Honda S500
Honda's first production passenger car was a miniature roadster with motorcycle-style revs, four carburetors and a remarkable chain-driven independent rear suspension.
1963 Honda S500 · Mytho88 · CC BY-SA 3.0
Research pending
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More than a set of wheels.
Honda developed sports-car and mini-truck programs together while Japan debated industrial rules that could restrict new automakers. The SPORTS 500 prototype appeared at the 1962 national auto show; the wider, production S500 reached buyers in October 1963, two months after the T360 truck. Honda even fought a rule that had reserved red bodywork for emergency vehicles. The S500 became the opening chapter of the S600 and S800 line and Honda's passenger-car story.
Look a little closer.
Before announcing the price, Honda invited people to guess it; more than 5.7 million entries arrived before the ¥459,000 answer was revealed.
Photos show an example of the model or generation. The pictured vehicle’s year, equipment, or modifications can differ from the specification described here.
A motorcycle maker's idea of a car engine
Honda did not copy the low-revving small-car formula. Its all-aluminum, water-cooled DOHC four used four carburetors and equal-length exhaust runners to breathe efficiently at high speed. The result was a tiny engine whose character made sense to a company steeped in motorcycle racing.
Source: Honda · Creating the first car engine ↗Red paint, regulation and Honda's entry into cars
Honda developed the sports car while proposed industrial policy threatened to limit new entrants. The company also challenged Japan's restriction on red and white civilian car bodies. Those fights make the S500 more than a charming roadster: it records Honda forcing open both a market and a design rulebook.
Source: Honda · Entering automobile production ↗Where these facts come from
- Honda · The S500 enters production
- Honda · Creating the first car engine
- Honda · 1962 automobile-production episode
- Honda product archive · S500, October 1963
- Automobile-Catalog · 1963 Honda S500
Selected facts checked for this edition. Some source pages link to broader model families. Last reviewed 2026-10-03.