Cars - Honda Beat

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	Cars - Honda Beat

The Honda Beat is a small two-seat sports car, that fits the Japanese regulations of a keicar. It is a convertible and is a mid-engine design. The production began in May 1991 and finished in February 1996. The total number of cars produced was around 33,600. Most of the production (around two-thirds) occurred in the first year, and then production and sales fell drastically.

There were two different models of Beat—the PP1-100 and the PP1-110—although there were a couple of different limited edition versions as well. Variations on the first model were just cosmetic updates. Only the second model had any real mechanical differences. All cars were offered with the option of a driver's-side airbag.

In typical Honda fashion, the Beat's engine did not utilize a turbocharger or supercharger. The 660 cc engine was modified with the MTREC (Multi Throttle Responsive Engine Control) system, which included one throttle valve for each of the three cylinders, to produce 64 horsepower (48 kW). Only manual transmission was available. The MTREC design would filter down to the 1993 Honda Today keicar.

The Beat was part of a wave of keicar-sized sports cars in the early 1990s—its competitors included the Suzuki Cappuccino and Mazda's Autozam AZ-1. Together they predicted the arrival of the Smart roadster over a decade later, while Japan would not see a new model of the genre until the recent Daihatsu Copen.

Some facts about the Beat

The Beat became the last car to be rubberstamped by Soichiro Honda before he passed away in 1991.

The design of the car were originated from Pininfarina, who then sold the design plan to Honda, and then in turn sold it on MG Rover who then used it to build the MGF.

The Beat has lettering running down the sides proclaiming "Midship Amusment", a rather Engrish phrase referring to the fun handling of mid-engined cars.

Beat Beat Category:Mid-engined vehicles Category:Rear wheel drive vehicles Category:Sports cars

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