Just Listed: This 1991 Honda Beat is What Kei Car Dreams are Made Of
A mid-engine, manual roadster that’s 30 inches shorter than a 1991 Miata
Conner GoldenWriter
As more and more Japanese Domestic Market cars turn 25 years old, import companies have made a killing from bringing these JDM gems legally into the states. Of course, the R32 Nissan GT-Rs and assorted Skylines are great, but our heart has been stolen by this adorable 1991 Honda Beat kei car offered for sale onBring a Trailer.
This tiny, tiny roadster arrived on our comparatively gargantuan shores this past May, currently held in Rhode Island with a clean Texas title. Visually, the Beat is in good condition and holds no reports of records or accidents, according to the current owner. The "Festival Red" paint is still strong--a rare sight for these little cars.
If you have never seen a kei car in person, the size of this Beat might be hard to wrap your head around. Not much power is needed to motivate the tiny thing, so Honda went with a revvy 660cc engine. The tiny three-cylinder engine is mounted amidships, sending 63 hp to the rear wheels through a five-speed manual transmission. We're not kidding; this is a manual transmission, rear-wheel drive, right-hand drive roadster with a mid-mounted 660cc three-cylinder that revs to 8,100 rpm, all in a package that is 30 inches shorter than an first-generation Mazda Miata. Whew.
Inside, the madness continues. Somewhere along the line, a Momo steering wheel and shift knob, modified handbrake handle, and aftermarket pedal covers were installed. See that zebra-pattern cloth on the seats and floormats? That's factory, if you can believe it.
Although it's a quarter-of-a-century old, this Beat covered just 47,000 miles since new. You've got five days left as of this post, so get those wallets out and head over to Bring a Trailer to submit a bid.
