2019 Honda S660 Concept

Back in 2013, Honda was releasing the S660 concept car which was then believed to be the future S2000. However, the car proved to be something more than just that. In fact, Honda actually started making the car back in 2015 and for everyone’s surprise, it remained true to the concept. After more than a year since its launch, it seems that they want to release the future 2019 Honda S660 for the US and European markets as well. So far Honda hasn’t officially commented about this car but it seems it quite real and it should be released by the end of 2018.

CHASSIS AND RUNNING GEAR

Just like with the Japanese S660, the European and US model will be using the exact same mid-engined chassis. However, it is expected to go through a few changes. For starters, the car will receive a new engine for both markets and it should also come at a new price. Many suggested that it may cost just as much as the MX5 at roughly $25,000. This would make a lot of sense but it may also prove to be a tough sell at that price point. However, considering that it would be the only mid-engined car for the money, it should be quite successful.

DESIGN

The current S660 looks pretty much identical to the original concept and the 2019 Honda S660 should not be all that different. We expect the car to receive a very similar front end with the V-shaped grille and the slim headlights. However, the car should also receive new fog lamps and possibly wider wheel arches as well. These would be needed in order to accommodate slightly larger tires and rims. The back, on the other hand, should be pretty much identical to the ongoing car. Unlike the Japanese version, at least the US model will be prepared by Mugen. This might mean that it could also receive a more aggressive body kit but this hasn’t been confirmed for now.

2019 HONDA S660 INTERIOR

Here, the new S660 will be identical to the Japanese model. There will only be two seats and all of the controls will be pointed towards the driver. This will allow him to focus on actually driving the car than using the air conditioning or infotainment unit. Unlike the Japanese model, though, we do expect it to offer slightly better seats as well as better materials on the dashboard. If they would manage to do this then the car should have no problem outselling the MX5.

ENGINE

The current S660 makes use of a tiny 660cc 3 cylinders turbocharged mill rated at 63 horsepower and 77 lb-ft of torque. The US and European models are both expected to receive Honda’s 1 liter 3 cylinder engine which has been launched quite recently. This should be tweaked by Mugen in Japan and early reports suggest for an output between 123 and 138 horsepower as well as more than 120 lb-ft of torque. While it still seems quite low, take into account that the car will weigh well under 2,000 pounds which will give it a great power to weight ratio. The six-speed manual should be carried over from the S660 while the CVT might also be added to certain markets.

The car will remain rear-wheel drive and it should come with a massively improved performance from an engine twice as powerful as what is currently available. With it, the 2019 Honda S660 should be capable of getting to 60 MPH in well under 10 seconds and get to a maximum top speed of over 100 MPH. In fact, if the car will make 138 horsepower, expect it to be noticeably faster than the base MX5.