1972 Honda z600 Coupe Coupe

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From the Hagerty. com website:

History of the 1967-1673 Honda 600

The origins of the little Honda N600 can be traced back to the 354-cc N360 of 1964. Japan has a complete class of microcars – the “K” class – and the Honda N360 was a more serious attempt than most. It was preceded by the S500 two-seat sports car in 1963. but the boxy N360 was instead intended as a family sedan.

The N360 made the original BMC Mini seem downright gargantuan. with its miniscule 78-inch wheelbase. The two-cylinder. OHC. air-cooled engine developed 31 hp with a claimed top speed of 71 mph. and the little front-wheel-drive car had a four-speed gearbox and later a Hondamatic. Like the little S500 sports car. the engine could rev to 8. 00 rpm. but it was a buzzy affair. with only 10-inch tires.

The 599 cc Honda N600 was launched in late 1967. offering 42 hp and a claimed top speed of over 80 mph. U. S. price was $1. 75 at launch. and $1. 22 with an automatic transmission. Gas mileage was reportedly 40 mpg. but 0-60 took about 18 seconds. Options included a tachometer. roof rack. ski rack. and folding rear seat. Sales were modest. with only 4. 95 joining U. S. traffic in 1970.

The N600 sedan was joined by a Z600 coupe in 1971. which is the car most commonly seen today. It featured pop-open rear windows. overhead console controls. and a rear hatch that slightly resembled a TV screen. Performance numbers remained the same. though the front suspension became McPherson struts with the solid rear axle being located via leaf springs. The car had a 42-inch tread and 51-inch height. which resulted in a rather high center of gravity. but the car was well suited to changing American automotive needs. and 9. 09 were sold in the U. S. in 1971. rising to 20. 00 in 1972.

A few holdovers were sold in 1973. but the new Civic hatchback was launched with a 1. 00-cc. water-cooled. four-cylinder engine. and it was a much more serious proposition. The Civic outsold the entire 600 run in its first year. and subsequently spawned several generations of excellent sub-compact cars.

Honda N600 sedans are rarely seen these days. but the little Z600 coupes have something of a following. They are charming in their own right. and are competent when compared to other microcars. Even more importantly for collectors. they represent a key moment in American automotive history when Japanese manufacturers were starting to gain a toehold in the U. S. market

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