Z600 On Bring A Trailer Is An Often-Forgotten Honda Treasure
Motorcycle-powered Honda Z600 Coupe was a Kei car sold in the US. Though beloved by many, it’s an often-overlooked historic Honda.
Though many are plenty familiar with Honda today, there was a time when the iconic Japanese carmaker didn’t have a single car on US roads. That time is quite a bit more recent than many realize. Though Honda first landed in the US in 1959, they would not make a car available for US soil until a decade later. The first car sold was the Honda N600 sedan. However, the N600 had a “coupe” companion known as the Z600. These adorable little cars are getting harder and harder to find. So, if you are interested in owning an iconic piece of Honda history, this may be your best shot for a long while!
This 1972 Z600 is currently listed for sale on Bring A Trailer. At the time of writing, the bid is at only $3,760. That seems like a decent deal for this lovable little icon. Honda’s intent with the introduction of the 600 cars was to create a small, affordable, and fuel-efficient vehicle that Americans would be glad to buy. Frankly, they nailed it. It’s been 50 years and we still want one!
A Cute Little High-Revving Engine Powers This Mighty Mini
True to the name, under the hood of the Z600 lies an adorable little 600cc air-cooled engine. If that spec reminds you of a motorcycle engine, it should! The 600cc engine found in the Z600 and N600 is based on the engine found in Honda’s CB450 motorcycle.
The Z600 came with some pretty advanced specs for the time. Most notably, Honda engineers gave the Z600 front power disc brakes, which was unheard of on a lot of American cars. Even full-size ones! Furthermore, the Honda Z600 is capable of about 80 miles per hour under the right conditions. Think downhill, tailwind, etc. However, that’s more than enough for its time period. Furthermore, the Z600 is capable of about 40 miles per gallon. That number was virtually unheard of in the late 60s and early 70s.
This Pocket-Size Icon Could Be All Yours!
This may be one of the cleanest examples of the Honda Z600 left. According to the listing, the odometer reads out only 90,000 original miles. However, it is only equipped with a five-digit odometer. So, there’s no way to verify that it hasn’t rolled over at least once. Still, this thing is in amazing shape. Furthermore, it’s not like you’d have to be too concerned about a high-mileage old Honda, right?
The upholstery and carpet inside look remarkably tidy for its age. Finally, the body is free from any major damage and the underside shows only a bit of surface rust. This little guy is ready to rock for many years to come.
Though we can’t say exactly how much this gorgeous little piece of automotive history is going to sell for, we can say we are glad we got a chance to see it on Bring A Trailer. The last one that sold on Bring A Trailer in similar condition fetched $6,000 in September of 2020.
We really hope whoever buys this thing takes it for a drive from time to time! We’ll be watching close to see the hammer price.
Photos: Bring A Trailer
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