honda / scale 1/43 | thebiggarage

Honda – from the name of its founder, Soichiro Honda.

Honda Motor Company, Ltd. is a Japanese public multinational conglomerate corporation primarily known as a manufacturer of automobiles, aircraft, motorcycles, and power equipment. Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959.

Headquarters Minato, Tokyo, Japan

s500 1963-1964

The S500 was the second production car from Honda (and its first passenger automobile), released in 1963, following the T360 truck into production by four months. It was a larger-displacement variant of the S360 roadster which, though developed for sale in 1962, was never produced.

Like the S360, the S500 used a high-tech engine developed from Honda's motorcycle expertise. It was a dual overhead cam straight-4 with four Keihin carburetors and a 9500 rpm redline. Originally intended to displace 492 cc, the production version was 531 cc and produced 44 hp at 8000 rpm. At the time of its introduction, its dimensions and engine displacement were larger than established kei car regulations.

The S500 used a four-speed manual transmission. A four-wheel independent suspension was also novel, with torsion bars at the front and chain-driven, coilover-sprung trailing arms at the rear.

The car was priced at $1.275 in 1963. An optional fiberglass hardtop was also available. 1363 S500s were produced from October 1963 through September 1964.

The S500 saw competitors during its introduction, such as the Datsun Fairlady, the Toyota Sports 800, and the Daihatsu Compagno.

Honda S500

s600 1965-1966

The Honda S600 is an automobile manufactured by Honda. It was launched in March 1964. Available as a roadster – bearing strong resemblance to the Honda S500 – and as a fastback coupé – introduced in March 1965 – the S600 was the first Honda available in two trim levels. During its production run up to 1966, the model styling would remain pretty much the same, with the most notable changes coming to the front grille, bumper, and headlights.

Powered by a DOHC, water-cooled, four-cylinder inline engine with four Keihin carburetors, the engine capacity was increased to 606 cc from the S500's 531 cc. The engine produced 57 hp at 8,500 rpm and had a top speed of 140 km/h. With the convertible weighing in at mere 715 kg, the extra sheet metal of the coupe only added 15 kg to the overall weight. A four speed manual transmission drove the rear wheels.

The S600 was the first Honda car sold in Europe. It was never officially sold in the United States, although a small number were imported by individual owners via Canada, Okinawa or Guam.

Honda built 3,912 roadsters in 1964, with production climbing to 7,261 convertibles and 1,519 coupes in 1965. Production dropped off in 1966 (as they were shifting to the S800) with only 111 roadsters and 281 coupes, giving tallies of 11,284 convertibles and 1,800 coupes for the 3-year span.

Honda S600 (youtube.com)

1300 coupe 1969-1973

The Honda 1300 was produced from 1969 to 1973. The largest car ever manufactured by the company to that point, the front wheel drive 1300 was released as a sedan and coupé intended to compete primarily against Japanese automotive stalwarts such as the Toyota Corona, Mazda Capella, Mitsubishi Galant, and Nissan Bluebird.

The two-door coupé bodystyle, with a longer and sportier looking front end, was added to the lineup in February 1970. The same two engines (95 and 110 PS) were on offer, marketed as the Coupé 7 and the Coupé 9.

Honda 1300 Coupe (youtube.com)

prelude mkI 1978-1982

The Honda Prelude is a car produced by Japanese car manufacturer Honda from 1978 until 2001. The two-door coupe was loosely derived from the Honda Accord, and spanned five generations.

The Prelude name was originally trademarked by Toyota, but was amicably given to Honda for use. The Prelude complied with the series of music-themed vehicle names which Honda used at the time, along with the Accord, Quintet, Concerto, Jazz, and Ballade.

Honda appears to have followed the successful introduction of the Toyota Celica example by taking a small car, like the Accord, installing a more powerful engine, and giving the body a short trunk, and a long engine hood. The Prelude was the first Honda model to offer a power moonroof as standard equipment, which eventually became a Prelude trademark.

The standard engine at the time of introduction was the "EL" SOHC eight-valve 1,602 cc (non-CVCC) inline-four rated at 80 PS. It remained the only engine available for most markets. Transmission choices were either the standard five-speed manual or initially a two-speed "Hondamatic" semi-automatic, which by October 1979 had been replaced by a three-speed automatic that used the final gear as the overdrive.

The Prelude was introduced in Europe during 1979, but was not a strong seller, its high asking price not helping its chances of sales success. 313,000 units were manufactured by Honda from 1978 to 1982.

Honda Prelude MKI (youtube.com)

jazz 1982-1986

The Honda City is a subcompact car which has been produced by the Japanese manufacturer Honda since 1981.

The City was a 3-door hatchback originally made for the Japanese, European and Australasian markets. The 3-door City was retired in 1994 after the second generation.

At the time of its introduction, it was Honda's smallest car, while not being in compliance with Japanese government kei regulations. It was longer than the Honda N360, but shorter than the first-generation Honda Civic.

Honda Jazz (youtube.com)

The Honda Civic is a series of automobiles manufactured by Honda since 1972. As of 2023, the Civic is positioned between the Honda Fit/City and Honda Accord in Honda's global car line-up.

The first-generation Civic was introduced in July 1972 as a two-door fastback sedan, followed by a three-door hatchback that September.

The Civic has been repeatedly rebadged for international markets, and served as the basis for the Honda CR-X, the Honda CR-X del Sol, the Concerto, the first generation Prelude, the Civic Shuttle (later to become the Orthia) and the CR-V (which, by extension, was used as the basis for the Honda FR-V).

The Civic is one of the all-time best-selling automobiles in the world, with over 27 million units sold since 1972 as of 2021.

fourth generation 1987-1991

In September 1987, a redesigned Civic was introduced with increased dimensions and a lower hood line.

A wide range of models and trim levels were offered for various markets around the world. The most notable of which was the Japanese market SiR (featuring the B16A 1.6-liter DOHC VTEC 4-cylinder engine). All U.S. models featured electronic fuel injection, but carbureted models were still available elsewhere. The fourth-generation saw the introduction of a fully independent rear suspension across the entire model range.

In addition, the Honda CRX continued to be part of the Civic family which included the base model, HF and Si model in the U.S.A / four door version called the Ballade was built, under agreement, by Mercedes-Benz South Africa / models were 1500 16V, 1600i 16V and 1600i 16V DOHC. The first 800 cars produced at the then brand new Honda plant in Alliston, Ontario, Canada were SE model cars. These Special Edition models included all white side molding that matched the white body and color matched dual mirrors. In the body molding was a wrap around blue stripe. Each car had interior upgrades as well as a chrome-tipped exhaust.

Honda Civic 4th Gen. (youtube.com)

type r concept 2014

The all-new hot hatch will be the most extreme Type R yet. This concept car ignals the start of a new performance era for the brand.

Power will come from a 2.0-liter i-VTEC engine from Honda’s Earth Dreams Technology series. Developing over 280 PS, it will deliver unmatched performance compared to any previous Type R car. That includes all generations of the Civic, plus the iconic performance-oriented versions of the Integra, Accord and even the NSX.

While its predecessors were naturally aspirated, the new unit benefits from a turbocharger, boosting low-end power delivery. Combined with the high-end performance that’s synonymous with Honda’s VTEC technology – and much-loved by enthusiastic Type R owners – they will deliver a sensational driving experience.

The all-new Civic Type R has been developed and engineered for European driving tastes. To be built at Honda’s state-of-the-art plant in Swindon, UK, it will arrive in dealerships during 2015.

Honda Civic Type R Concept 2014

fk2 civic type r 2015-2017

The Honda Civic Type R is a series of high-performance hatchback/sedan models based on the Civic, developed and produced by Honda since September 1997. The first Civic Type R was the third model to receive Honda's Type R badge (after the NSX and Integra). Type R versions of the Civic typically feature a lightened and stiffened body, specially tuned engine, and upgraded brakes and chassis, and are offered only in five- or six-speed manual transmission. Like every other Type R models, red is used in the Honda badge background to give it a special sporting distinction and to separate it from other models.

In 2015, Honda announced that the production-ready model of the fourth generation of the Civic Type R (called the FK2) would debut alongside the European debut of the NSX. It is the first factory turbocharged Civic Type R.

The FK2 Civic Type R is powered by the K20C1 Direct Fuel Injection 1,996 cc turbocharged Inline-four engine with Earth Dreams Technology, having a power output of 310 PS. The engine is mated to a 6-speed manual transmission with a factory equipped plate-style limited-slip differential. Honda claimed that the Type R can accelerate from 0–100 km/h in 5.7 seconds. The engine is manufactured at Honda's Anna Engine Plant in Ohio before being exported to the UK.

Honda Civic FKII Type R (youtube.com)

fk8 type r protoype 2017

Based on an all-new Honda compact global platform, the tenth-generation Civic marked the unification of the Civic range globally. Honda targeted the Civic range at the key U.S. market, resurrecting its once-discarded "lead-country" system which calls for developing a model specifically for its main targeted market but selling it in other regions as well.

As the result, Honda ceased making a smaller, dedicated version for the European market. Instead, the Swindon plant in UK produced a five-door hatchback version of the globally-marketed Civic for international markets.

The sedan model was first unveiled in the U.S. in September 2015, for the 2016 model year.

The tenth-generation Civic features a new fastback exterior design, with the rear C-pillar flowing into the tailgate. The front of the car features a new chrome wing design that flows across the top of the headlamps. Civic body styles include sedan, coupe, five-door hatchback, while performance models include Si trims and Type R models. The hatchback version saw its re-introduction in the North American market for the first time since 2000, along with the first Type R model ever sold in the region, both imported from the UK.

Honda Civic Type R Concept

The Honda NSX, marketed in North America as the Acura NSX, is a two-seater, rear mid-engined, rear-wheel drive sports car manufactured by Honda.

The origins of the NSX trace back to 1984, with the HP-X (Honda Pininfarina eXperimental) concept, for a 3.0 L V6 rear mid-engine, rear-wheel drive sports car.

nsx na1/2 1990-2005

The Honda NSX, marketed in North America as the Acura NSX, is a two-seater, rear mid-engined, rear-wheel drive sports car manufactured by Honda.

The origins of the NSX trace back to 1984, with the HP-X (Honda Pininfarina eXperimental) concept, for a 3.0 L V6 rear mid-engine, rear-wheel drive sports car. Honda, with the intention of meeting or exceeding the performance of the then V8 engine Ferrari range, committed to the project, aiming at both reliability and a lower price. The concept evolved and had its name changed to NS-X, which stood for "New", "Sportscar" "eXperimental", although the production model was launched as the NSX.

Gordon Murray, the designer of the McLaren F1 supercar, stated that he used the NSX as the inspiration after test driving many high-performance cars and finding that the NSX chassis performed the best. Murray found the design was "monumental" for sportscar design. He claimed the car could "easily" have handled more power and attempted to convince Honda to develop a more powerful engine, but Honda declined. This resulted in Murray developing his F1 with a BMW engine, but he was so fond of the NSX that he bought one for personal use - and drove it for 75.000 kilometres. Murray said the NSX was "dear to his heart".

The NSX was designed by a team led by Chief Designer Masahito Nakano and Executive Chief Engineer Shigeru Uehara. It benefited from advanced aerodynamics and styling inspired by the F-16 fighter jet cockpit as well as input, during the final development stages, from Formula One World Champion Ayrton Senna.

The NSX was the first general production car to feature an all-aluminium semi-monocoque. It was powered by an all-aluminium 3.0 L V6 engine, which featured Honda's VTEC (Variable Valve Timing and Lift Electronic Control) system developed in the 1980s, a 5-speed manual transmission, or starting in 1994 the SportShift 4-speed automatic transmission, also known as F-Matic, which allows the option of conventional automatic shifting or manually shifting with a fingertip shift lever on the steering column.

Production started in a purpose-made factory in Japan, for sale from 1990. It was originally available as a coupé, then, from 1995 onwards, as a targa top. It underwent a performance upgrade in 1997, which saw the arrival of a larger 3.2 L V6 engine, and a facelift in 2002 where the pop-up headlights were removed. The first-generation NSX was discontinued in 2005. North American models were sold as the Acura NSX.

Cars with the 3.0 L C30A engine are referred to as NA1 models, while the 3.2 L C32B engine cars are known as NA2 models.

Honda NSX (youtube.com)

nsx nc1 2016-2022

The Honda NSX is a two-seat, mid-engined coupe sports car manufactured by Honda.

The origins of the NSX trace back to 1984, with the HP-X (Honda Pininfarina eXperimental) concept, which was a mid-engine 3.0 L V6 engine rear wheel drive sports car. Honda committed to the project, with the intention of meeting or exceeding the performance of the then V8 engine Ferrari range, while offering reliability and a lower price point. The concept thus evolved and had its name changed to NS-X, which stood for "New", "Sportscar" "eXperimental", although the production model was launched as the NSX.

Gordon Murray, the designer of the McLaren F1 supercar, stated that he used the NSX as the inspiration for the F1 after test driving many high performance cars and finding the NSX chassis performed the best.

Although the original name was retained on the second generation, this time it was defined as "New Sports eXperience". Unlike the first generation NSX which was manufactured in Japan, the second generation NSX was designed and engineered in Marysville, Ohio, at Honda's plant, led by chief engineer Ted Klaus.

The second generation NSX has a hybrid electric powertrain, with a 3.5 L twin-turbocharged V6 engine and three electric motors, two of which form part of the SH-AWD (Super Handling-All Wheel Drive) drivetrain, altogether capable of 581 PS. The transmission is a 9-speed dual-clutch automatic. Its body utilizes a space frame design—which is made from aluminum, ultra-high-strength steel, and other rigid and lightweight materials, some of which are the world's first applications.

The NSX Type S was revealed on August 12, 2021, with an increase to 602 hp. The Type S is the last update before the November 2022 discontinuation. Only 300 units of the NSX Type S were destined for the United States, 30 units for Japan, and 15 units for Canada.

Honda NSX NC1 (youtube.com)

accord mkVII 2002-2006

The Honda Accord, also known as the Honda Inspire in Japan for certain generations, is a series of automobiles manufactured since 1976, best known for its four-door sedan variant, which has been one of the best-selling cars in the United States since 1989. The Accord nameplate has been applied to a variety of vehicles worldwide, including coupes, station wagons, hatchbacks and a Honda Crosstour crossover.

The seventh generation of the Accord was launched in 2002 (2003 model year in North America), and consists of two separate models; one for the Japanese and European markets, and the other for North America, with the Japanese and European model being sold in North America as the Acura TSX.

Honda Accord MKVII (youtube.com)

cr-z 2010-2016

The Honda CR-Z is a sport compact hybrid electric car manufactured by Honda and marketed as a "sport hybrid coupe." The CR-Z combines a hybrid gasoline-electric powertrain with traditional sports car elements, including a 2+2 seating arrangement and a standard 6-speed manual transmission.

The CR-Z was regarded as the spiritual successor to the second-generation Honda CR-X in both name and exterior design. Honda said the name "CR-Z" stood for "Compact Renaissance Zero" — reflecting the idea of a renaissance in the design of compact cars.

The CR-Z is powered by a 1.5 L i-VTEC SOHC 16-valve straight-four engine, designated LEA, with Honda's Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) hybrid-electric system.

A six-speed manual transmission is standard equipment and a continuously variable transmission (CVT) is available. The system delivers a combined peak output of 121 bhp at 6000 rpm and 174 N⋅m at 1000 to 1500 rpm (167 N⋅m on CVT-equipped models). The gasoline engine contributes 111 bhp at 6000 rpm and 144 N⋅m at 4800 rpm for the CVT version; the electric motor produces 13 hp at 1500 rpm and 79 N⋅m at 1000 rpm.

On June 17, 2016, Honda announced that the CR-Z would be discontinued at the end of the year to make room for the Accord Hybrid and Clarity.

Honda CR-Z

n-one 2012-present

The Honda N-One is a retro styled kei car produced by Honda for the Japanese market. It was previewed at the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show and went on sale on 1 November 2012. Together with the N-Box, N-WGN and N-Van, is part of the renewed N lineup of kei class city cars from Honda. The use of the letter "N" in the name was previously used for the late 1960s and 1970s N360.

It features styling reminiscent of the 1969–1972 N360 and incorporates Honda's DOHC three-cylinder engine with a continuously variable transmission, which was launched in 2011 with the N-Box. It is marketed as an upmarket vehicle in the kei class and incorporates standard features uncommon for its class.

Honda N-One won "K Car of the year award" at Japan Car of the Year 2021-2022.

https://youtu.be/g8_2crszUAs