Automakers often resurrect famous model names from their past to inject some excitement into their lineups. Sadly, this often has the unintended effect of diluting the legacy of the original and spotlighting how glaringly unlike its namesake the current car is. A Dodge Charger with four doors? A Chevy Malibu with, um, anything? In Japan, sometimes they kill off a model name just for the heck of it. Toyota Corona to Toyota… Premio? Allion?

Fortunately, the Honda S2000 suffers from none of that. Like the S500, S600 and S800 before it, the S2000 is a taut, agile sports car. Both are open-top two-seaters and both power the rear wheels for motion. They even have the same sky-high redline, even though the two were separated by a span of 30 years.

Earlier this year, the Honda S2000 CR (for Club Racer) debuted at the New York Auto Show. With only 2000 units to be produced, it was supposed to be a North American exclusive, at least according to the reps at the show. But it has come to our attention that Honda will be debuting a suspiciously similar-looking S2000 Type-S in Japan soon. Absolutely no details exist at this point except for this photo. It’s said that this limited edition will be the final sayonara for the long-toothed roadster, and so far no news of a replacement has surfaced. Hopefully it won’t take another 30 years.

[Source: Honda]

The Petersen Automotive Museum is one of the planet’s most famous galleries of motorized machinery. Established in 1994, its self-stated goal is to let visitors “explore the evolution of the Automobile and its impact on our culture.” Fittingly, its four-story building is located on Wilshire Boulevard in Los Angeles, the epicenter of car customizing culture in the US. As you read these words, the Petersen is holding a special exhibition called “Microcars: The Minimum in Motoring” that celebrates vehicles which are very, very small. Of course, some of the best examples of the genre are simultaneously Japanese, nostalgic, and cars, so here are some photos of the buggies from J-land.

The Honda N600 (left) and the Z600 both used the same air-cooled aluminum two-cylinder 598cc engine. Small but not simple, it boasted an overhead cam and yes, that thing had a hemi (-spherical combustion chamber). The N600 was Honda’s first official import to the US and while production ended in September 1970, the sportier Z began manufacture in October that same year. Achieving upwards of 40 miles per gallon came in handy when OPEC decided to withhold the barrels in ‘73.

Soichiro Honda was a visionary in Japan’s fledgling automotive industry. Few men would attempt a two-seat roadster like this 1965 S600 as his first salvo into the competitive automobile industry. However, in a rare lapse of judgment, Honda was convinced that air-cooled motors like the one in the 600s held the future. When his R&D team proved that water cooling provided greater potential for performance and better emissions controls, he was wise enough to relent control to the younger generation of engineers.

Honda’s 600cc motor may have seemed tiny, but in Japan an even smaller N360 was sold. As part of the kei class, these cars fulfilled a government mandate for automakers to provide a People’s Car for the unwashed masses. The rear-mounted dual-pot motor propelled the Subaru 360 (left) with just 25 horsepower, but drove the egg-shaped, bow-legged runabout to iconic status in Japan. The Mazda R360’s rear V-twin generated just 16hp and served as the company’s first venture into four-wheeled cars, following the manufacture of three-wheeled motorcycles with pickup beds and before that, corks.

If you’re in the city of angels, stop by and see these minuscule but mighty wonders for yourself, along with the rest of the Petersen’s vast collection. The microcars exhibit goes from June 23, 2007 to Feburary 3, 2008.

Back when we were growing up in the late 80s and early 90s, you’d be hard pressed to find an article about classic Japanese cars in any major automotive publication. My, how times have changed. Motor Trend recently published this piece on the venerable Honda S600 belonging to Scott King, who apparently has a white and red S2000 to perfectly match his ‘65 roadster. The article talks briefly about Soichiro Honda, his brilliance, and his battle against MITI. It’s an excellent read for all you old school Honda fans out there.

Source: [Motor Trend]

We are just back from the Big Apple and the New York International Auto Show. Unfortunately, there wasn’t much news about nostalgics, like Detroit had with the 1974 Safari Rally Lancer, but here’s a few blurbs about some cars that owe a lot to their predecessors:

Honda revealed the last (at least for the AP1 chassis) and latest in its abbreviated line of S-cars, the S2000 CR which stands for Club Racer. Limited to only 2000 units, the lightened and tightened version of high-revving roadster comes with a quicker steering ratio, tweaked suspension, no a/c or radio in the base version, chassis stiffening, and functional but garish aero parts. The Honda accessories aluminum hardtop comes standard; gone is the motorized softtop. The US-only edition will has no engine mods, but will come in 4 colors, the Apex Blue on the show car being exclusive to the CR.

Toyota had on display their 50th Anniversary Toyota Camry Hybrid, celebrating the marque’s half century in the States, which comes with a Blizzard White paint scheme and 16″ wheels unique to the special edition.

Nissan showed a gorgeous example of the latest NISMO-tuned 350Z, replete with special suspension tuning, aero parts, chassis stiffening, wheels and elongated nose. Four colors - red, silver, black and white - from the standard palette will be available. No engine mods on this on either, but a NISMO exhaust will surely accentuate the already hearty exhaust note.

Nissan’s upscale brand Infiniti took the wraps off the next generation Skyline coupe, or G37 in American-speak. Naturally, the car looks beautiful and the extra 0.2 liters will give it an estimated 330hp and 270 lb-ft of torque.

And that about does it. Rain fell incessantly during Day 1, a condition not at all remedied by the leaky roof of the Javits Center. Audi looked as if plastic buckets of water would play a key role in their 2007 lineup. Speaking of leaks, how many New York Subway stations smell like urine? Answer: All of them.