The Honda Beat Was the World's Cutest Car
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- čas přidán 7. 09. 2024
- The most adorable little convertible and I were born in the same year, we’re both incredible, but only one of us came with zebra-print seats. In 1991, during Japan’s “bubble era,” Honda gave us the car that is impossible to look at without saying: “Awww.” The Beat is a pocket-sized kei car, a precious tax-incentivized-sized vehicle made in Japan for Japan.
Was the Beat the fastest kei car? Well, no, but because it was so low to the ground, light, and small, it felt fast at any speed. That 656cc engine paired to a five-speed manual wouldn’t break any 0-60 records. But if we learned anything from our former resident JDM fanboi Patrick George (RIP), that didn’t matter.
-Erica Lourd
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What do you think is the world's cutest car?
the pontiac aztec
Plymouth reliant
My dad's G-Wagon.
-"Spunky, Quality cars we haven't seen since"
Honda S660 - "Am I a joke to you"
sphession IMO S660 went “be good and angrier at everything” route too much, like gahhh 6 speed manual!! Gahhhh turbocharged engine!!! Gahhhhh look at me I’m mini NSX!!!! I’d take one in a heartbeat though!
I can understand that it has to be good at everything to go through whole lotta corporate executives, but something is off compared to Beat.
Also the Daihatsu Copen, which made it to a few other countries outside Japan.
Current Honda beat owner... Most fun car ive ever owned or driven
I’m getting one at the end of the year, and I just can’t wait!!
@@ExDud it's you again. Hello
Alan Pathomkan what? People know me? From where?
Are you in the USA? If so are parts painfull to get?
I'm on my second Beat. Such an epic car. Fun to drive, great handling, snicksnicksnick gear changes, cheap as chips to run, utterly reliable, looks great. Even after 9 years every drive still feels special.
Is it a reliable car? Could I drive 15 minutes to work everyday with it? How worrisome is maintenance?
@@jakeevans8819 they are incredibly reliable, and not just for a 30 year old car. Yes a 15 minute journey to work would be no problem. I've never had a problem with maintenance (but then I'm a mechanic by trade and Japanese is my second language). These are not complex cars to work on. Parts are still available.
@@stuartgreenshields5591 thank you so much! I really appreciate it. I've fallen in love with the Beat for the last week and I really want one
Ugg my little brother beat gets all the attention
I own one and love it. The interior is actually called “white tiger” lol
I'm a Beat owner it's my most fun car. I love my MR2 and my STi but they are not even close to as much fun. It has tons of that X factor that make it so special.
Haha, I have a WRX, Celica & MR2 and considering adding one of these to the garage. I also like the Cappuccino & AZ1 (as they are faster) but they are twice the price in my country and a bit too cramped for my liking.
I have one coming in the next couple weeks, can't wait!
I can remember the first time I saw this adorable car, and it captivated me with its ultra-compact size and beautiful styling, it just looked so right and purposeful.
It was cool as hell without even trying and it looked fast standing still.
The Suzuki Cappuccino the Auto zam would like a word with you
ABC kei cars
I concur. How do we feel about, say, Nissan Figaro?? Randy Grubb's Decopods (are they a car though)? An E Type? mmmmn no too sexy. 2CV, could be. Dauphin, they're kinda cute. How about the original Honda S2000 though, or a Toyota 2000GT? Ford Prefect? Struth we could do this all day.
been daily driving a beat for 2 years now in finland. winter and summer. no regrets.
Fell in love with this car so much.... that I bought one in the US :P
former owner of a cappuccino , the fun factor is over 9000.
Former Suzuki dealership staffer: thoroughly thrashable :) and so are Wagon R+ and swb Vitaras
It’s cool. I just bought 4. They are on the big boat from Japan right now and I can’t wait 😂
I wanted to hear at least one mention of the VTech engine
WAS the worlds cutest? It still is!
In the US we were able to get the Daihatsu & Suzuki mini cars to market for a couple yrs before the
(Not) Smart car arrived , Japan has a long history building these pocket cars.
But I'm putting off timing belt change for about 4 years now, because the access to the engine is just awesome.
Also count the speakers in that thing.
@2:10 is that a yellow Star of David? From an axis country?
I would like to introduce you to a Nash Metropolitan
Cute? Absolutely not lol :)
129 inches long? My 1958 desoto is only 119 inches long.
Coffee break car
Fair lady Zee
so cool.
from 日本
It's a baby S2000!
Honda Del Sol is "cute" to some but a much cooler car to most. A person after a "cute" car could paint one in a bright color and enjoy it. Or you can get real and spray paint it black and put a fart cannon on it and and call it a good time.
Nah Suzuki Cappuccino
Soo cool
Not bad, but I'll still take the Nissan Figaro convertible. That's my favorite Japanese Kei car.
Hell yeah.
Not kei
It's not a Kei car!
Nice try but THE NISSAN FIGARO IS NOT A FREAKING KEI CAR you numb nuts
Hmmm too slow for America, with a 650cc engine you're not starting with a whole lot sounds like a sport bike engine, those have a lot of potential so Honda could have tuned it offered a turbocharger version and put sport bike exhaust on their stock so it sounded like a formula 1 car when you rev it up they didn't say in the video but it should have had a decently high red line with a small engine like that. With the booming import aftermarket scene that started a long time ago in America this car may have caught on with enthusiast, Honda could have made it powerful enough to work in America, it enthusiasts could have made it into actually decently fast car, this car could have had a real following if it was priced right and by the sounds of its bare bones small engine and offering I can't imagine they couldn't have sold this thing for cheap