Guest contributor: Skorj on the 50th Anniversary of Honda Sports
MCB Japan correspondent and Honda S-car owner Skorj was on hand recently for the 50th Anniversary of Honda Sports— here is his report.
Starting with the 1963 Tokyo Motor Show S360 prototype, the subsequent release of the limited production S500, then the larger volume S600 and S800, the early Honda Sports cars were a clear manifestation of Soichiro Honda’s vision of fun merged with competition. A hard man known to hit his engineers, he was driven by spurts of engineering brilliance and a fierce desire to compete. His S-cars were a direct outcome, and Honda recently allocated a weekend to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Honda Sports with track laps, photographs, original engineering team members, period newsreels, and a remarkable range of food and drink for the two-day event.
The S-cars’ twin-cammed, roller-bearing, modular crank, solid rod, and quad-carbureted engines are a remarkable feat of specific output— about 100 bhp per liter. Revving to over 9000 rpm in street trim and to 12,000 rpm and higher in race form, they made a noise like nothing else. Fifty years later, their screaming little engines gathered at Honda’s Motegi Twin Ring, with plenty of examples on hand of the standard trim S500, S600, S800, coupe, roadster, and specials including Formula Honda, Macransa, Coniglio, Griffon, the original RSC Nürburgring 500km-under-1000cc class winner, and the giant-killing S600 of Denny Hulme sounding as good as it did when he fluffed a Le Mans start and supposedly passed over 40 cars on the first lap, giving Soichiro Honda his first four-wheeled victory.
To drive the Motegi circuit in the company of such a historic group with over 120 other S-cars was indeed a highlight. Even if it was at normal road speeds, it didn’t matter. 
(Technical details: all photographs taken on a period Bronica S2 and Kodak Ektar C-41 color negative film.)
Motoring Con Brio 
Great photos Skorj, and I didn’t know that story about Denny Hulme.
Rik said this on October 23, 2013 at 3:39 am
L’ha ribloggato su Honda Blog Italiae ha commentato:
50° anniversario di Honda Sport
Dr. Pianale said this on October 23, 2013 at 5:02 am
lovely little cars, interesting contrasting this with the soon-to-be-unveiled s660 concept – 48kW,cvt,900kg hairdresser’s car
wm said this on October 23, 2013 at 8:46 pm
Re: the S660- if it was front-engine FWD I might have agreed with you, but with mid-engine RWD, I will withhold judgment for now.
motoringconbrio said this on October 23, 2013 at 8:51 pm
The S660 proportions seem to be largely Beat-based, so provided it maintains at least some attributes of that chassis as you suggest, it may indeed be a semi-viable sports car. Remember too, kei (which I assume it may be) are hardly intended to set the world on fire.
Both the S660 and S360 original prototype S-car will be on display at the Tokyo Motor Show. Press Day is November 20 so with luck real pics likely available later that afternoon Japan time.
Kuroneko said this on October 24, 2013 at 7:25 pm
it is midengined ?
lefthandnews reported it as fwd ???
http://www.leftlanenews.com/honda-s660-concept.html
wm said this on October 24, 2013 at 8:22 pm
Uh oh— someone is wrong, then. Don’t claim to know who is right and who is wrong, though.
http://jalopnik.com/the-honda-s660-concept-is-a-sporting-return-to-form-for-1450641533
http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2013/10/the-beat-resurrected-meet-the-honda-s660
motoringconbrio said this on October 24, 2013 at 8:42 pm
ditto, two to one it’s mid-engined.
will have to wait for some under the bonnet photos for confirmation
😉
wm said this on October 25, 2013 at 5:58 pm
I spoke to both the S660 exterior concept manager, and the interior designer this afternoon, and can confirm a possible 2015 release for the domestic market as a 660cc Kei, mid-engined, rear-wheel drive, non-hybrid, not based on the old Beat platform, and ‘no comment’ about a possible non-JDM release… Neko.
Kuroneko said this on November 20, 2013 at 1:46 am