Honda Beat

Manufacturer	Honda
Production	1991–1996
Class	Kei car
Body style	2-door roadster
Engine	E07A 656 cc (40.0 cu in) I3, SOHC 12v
Transmission	5-speed manual transmission
Wheelbase	2,280 mm (90 in)
Length	3,295 mm (129.7 in)
Width	1,395 mm (54.9 in)
Height	1,175 mm (46.3 in)
Curb weight	1,675 lb (760 kg)
Designer	Pininfarina

The Honda Beat is a rear mid-engined two-seat roadster kei car produced from in May 1991 to February 1996. The Beat was the last car to be approved by Soichiro Honda before he died in 1991. 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. The design of the car originated from Pininfarina, who then sold the design plan to Honda. The Beat was one of many cars designed to take advantage of Japan's tax-efficient K class.

There were two mainstream models of the Beat (the PP1–100 and the PP1–110) and a couple of limited edition versions. 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 656 cc (40.0 cu in) engine was modified with the MTREC (Multi Throttle Responsive Engine Control) system, with individual throttle bodies for each of the three cylinders, to produce 64 PS (63 bhp) at 8100 rpm with an electronically limited top speed of 135 km/h (84 mph). Only a manual transmission was available. The MTREC design would filter down to the 1993 Honda Today kei car.

The Beat was part of a wave of kei car-sized sports cars in the early 1990s; its competitors included the Suzuki Cappuccino and Mazda's Autozam AZ-1. Together they anticipated 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.

At May 9, 2010, a parade held in the Twin Ring Motegi circuit as a part of an annual Beat owner meeting. 569 Honda Beats participate the parade which is certified by Guinness World Records as the largest parade of Honda cars. The record will be shown in the book in 2011 unless larger parade will be held by then.

Successor

Best Car reported that Honda was planning on the successor of original Beat. It would be a front engine car using the platform and 660cc engine from Honda Life and Honda Zest. The FWD Beat can be an outdated rumor as MotorTrend reported that Honda recently lodged a patent suggesting that the successor of Beat could be a mid-engine car.

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