The Honda Beat is a kei car produced from May 1991 until February 1996. It is a two-seater roadster with a rear mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout, and it was the last car approved by Soichiro Honda before his death in 1991.
Honda Beat at a glance
| Maker | Honda |
|---|---|
| Production | May 1991 – February 1996 |
| Class | kei car, two-seat roadster |
| Layout | rear mid-engine, rear-wheel drive |
| Body design | Pininfarina, sold to Honda |
| Engine | 656 cc three-cylinder |
| Power | 64 PS at 8,100 rpm |
| Transmission | five-speed manual only |
| Top speed | electronically limited to 135 km/h |
| Built | about 33,600 |
| Main versions | PP1–100 and PP1–110, plus limited editions |
Based on one source, the English Wikipedia article on the Beat.
History of the Honda Beat
A kei-class sports car
The Beat was one of many cars designed to exploit Japan’s tax-efficient kei class, and it was part of a wave of small sports cars in the early 1990s alongside the Suzuki Cappuccino and Autozam AZ-1. Its design originated with Pininfarina, which sold the design plan to Honda.
Engine without a turbo
In typical Honda fashion the engine used no turbocharger or supercharger. The 656 cc three-cylinder was modified with the MTREC system, with individual throttle bodies for each cylinder, to produce 64 PS at 8,100 rpm and a top speed limited to 135 km/h. Only a five-speed manual gearbox was offered. The Beat was the first kei car with disc brakes on all four wheels.
Versions and updates
There were two mainstream models, the PP1–100 and PP1–110, plus limited editions. Variations on the first model were cosmetic; only the second had real mechanical differences. All cars could be ordered with a driver-side airbag. The 1992 Version F came in Aztec Green Pearl with alloy wheels, the Version C in Captiva Blue Pearl, and the 1993 Version Z in silver or green with three black gauges, mud guards and a rear spoiler.
Owners’ record
On 9 May 2010 a parade of 569 Honda Beats at the Twin Ring Motegi circuit was certified by Guinness World Records as the largest parade of Honda cars, and appeared in the 2011 edition.
Design and features
- Mid-mounted three-cylinder: 656 cc with MTREC individual throttle bodies.
- Pininfarina styling: a compact roadster body designed in Italy.
- Four-wheel disc brakes: a first for a kei car.
- Manual only: five speeds, no automatic option.
Honda Beat versions
- PP1–100: the first mainstream model.
- PP1–110: the second model, with real mechanical changes.
- Version F (1992): Aztec Green Pearl with alloy wheels.
- Version C (1992): Captiva Blue Pearl with white alloys.
- Version Z (1993): silver or green with black gauges and a spoiler.
The Beat shares the kei class with the N360 and the S600, Honda’s earlier small sports car. More Hondas are in the Honda collection.
Sources
- Honda Beat, English Wikipedia: production, engine, versions, record
