over the biggies. Don't forget that this is a proper kei sportscar for the real world and such handling won't go unnoticed.



Of course, the S660's design can be easily mistaken with the NSX but unlike the NSX, the S660 is an affordable kei sportscar that is as tasty as medium sized fries and it shows that you don't need an expensive supercar to enjoy driving like you mean it. All you need is this.

It really is a beginner level car to get started with but the main question is; is the S660 a worthy successor to the Honda Beat? I went to Tsukuba to find out.



Both the Beat and the S660 are mid-engined kei roadsters that shows definitely no problems at all when getting through the corners and it doesn't need all the effort and all the struggle to get through the corner. They behave like what these cars are meant for and they really are proper sportscars made for the real world. Although it's too much Moca Aoba-esque on the straights, the cornering is something these cars should be thankful for.

Since this is Tsukuba Circuit, the proving ground for JDM sportscars as shown in those Best MOTORing videos, it's time to do what the Best MOTORing folks do in their time, comparing these cars and let's find out if the S660 is a worthy successor to the Honda Beat. Roll the tape.



And now the results...
Beat - 1:22.965
S660 - 1:20.282



And there you have it, the S660 really is the worthy successor to the Honda Beat, and although I don't like this car for being "Gran Turismo exclusive" cars like what happened to the Peugeot 208 GTi, the Lexus LC 500, and the new Alpine A110, its dynamics is what I should be thankful for and this could be your favorite kei car at the moment.

The Honda S660 - A GRAN TURISMO EXCLUSIVE CAR.

Honda S660 gains app for fake engine noises

With the launch of the Honda S660 kei roadster, every car enthusiasts in Japan only have braced themselves for the rebirth of the legendary Honda Beat and this is one of the most affordable sports cars money can buy if you live in Japan because this car's Japan-only. Anyway, to further up the ante on the S660, Honda once made an app that fires away some "fake engine noises" onto the car's speakers.

Sound of Honda

The app is called Sound of Honda and it's applicable for the 6-speed manual variants of the new Honda S660. This app fires a synthesized versions of engine noises from famous Honda machines such as the legendary McLaren-Honda MP4/5 Formula One car, the NSX-R, and the EK9 Civic Type R. I know it sounds kooky but does a small kei roadster deserve some fake engine sounds on the interior?

So far, Honda hasn't point out a release schedule on the Sound of Honda app but they will plan to make it available soon.

Report: http://carview.yahoo.co.jp/news/newmodel/20150420-10222315-carview/

Honda S660

2015 Honda S660

Once upon a time in 1991, Honda once made a midship kei car called the Beat and it's a wonderful kei sports car offered style and driving excitement never before seen in Japan. Now, fast forward to today, and it's time to meet its worthy successor to the fabled Beat. This is the new S660, and yes, this is the real deal. The midship Honda kei-car is back and this time, it was made to take on the metropolitan and open roads while following the Beat's footsteps.

2015 Honda S660

It costs 1,980,000 Yen and even though it's more expensive than Daihatsu's modern Copen, the S660 promises to be the kei sportscar enthusiasts wanted to have. Even though it's an underpowered sports car, performance is irrelevant because this is a lightweight midship sportscar focuses on its handling characteristics.

Before telling you about the S660's character, let's look at the design and at first glance, this is much like a mini-me NSX just like you expect from the concept car as seen from the 2013 Tokyo Motor Show. Unlike most production cars stripping off the cool stuff from concept cars, the S660 looks nearly identical to its concept form and that's good.

2015 Honda S660 interior

The interior looks much like the old NSX but it's driver focused so the driver can focus solely on driving unless you opt for the optional InterNavi which is kinda distracting to see directions on your GPS in such a small screen. If I have a problem about the S660's interior, it's the rear visibility because of its small size. Because the back's heavily occupied by the engine, looking at the back while driving in reverse is a nightmare and you'll never know what to expect from behind. Cyclists? Lorries? Pedestrians? You can't really tell because you couldn't see what's behind at all.

There's another problem with the S660 and I'm talking about the roof because this doesn't have a closing mechanism. You can't close it manually, nor letting it close at the touch of a button. You just have to connect it yourself because the roof is located at the front and when it does start to rain, you just have to stop, rush at the boot, get the roof, and connect it. Don't worry, this isn't as complicated as attaching a roof on your Lamborghini convertible but this is still a time-consuming experience because by the time you attached the roof, the sun shines on you. Bummer...

2015 Honda S660

The performance is the turning point for the S660 and the engine that powers it is a 64HP 660 turbocharged engine derived from Honda's N kei cars. Does the old Beat had that kind of heart? Nope. What about gearboxes? Unlike the Beat which has a 5-speed manual, the new S660 comes with either a 6-speed manual or a CVT gearbox and if you're wondering why there's a CVT in the S660, that's because of fuel economy and this gearbox allows the S660 to have a fuel economy of 24.2km/L.

On the CVT variant, it offers a Sport Mode, which allows this gearbox to be more responsive and more engaging. Those paddle shifters on this variant are always ready when you're going to engage its Manual Mode but even though the CVT variant is fine, it's still flawed by the good-old 6MT variant which adds some zest to the S660. My pick would be the 6MT variant because this keeps the enthusiasts alive and running while driving.

When you handle the S660, you will notice that all of the Beat's magic retains thanks to is sport-tuned suspension. Get the hammer down and the S660 really shows how a kei sports car should be, light, agile, and fun, just like the good old Beat!

The S660 is an easy car to drive and it doesn't really matter if you're not concentrating because even though the engine maybe underpowered, its mobility is highly accessible, even beginners can slip though the bends when they put their foot down. Yes. You can powerslide in those but just for a short time because it's a too little car to slide through. It's a very sneaky car and you'll never know what kind of tricks will this kei car pull out.

So, what can I say about the S660? Well, what I like about the S660 is how the Beat's teachings remained in its handling characteristics, its sporty design, and the way it pleased the drivers. What I don't like about the S660 is its pricing too much for a small car, the poor rear visibility, and the roof that requires too much manual labor. Love it or hate it, this car will make you super jealous because it's made for Japan only.

Colors: Premium Star White Pearl, Admiral Grey Metallic, Premium Mystic Night Pearl, Premium Beach Blue Pearl, Carnival Yellow II, and Flame Red.

Photo: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.