Honda News: Honda Australia Exec: Affordable Sports Car is “Very Desirable”

[William Maley]

Ever since the S2000 was discontinued back in 2009, many people wished for Honda to do an affordable sports car. Some of those folks work for Honda. Case in point is Stephen Collins, director of Honda Australia who told CarAdvice that he would like to see something like this make a return.

“We’ve said it a number of times: we really want to dial up the sportiness of our range and our brand. NSX is one part of that, Type R is another. But if anything else becomes available, we’d really be chasing that pretty hard,” said Collins.

“Type R is a hot hatch and if there’s another type of sports car that becomes available to us, say if it was a convertible or something that could come in at around $30,000 (list price), that would be very desirable for us.”

When asked about S660 roadster, Collins shot down this idea.

“The S660 is a beautiful little sports car but it was only really designed for Japanese domestic market,” he said. “To get it homologated and up to a standard for the Australian market would be difficult. It’s also very constrained by production and, unfortunately, it’s not made for export. But if a small, sporty car like that became available to Honda Australia we’d definitely stick up our hand for it. Sadly, the S660 is not an option for us.”

Source: CarAdvice

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[David]

Honda S660 is a ugly fat little car.

[A Horse With No Name]

Good thing cars don't need to sexually reproduce to survive, because this would be forever without a partner...

[David]

5 minutes ago, A Horse With No Name said:

Good thing cars don't need to sexually reproduce to survive, because this would be forever without a partner...

I like a butt on a woman, but this is like wide load at the pig trough. 

[A Horse With No Name]

2 hours ago, dfelt said:

I like a butt on a woman, but this is like wide load at the pig trough. 

They actually have made a major accomplishment in that they have built a sports car less attractive and less interesting than the Civic Del Sol.

[Frisky Dingo]

I like the S660!! 

[David]

14 minutes ago, Frisky Dingo said:

I like the S660!! 

She is all Yours!  

[A Horse With No Name]

1 hour ago, Frisky Dingo said:

I like the S660!! 

Yes, product like that from Honda will make selling Volkswagen products much easier for you.

49 minutes ago, dfelt said:

She is all Yours!  

If it flies, floats or f@#&s you are better off renting it.  I think this an open and shut case for a full body condom.

[David]

3 hours ago, A Horse With No Name said:

Yes, product like that from Honda will make selling Volkswagen products much easier for you.

If it flies, floats or f@#&s you are better off renting it.  I think this an open and shut case for a full body condom.

!00% agreed!  

Double Condom to make sure!

[smk4565]

A new S2000 coupe and convertible could work but sadly I think it would need a back seat to compete with BRZ, Camaro, Mustang, etc.  2 seater only is really low volume.

[A Horse With No Name]

40 minutes ago, smk4565 said:

A new S2000 coupe and convertible could work but sadly I think it would need a back seat to compete with BRZ, Camaro, Mustang, etc.  2 seater only is really low volume.

Right, because the Corvette, 911, Miata and the like really are not a thing.

[surreal1272]

17 hours ago, A Horse With No Name said:

Good thing cars don't need to sexually reproduce to survive, because this would be forever without a partner...

Oh I don’t know about that. I think I found it’s hillbilly uncle right here.

 

[smk4565]

9 hours ago, A Horse With No Name said:

Right, because the Corvette, 911, Miata and the like really are not a thing.

The 911 has a back seat.   The Miata is the only 2 seater left under $40k, there is probably a reason for that.  And look at Miata sales vs Mustang, Camaro, Challenger, 370Z, BRZ/GT86, etc.  Coupes are dying as it is, 2 seaters even more so.

 

[surreal1272]

28 minutes ago, smk4565 said:

The 911 has a back seat.   The Miata is the only 2 seater left under $40k, there is probably a reason for that.  And look at Miata sales vs Mustang, Camaro, Challenger, 370Z, BRZ/GT86, etc.  Coupes are dying as it is, 2 seaters even more so.

 

So now we have a price tag threshold to make our argument? Good thing I guess because while the 911 has a back seat (not suitable for a human head, mind you), the Boxster and Cayman do not. You can add the SLK and Z4 to that mix as well. The 2 seater market isn’t dying because it was never mainstream in the first place. It was always a niche market, making your “dying” claim a fallacy argument. 

 

Edited October 14, 2017 by surreal1272

[smk4565]

1 hour ago, surreal1272 said:

So now we have a price tag threshold to make our argument? Good thing I guess because while the 911 has a back seat (not suitable for a human head, mind you), the Boxster and Cayman do not. You can add the SLK and Z4 to that mix as well. The 2 seater market isn’t dying because it was never mainstream in the first place. It was always a niche market, making your “dying” claim a fallacy argument. 

 

The SLk/SLC is getting cancelled at the end of its life cycle.   G6 coupe, Monte Carlo, Sebring/200, Solara, Altima coupe all dead.  

I forgot the Nissan 370 is 2 seater only.  They have sold 3,265 YTD down 23.9%.   Mazda is on pace to sell about 10,000 Miata's this year.  But compare that to a Camaro or Mustang.  If Honda is going to introduce a sports car, they are better off offering a back seat.

[surreal1272]

29 minutes ago, smk4565 said:

The SLk/SLC is getting cancelled at the end of its life cycle.   G6 coupe, Monte Carlo, Sebring/200, Solara, Altima coupe all dead.  

I forgot the Nissan 370 is 2 seater only.  They have sold 3,265 YTD down 23.9%.   Mazda is on pace to sell about 10,000 Miata's this year.  But compare that to a Camaro or Mustang.  If Honda is going to introduce a sports car, they are better off offering a back seat.

Again with the damn bar moving. We are not talking about coupes with back seats. We were talking about two seater coupes. You assert that they are dying which is a false statement because that would imply that they were mainstream popular which they have NEVER been. It has and will continue to be a niche market. 

[smk4565]

So where are GM and Ford with 2 seat roadsters?  I don't see them making a Miata fighter and I assume it is because they know there is now money in it.

[David]

1 hour ago, smk4565 said:

So where are GM and Ford with 2 seat roadsters?  I don't see them making a Miata fighter and I assume it is because they know there is now money in it.

Like all good business managers, you pick the battles you want to fight and both Ford and GM realize there is no money to be made in the Miata game. Leave it to a dying company that in the next 5-10 years might not even exist or for sure will be independant.

Everyone here knows SMK that there is no reason or need to build a 2 seater, limited market and Mazda builds a good product for the limited market of users.

Pull your head out and accept that not everyone needs to be in every market and MB day will come with the bloody company will struggle to survive due to being over extended in stupid models that make no money. They are in their hay day of Cadillac 80's when Cadillac was King. MB day is now but will fall eventually, they all do.
Every company has their time as king of the market.

[smk4565]

That is my point a 2 seater is a bad idea for Hondaor anyone.  If Honda wants to do a sports car it should have a back seat to broaden appeal.

[surreal1272]

13 hours ago, smk4565 said:

So where are GM and Ford with 2 seat roadsters?  I don't see them making a Miata fighter and I assume it is because they know there is now money in it.

WTF does Ford and GM have to do with this? It’s called “priorities”. Also, they have a 2 seat Corvette so...that’s where GM is. Again, niche market.

4 hours ago, smk4565 said:

That is my point a 2 seater is a bad idea for Hondaor anyone.  If Honda wants to do a sports car it should have a back seat to broaden appeal.

Umm, no. You literally brought up almost half a dozen examples of failed coupes (G6, Solara, Altima Coupe, Monte Carlo, Sebring, etc) and they ALL had back seats. Clearly that route doesn’t work either. 

 

“G6 coupe, Monte Carlo, Sebring/200, Solara, Altima coupe all dead.“

 

So why in the world would they (by your own admission) try to go back into a “dying market” (referring to Honda)?

Edited October 15, 2017 by surreal1272

[A Horse With No Name]

On 10/14/2017 at 9:53 AM, surreal1272 said:

Oh I don’t know about that. I think I found it’s hillbilly uncle right here.

 

Must be incest because that family tree does not branch.

2 hours ago, surreal1272 said:

WTF does Ford and GM have to do with this? It’s called “priorities”. Also, they have a 2 seat Corvette so...that’s where GM is. Again, niche market.

Umm, no. You literally brought up almost half a dozen examples of failed coupes (G6, Solara, Altima Coupe, Monte Carlo, Sebring, etc) and they ALL had back seats. Clearly that route doesn’t work either. 

 

“G6 coupe, Monte Carlo, Sebring/200, Solara, Altima coupe all dead.“

 

So why in the world would they (by your own admission) try to go back into a “dying market” (referring to Honda)?

Seems Ford built a very exclusive two seater and sold out rather rapidly at obscene prices.