What the car is and where it came from
The Honda S500 is a two-seat roadster launched in October 1963. It is Honda’s second production car and first passenger automobile—following the T360 truck by four months—and its first production sports car.
How it works, in terms someone would actually use
The S500 uses a four-speed manual transmission. Its rear wheels are chain-driven. The suspension is fully independent: front torsion bars, rear trailing arms with coilover springs. The engine is a 531 cc DOHC straight-4 with four Keihin carburetors and a 9500 rpm redline.
What it gets right
It gets the driver connection right: light weight, direct steering, high-revving engine response, and suspension tuned for responsiveness over compliance. It establishes Honda’s commitment to compact, engineered solutions—not compromise.
What it does not
It does not fit kei car regulations. It does not offer practicality, rear seating, or luggage space. It does not use conventional driveshafts or live axles. It does not hide its motorcycle origins—they are structural, not stylistic.
What it changed
It proved Honda could build a passenger car from scratch—and that a motorcycle-derived layout (chain drive, high-revving DOHC four) could work in a roadster. It forced Honda to move beyond kei car constraints before it had mastered them.
Who it is for, and who it is not
It is for engineers, historians of Japanese industry, and enthusiasts who track where design logic originates. It is not for collectors seeking volume, rarity, or driving breadth—it had none of those.
Is it worth your time
Yes—if you care how motorcycle thinking reshaped car engineering. It is not worth your time if you need scale, comfort or context beyond its narrow, precise role as Honda’s first sports car.
