Honda quietly unveiled the Small RS Concept hatchback at the Indonesia International Motor Show.
This concept is basically a mini Type R. It has a large rear wing, LED daytime running lights, gloss black accents, a small air intake in the hood, side skirts, wing mirrors, creases along the sides, a rear diffuser, and unique tailpipes.
Black wheels and orange paint round out the look.
No word on technical specs just yet.
There are RS versions of the Jazz, Brio, and Mobilo available in Indonesia, but Honda hasn’t said whether this concept would make production.
One will notice that those three cars aren’t sold in the States (except for the Jazz/Fit), so it’s hard to say if a version of this concept would be sold in this part of the world.
Since Honda already sells a Civic Si here along with the Type R, and since the RS Concept appears to be based on a vehicle not already sold here (the Mobilo), the smart money says no. However, a hopped-up microcar with the RS treatment could be a lot of fun. Maybe they could just do a Fit Type-R for the Americas?
That’s the thing about concepts — ideas can be taken from one of an automaker’s global concepts and applied to another market. In this case, Honda clearly has taken ideas from the Type-R and translated them into the RS overseas, but the idea of an even smaller car getting RS/Type-R treatment could head back our way.
Who are we kidding? We just want a Fit that can be driven like a Type-R. Make it happen, Honda.
More images can be seen here.
[Image: Honda]
looks like honda trying to one up toyota on the fugly meter
So a Civic Type R with less of everything…less space, less power, less performance, less expensive…but NOT less ugly.
So I guess it represents a deal of sorts.
That is adorable! And probably completely manic to drive if they put a decent motor in it. I think I want one (and I usually hate Hondas).
Interesting consideration. Would customers of the Fit (whichever type of people they are) buy an RS version?
Do they sell many Fits now?
Can they make a new Element instead?
I doubt your typical Fit buyer would have any interest in an RS version. They are typically pragmatic cheapskates so spending more than necessary on a car just doesn’t compute.
I agree with both of these comments.
Suspect Honda is just happy with selling lots of HR-Vs instead, and does not feel the need to improve the Fit.
I don’t know about a type r fit, but a fit SI with 200hp would have a lot of appeal for me.
Hey! I resemble that remark:). I have a 2015 fit lx manual. Wife has the 2017 Civic EX-T. I would buy a FIT SI in a heartbeat. As much as I like the Fit for its practical and frugal nature I love the power and efficiency of the turbo 1.5 more. Hopefully they will offer a Fit SI and not a crazy expensive Fit type R. Or even better, both. On a sad note, my once stellar Fit has had two visits to Honda service in the last month. I have had an intermittent misfire since the car was new. It finally caused a CEL to come on. Diagnosed as “contaminated fuel”. Engine was full of carbon build up. Fortunately, Honda of America is helping out with the repair cost. Still not sure it’s been properly diagnosed.
I’ve heard direct injection engines (current Fit has one) are prone to carbon build up, so maybe the diagnosis is correct. Consider browsing a Fit forum to see if others have reported similar issues.
They would sell a lot more Fits if they wanted to, start with actually comfortable seats and more sound insulation.
Agree with the sound insulation – Fit has a crashy suspension and a lot of road noise. Otherwise, I loved mine.
In theory, I could be a buyer for a performance Fit (small parking spot, likes hot hatches and the Fit’s packaging), but I don’t know how many people who’d legitimately buy a Fit RS, but not the Civic Sport hatch.
The Fit doesn’t hurt your eyes to look at like the Civic hatch, so it has that going for it.
A Honda Fit RS would be cool if it wasn’t just a bodykit and suspension package. Unfortunately the Honda L engines have always been optimized for fitting in small space over all else, and the Fit itself has been designed around this engine.
I think the related HR-V might have a better chance (engineering wise) for a zippier version.
I like it. Not so much the wing and black wheels, but the grille and headlights especially would look good on our Fit.
I think a Fit RS could work. I mean, people bought the Fiesta ST, and Honda is more known for building small sporty cars than Ford is/was.
“We just want a Fit that can be driven like a Type-R.”
That’d be cool, but I think most folks would settle for a Fit that could be driven at 80 mph without the need for Xanax.
(And on the subject of these tiny hot hatches…who else would love to see the Polo GTI come here?)
The Polo GTI is gigantic, Up! GTI is the one we need.
Lol, I like the idea of a hot-hatch crowd in Indonesia. Good for them. Small fun cars for everyone!
Can’t wait to show my girlfriend this, it embodies almost everything she hates about car design (minus two very important criteria, it’s not a crossover and it’s not red, then it would be the her least favourite vehicle on the planet). And it’s a Honda, her least favourite brand.
I love the name, Small RS would be a great car name. This article made me look up these vehicles, the Mobilio is actually a 7 seater, and I really love the look of the Brio, with minimal changes it could be electrified and sold as the production equivalent of that Urban EV concept.
Too bad small cars don’t sell in the US and Honda always plays it so safe. The odds of anything even remotely resembling this car, or even a hopped up Fit, are remote at best.
When I was working in Asia, I saw some hopped-up Jazz/Fit and they looked to be a hoot to drive. Some of them had Mugen-sourced superchargers and very some very nice handling kits. They also raced the crap out of them over there. I wish I could have a R-type Fit over here (I’m ready to unload my 2012 GTI and go back to driving Honda products again).