by At the Cars & Bids auction in the USA, a unique vehicle has appeared — a 1999 Honda Z. This small Japanese Kei car hides a truly exotic technical filling.
Exotic layout in a modest body
At first glance, the Honda Z looks like an ordinary city car: tall, boxy, resembling a washing machine. However, under the rear seats hides a turbocharged three-cylinder engine with a displacement of 656 cc, which transmits power to all four wheels via a four-speed automatic transmission.
Yes, it is a mid-engine layout with turbocharging and all-wheel drive — just like in a Ferrari or Bugatti. Only significantly slower.
The legacy of a supercar in a Kei car
Honda called this system UM-4 (Under Midship 4WD). Engineers placed the engine not under the hood, but in front of the rear axle. This decision was likely dictated by practicality, rather than a desire to create a sports car: the Z used many components from Honda’s mid-engine Kei trucks and microvans, the Honda Acty.
The unusual layout allowed for a flat floor, improved interior space (there is a regular trunk at the rear and a small compartment up front), and achieved an almost perfect 50:50 weight distribution. To make the car even more unusual, Honda invited the legendary rock band ZZ Top for its advertising.
Inspiration from the 1970s
The Z model was introduced in 1998 as a revival of the classic Honda Z name from the early 1970s, which was once sold in the USA under the name Z600. Turbocharged versions received the maximum 63 hp (64 hp) allowed by Kei car regulations, and all-wheel drive was standard. The only available transmission, unfortunately, was a four-speed automatic.
What the auction car offers
The example listed on Cars & Bids is located in California and has a mileage of 84,500 km (52,600 miles). The car is finished in silver and has a gray-blue interior. It is equipped with air conditioning, power windows, folding rear seats, and several period accessories, including a JVC CD changer and a radio-controlled clock.
The listing notes a crack in the windshield, cosmetic defects, signs of wear in the interior, and minor undercarriage corrosion. Therefore, it is not a museum piece. But for a 27-year-old car, it looks good. If you are looking for one of the strangest engineering achievements from Honda, it is hard to imagine a better conversation starter.
This car is a striking example of how Japanese manufacturers were able to combine practicality with technical solutions typically associated with much more expensive and powerful machines. Despite its modest performance, the Honda Z remains an interesting object for collectors thanks to its unique layout and history. The appearance of such a car at an American auction is a rare event, as most Kei cars were never officially sold in the USA, making this lot even more attractive for enthusiasts of unusual automotive engineering.
