With a long-standing tradition of building compact, open-top sports cars that started with the S600 and recently ended with the S2000, Honda seems intent to get back into the game. After seeing the success Toyota/Subaru has had with the 86 (Scion FR-S/Subaru BRZ), Honda is primed to one-up its rivals. According to a source within Honda, a new affordable sports car is being seriously considered, but don’t expect something as high-end as the S2000…think small, quick and light. Here’s what we learned:
Many Honda engineers and executives believe that they were beat to the punch when Toyota/Subaru introduced its affordable rear-drive sports offering. And now that they know the market is hungry again for exciting affordable sports cars, a new “S1500” is on the drawing board within the walls of the company’s Tokyo headquarters. The car would be small, probably even smaller than the Mazda MX-5, and come equipped with either a 1.3-liter or 1.5-liter inline-4 with i-VTEC. If the latter, it could well be the current engine under the Fit’s hood that can produce up to 132 hp. The car would be very light, about 900 kg or right at about 2000 lb., making it very quick and agile. It would of course be rear-drive, and come with a 5-speed manual gearbox. Our source says he would like to see the car priced around $20,000. There’s even talk that the “S1500” may come with a mid-engine layout, a la the Honda Beat.
As for the car’s design direction, we hear that Honda would either use the Japan-only N-ONE as the base (as pictured here) or make it look more like the current Civic. We like the N-ONE styling because it pays homage to the S600. Either way, look for Honda to come up with this answer to the Toyota 86 and the Mazda MX-5 in 2015 or 2016.

 

i am loving the concept as having a sport make you juggle with the most as there are many favorite choices available to go with .. but if a comprehensive one is coming into this segment, it must be welcomed

 

the mock up looks like a Lotus

 

Ohhhh, I'm excited for this.

 

Glad to see Honda is going to make something sporty again d this is cool, but I'd love to see another CRX just because it had a little bit of storage capacity.

 

Honda will make 138hp from an L15a?

 

i dont think 15hp more would be totally out of the question. this would be awesome for honda, but it would just be another compact convertible i cant fit into hahaha

 

They might be using the 3rd gen motorwasn't the mugen options supposed to be around 140hp Dohc?

 

that actually looks pretty good. im worried though, how much wheel gap and sunken in wheels the production model will have.

will need to get swifts and 18's or something probably.

 

i want to see them make it, but i probably wont get one as i am pretty much done with sports cars.

 

Yay! I've loved the idea of an S1500 for a long time. I would actually consider one as a "fun car" alongside the Fit.

 

+1 that is definitely a great idea, wanderer!

 

I will just get a manual Fit to go along with my automatic. LOL.

 

Looks like a pontiac solstice...not digging it.

 

the MT Fit is actually pretty quick... if on a cold day.

 

Thought the same





Not a bad thing I am surprise GM did not take the car over to the Chevy division I see enough of them on the road.

 

Honda S660 concept previewed ahead of Tokyo debut




Production model due in 2015, to be sold only in Japan

Honda is previewing the S660 concept ahead of a public debut set for next month at the Tokyo Motor Show.
Described as an "open-top sports-type mini-vehicle", the S660 looks a lot like the EV-STER concept from 2011 but with a conventional engine in the form of a small 660cc three-cylinder turbocharged motor outputting 64 bhp (48 kW) linked to a seven-speed CVT. An exact weight figure has not been released but it's most likely somewhere in the 900 kg (1,984 lbs) region.
The concept will emerge into a production version with a fully retractable roof sometime in 2015 but it will be sold only in Japan. However, some reports are indicating an export version equipped with a bigger 1.0-liter turbo engine rated at 100 bhp (74 kW) could happen sometime in the future.
The S660 concept will be exhibited at Honda's stand along a production model of the Urban SUV and the recently revised Acura NSX concept.


Source: Honda

 

yah, wrong engine, wrong wheel drive, but at least honda is willing to try something new in a more sports oriented platform away from practical. :)

AND away from stupid batteries...

 

If that was MR or RWD with the 1L turbo 100hp i'd hit it for sure lol

They better not make it FWD that'd be a SHAME SHAME SHAME, that's not in the spirit at all.

 

i agree 150%!!! it must be RWD...