Honda Won't Sell Tiny S660 in America, Because of Course Not

Aaron Cole
by Aaron Cole

Honda won’t import its tiny S660 convertible to the United States because we are a nation of giant people who drive giant cars, Automotive News is reporting.

John Mendel, executive vice president for Honda, said three weeks ago that the S660 could bring some “spice” to the American Honda lineup, but apparently he looked at a nearby parking lot and changed his mind.

“When the practicalities of the market come in, and the car only so big, that might not be the best car for the U.S. market,” Mendel told Automotive News. “It might be better for India or China or somewhere else.”

Mendel said the “ baby NSX” rendering that came out was a “design study” from their R&D labs in California, but stopped short of saying anything further about that car.

According to the report, the long-awaited Civic Type R should arrive in North America next year, which means we won’t have to make do with the Civic Si and exciting redesigned CR-Z as the fastest Hondas money can buy much longer.

Honda is expected to reveal its next-generation Civic at the Frankfurt Auto Show in September.

Aaron Cole
Aaron Cole

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  • TR4 TR4 on Aug 31, 2015

    Aside from engine displacement it's comparable in size to a Spridget.

  • Ktm Ktm on Aug 31, 2015

    A recent study has shown that the average white american male weighs 195 lbs, is 5'-9" tall and has a waist size of 39 inches; the average white american female weighs 166 lbs, is 5'-6" tall and has a waist size of 38 inches. The poor S660 just cannot accommodate us.......

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    • VolandoBajo VolandoBajo on Oct 09, 2015

      Yo, with all those depressing average size figures, that is one more reason I don't do average. I am 5'9", weigh 165, and have a waist size just slightly north of 30 inches. My wife ("with whom I am well acquainted", a Jon Lovitz line), is over six feet tall barefoot, doesn't discuss her weight, but in so-called middle age is still drop dead thin and gorgeous. Still has an hour glass figure, and looks at least ten years younger than her real age, as do all the women in her family, apparently. I think, no, I KNOW, I hit the lottery. Picture Joe Pesci with a Las Vegas showgirl with a genius IQ...that's what our family portraits resemble. I doubt that even at my size I would like or fit into one of those "bumper cars". I didn't even enjoy driving a Corolla, not a bit. I have since switched to a Panther...a 97 Grand Marquis that to this "old geezer" is a "real car". And while my wife wouldn't be too rotund to fit on one of those dinky cars, I suspect her height would be an issue. Though she does enjoy driving her Corolla, and feels that the Panther is too "boat-like". De gustibus, non disputandam. Though fortunately, I would rather drive the Mercury than ride in the Corolla, and she would rather ride in the Panther, than to drive her own Corolla. So family outings are no problem, except for when she points out the difference in gallons for a trip of fifty miles or more. Honda probably wouldn't sell enough of those cars to even cover the cost of NHTSA crash testing.

  • Nick Nick on Aug 31, 2015

    Judging by the number of microcars in Toronto (shitty ones like the Smart and the iQ) I think they might have misjudged the market. There are plent of slight to average people that love to drive small cars. Hell, I still see Civic Del Sols around.

  • MRF 95 T-Bird MRF 95 T-Bird on Aug 31, 2015

    I still would like Toyota to do a new version of the MR2. Even if it was hybrid.

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