About Honda N360
Mr. Soichiro Honda was concerned that the mini cars produced in Japan by that time were not appropriate for domestic roads, lacking sufficient power, one of the causes of accidents.
The Honda N360 was designed to embody the “People’s Car” concept, offering sufficient interior space and more power, all for a competitive price. It competed in the Japan’s Kei-Class and it was a small two-passenger automobile produced by the Japanese carmaker between 1967 and 1970.
As Honda was a latecomer in the realm of the mini cars, they Japanese carmaker had to come with competitive technologies to stand out. And it did, without the need of investing huge sums, as Honda already possessed the technologies.
The small Honda N360 was designed from the cabin outward, ensuring that it would offer a roomy cabin for its occupants. The engine bay was small and the wheels were pushed out as far as possible toward the corners and the car used a front-wheel-drive system to avoid using much of the interior space.
Featuring advanced specifications for the time, the Honda N360 was equipped with a 354cc air-cooled 2-cylinder engine that developed 31 hp. Quite impressive for the time, both front and rear wheels had a 4-wheel independent double wishbone suspension.
Unveiled to the public at the 13th Tokyo Motor Show, the Honda’s first mini car drew particularly large crowds along with the Toyota Corolla.