The New York Times came out with their take on Honda’s 50 years in America recently. We disagree with the conclusion that they won’t be classics (the same thing was said about every Chevy, Ford and Dodge to come out of Detroit) but it’s a great read on the raw genius and unabashed ambition of Soichiro Honda and his motor company.
Accompanying the article are slideshows covering 50 years of American Honda and potentially collectible Hondas. Oddly, an S600 appears in the former even though it was never sold in the US and despite what the caption says, the T360 pickup was actually the first four-wheeled Honda product. Unfortunately, the Times also calls the cars “primitive” despite their advanced, high-revving engines and unique drivetrains.
Thanks to Brian Baker, who tipped us off to the article and actually owns the white S600 shown in the slideshow. Brian also informs us that the red S600 has an S800 motor and was purchased by ex-Honda F1 driver Jenson Button for a ridiculous price at Bonham’s auction.
I’m glad Honda is getting some recognition by the mainstream media. And although I don’t take the conclusions of the NYT seriously when it comes to things about autos, that last sentence about Hondas not being classics is truly troublesome. It just shows that the biases towards nostalgics are still running strong, and we need sites like JNC to continue spreading the word that these cars ARE significant and ARE worthy of being considered classics.
Long live JNC!
lol,I love classic Japanese cars…but i would hardly consider the 1st honda/econoboxes to be classic{thats very insulting to Japan}…Thats like saying a Dodge Neon or Chevy Cobalt is a classic…We all know that when Honda 1st came here they did not make a car to have style {meaning it was not intended to make any impression or to be a collectible} or be thought of as a classic of any form.It was simply a throw away econobox,nothing more,nothing less…Seriously,the designers of all the econoboxes you see would laugh uncontrolably and be completly embarassed to see someone admiring their disposable vehicles and putting them in a place they were never meant to be in…Now the Legend,Prelude and NSX are totally classic and even someone who doesnt even like Hondas {lol,like myself} cant deny that…
lol,but that just my {opinion} no point intended…
I think you’d be surprised by the amount of design that goes into even everyday objects. If not, why even hire designers? Why not design a car w/ only right angles? I think the designers of these “econoboxes” as you like to call them would be insulted to know that you consider them nothing more than disposable vehicles.
DIASSIS go back to streetfire. JNC is about promoting the love we have for these machines because they started the japanese car revolution that gave birth to cars such as the NSX. Of course a first generation Honda Civic isn’t fast and doesn’t look like a Ferrari. that’s not what its about. all cars have their place in history but sentiments like yours are what is causing countless of classic and worthy japanese cars to be sent to the scrap heap. i would rather have a Honda S800 shell than a complete 3000gt anyday
lol,then you can have your IMO unworthy s800 and ill keep my beautiful,amazing,memorable{even to those who dislike them},defined 3000GT!!! and we can agree to disagree…