Honda City Turbo
Encyclopedia
The first generation Honda City (Honda Jazz in Europe) was a subcompact hatchback aimed mainly at the Japanese domestic market. The somewhat ungainly designed City, referred to by Honda as "Tall Boy" style, was also marketed abroad and was available in a number of versions. First introduced in November 1981 it carried the model codes AA for sedans, VF for vans, and FA for the widetrack Turbo II and Cabriolets. It was sold at the Honda Japan dealership sales channel called Honda Clio.
While the City's layout was traditional for its category, with front-wheel drive and a transversely mounted engine, the innovative tall seating arrangement created comparable legroom to a car many times its size. This, combined with class leading fuel economy led to it being a considerable success in the Japanese domestic market. The engine was the CVCC-II 1,231 cc four-cylinder "ER", specifically designed for the City. It was also available together with the Motocompo, a special 50cc 'foldaway' scooter constructed to fit in the City's small luggage area, itself designed around the Motocompo. Originally a sportier R version, the economical E and two commercial van versions ("Pro") were introduced. In September 1982 a turbocharged version of the Honda ER engine was added to the lineup.
Designed by Pininfarina
and introduced in August 1984, a drop-top Cabriolet utilized the wider track, fenders, and bigger bumpers of the Turbo II "Bulldog", but was only normally available with the naturally aspirated 67 PS engine. These widetrack models were designated "FA" rather than "AA". The Cabriolet was well equipped, with a glass rear window and twelve pastel colors not available on the hatchback versions. Part of an eighties wave of convertibles, this was the first car of the kind built in Japan.
A March 1985 light facelift brought a new asymmetrical grille (although not for the Cabriolet) and some interior improvements. The E and E II models were replaced by the new E III, while a lower priced U model joined the lineup. Naturally aspirated engines in the AA Citys also gained a new fiber-reinforced aluminum alloy connecting rods ("FRM"), a world first in series production. One month later, the R became available with the interesting Hypershift transmission, a 4-speed with an electronically controlled overdrive on 2nd, 3rd and 4th gear - in essence creating a 7-speed gearbox.
In addition to vans and convertibles, there was also an "R Manhattan Roof" version with a 10 cm taller roof. A "R Manhattan Sound" version incorporated high-quality stereo equipment (including the "Bodysonic", transmitting sound vibrations through the seat). The E-series (E, E 1, E II & EIII; "E" for economy) used higher geared transmissions and trip computer
s to increase gas mileage. The E III, in addition to benefitting from the FRM conrods, also had an electronically variable lean-burn engine. First generation production ended in late 1986 with the introduction of the GA type City.
, due to Opel
having the rights to the City name after having used it on a hatchback version of the Kadett C. It was marketed in Europe from 1982 to 1986, but was generally priced too high to compete. The European Jazz was only classified as a four-seater, and offered either 45 or 56 hp depending on fuel grade. The City was also sold in Australia (in two seater 'van' form, to circumvent Australian import restrictions on passenger vehicles at the time) and New Zealand
(where it was locally assembled).
/ hot hatch
produced by Japanese automaker Honda
between 1982 and 1986, based on the naturally aspirated Honda City AA. The City Turbo is one of a very few turbocharged Honda road cars. Other turboed Hondas include the V6 Honda Legend
of the late eighties and the new turbocharged i-VTEC 2.3 L in the 2007 Acura RDX
.
The City Turbo was the brainchild of Hirotoshi Honda
, son of Honda
founder Soichiro Honda
as well as founder and owner of Mugen
. In the early 1980s Mugen was a small tuning company that was beginning to make its mark producing performance parts for motorcycles and automobiles, but was yet to gain recognition outside of racing circles. When he created the City Turbo, Hirotoshi took one of Honda's most unassuming vehicles and successfully turned it into an aggressive street rocket, considered to be well ahead of its time. Impressed, Honda took Hirotoshi's idea and made a production version, introduced in September 1982. A few months earlier, Honda staffers took two City Turbos on a gruelling 10,000 km round trip of Europe, all the way from Sicily to Karasjok
in the arctic north.
In November 1983, the intercooled Turbo II joined the lineup. Flared fenders, wings, sideskirts and graphics combined for a much more pugnacious appearance, making its "Bulldog" nickname very fitting. In late 1984 the original Turbo was discontinued while the Turbo II continued in production until the City was replaced in late 1986.
The City Turbo shared the 1231 cc (1.2 L) CVCC
"ER" engine with its more pedestrian siblings, but the addition of a turbocharger
meant that 100 PS at 5,500 rpm and 15 kgm at 3,000 rpm were available. Further changes to the engine included an aluminum/titanium alloy head and a magnesium valve cover to keep the weight down. The IHI RHB51 turbocharger, developed as a joint venture between Ishikawajima Heavy Industry
and Honda, was lighter and smaller than most other turbos and could run at higher rpm. When combined with Honda's PGM-F1 fuel injection
and an 8-bit digital computer control unit, the end result was a very efficient engine with minimal turbo lag. 0–100 km/h was possible in 8.6 seconds.
The later City Turbo II's engine featured an intercooler, a revised intake plenum, a slightly larger throttle body, a modified inlet manifold, a higher AR turbo compressor, exhaust housings, and a slightly raised (7.6:1) compression ratio. It produced 110 PS at 5,500 rpm and 16.3 kgm at 3,000 rpm.
The interior appointments to the car focused both on driver involvement and comfort. A digital speedometer, surrounded by a tachometer and a boost gauge, replaced the regular analog instrument cluster, and was used until the March 1985 facelift, after which the analog assembly from the regular City was used. Form fitting, leather and moquette bucket seats were made standard as well and a special "sonic seat" was available, which responded to the audio system by a transducer sending sound and vibration to the user through the seat. An extra thick, three-spoke steering wheel was also standard Turbo fitment.
History
Designed by Pininfarina
Pininfarina
Pininfarina S.p.A. is an Italian car design firm and coachbuilder in Cambiano, Italy.Founded as Società anonima Carrozzeria Pinin Farina in 1930 by automobile designer and builder Battista "Pinin" Farina, Pininfarina has been employed by a wide variety of high-end automobile manufacturers,...
and introduced in August 1984, a drop-top Cabriolet utilized the wider track, fenders, and bigger bumpers of the Turbo II "Bulldog", but was only normally available with the naturally aspirated 67 PS engine. These widetrack models were designated "FA" rather than "AA". The Cabriolet was well equipped, with a glass rear window and twelve pastel colors not available on the hatchback versions. Part of an eighties wave of convertibles, this was the first car of the kind built in Japan.
A March 1985 light facelift brought a new asymmetrical grille (although not for the Cabriolet) and some interior improvements. The E and E II models were replaced by the new E III, while a lower priced U model joined the lineup. Naturally aspirated engines in the AA Citys also gained a new fiber-reinforced aluminum alloy connecting rods ("FRM"), a world first in series production. One month later, the R became available with the interesting Hypershift transmission, a 4-speed with an electronically controlled overdrive on 2nd, 3rd and 4th gear - in essence creating a 7-speed gearbox.
In addition to vans and convertibles, there was also an "R Manhattan Roof" version with a 10 cm taller roof. A "R Manhattan Sound" version incorporated high-quality stereo equipment (including the "Bodysonic", transmitting sound vibrations through the seat). The E-series (E, E 1, E II & EIII; "E" for economy) used higher geared transmissions and trip computer
Trip computer
A trip computer is an onboard computer device fitted to cars which can generally record distance travelled, average speed, average fuel consumption, and display real time fuel consumption information...
s to increase gas mileage. The E III, in addition to benefitting from the FRM conrods, also had an electronically variable lean-burn engine. First generation production ended in late 1986 with the introduction of the GA type City.
City Pro (VF)
Commercial versions were called Pro in Japan, and were available with either two or five seats (Pro T/F). The Pro had to make do without brake boost (until the 1985 facelift) and transistorized ignition (lowering power by two horsepower), and were also not available with the five speed manual transmission. The bare-bones Pro also had a manual choke.Exports
Exports of the City were only of naturally aspirated hatchback and van versions. In Europe it was renamed Honda JazzHonda Jazz
The Honda Jazz nameplate has been used by Honda of Japan to denote several different motorized vehicles since 1982:*A 50 cc motorcycle introduced in 1986. Such a scooter still exists, and is currently on sale in Canada...
, due to Opel
Opel
Adam Opel AG, generally shortened to Opel, is a German automobile company founded by Adam Opel in 1862. Opel has been building automobiles since 1899, and became an Aktiengesellschaft in 1929...
having the rights to the City name after having used it on a hatchback version of the Kadett C. It was marketed in Europe from 1982 to 1986, but was generally priced too high to compete. The European Jazz was only classified as a four-seater, and offered either 45 or 56 hp depending on fuel grade. The City was also sold in Australia (in two seater 'van' form, to circumvent Australian import restrictions on passenger vehicles at the time) and New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
(where it was locally assembled).
City Turbo
The Honda City Turbo was a sport compactSport compact
A sport compact is a high-performance version of a compact car or a subcompact car. They are typically are front engined, front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive coupés, sedans, or hatchbacks driven by a straight-4 gasoline engine. Performance-oriented sport compacts generally focus on improving...
/ hot hatch
Hot hatch
Hot hatch was originally an informal automotive industry term, shortened from hot hatchback, initially coined by the British motoring press in 1984, for a high-performance derivative of a car body style consisting of a three- or five-door hatchback automobile.Vehicles of this class are based on...
produced by Japanese automaker Honda
Honda
is a Japanese public multinational corporation primarily known as a manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles.Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, as well as the world's largest manufacturer of internal combustion engines measured by volume, producing more than...
between 1982 and 1986, based on the naturally aspirated Honda City AA. The City Turbo is one of a very few turbocharged Honda road cars. Other turboed Hondas include the V6 Honda Legend
Honda Legend
The Honda Legend is a mid-size luxury car made by the Japanese automaker Honda. It was the result of Project XX, a joint agreement started in November 1981 with the Austin Rover Group of Great Britain and was mechanically related to the Rover 800 series....
of the late eighties and the new turbocharged i-VTEC 2.3 L in the 2007 Acura RDX
Acura RDX
The Acura RDX is Acura’s first compact crossover SUV. Originally previewed as the Acura RD-X concept car, the production RDX had its debut at the 2006 New York Auto Show and went on sale on August 11, 2006....
.
The City Turbo was the brainchild of Hirotoshi Honda
Hirotoshi Honda
is the founder of Mugen Motorsports.-Tax evasion case:On May 25, 2006, Hirotoshi Honda was found not guilty of charges of tax evasion, but Presiding Judge Yasuo Shimoyama of the Saitama District Court ordered Mugen to pay ¥ in fines...
, son of Honda
Honda
is a Japanese public multinational corporation primarily known as a manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles.Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, as well as the world's largest manufacturer of internal combustion engines measured by volume, producing more than...
founder Soichiro Honda
Soichiro Honda
was a Japanese engineer and industrialist, and founder of Honda Motor Co., Ltd..Honda was born in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka, Japan on November 17, 1906. He spent his early childhood helping his father, Gihei, a blacksmith, with his bicycle repair business. At the time his mother, Mika, was a weaver. At...
as well as founder and owner of Mugen
Mugen Motorsports
Mugen Motorsports is a Japanese company formed in 1973 by Hirotoshi Honda, the son of Honda Motor Company founder Soichiro Honda, and Masao Kimura. Mugen, meaning "Without Limit", or "Unlimited", is an engine tuner and parts manufacturer closely associated with the Honda Motor Company...
. In the early 1980s Mugen was a small tuning company that was beginning to make its mark producing performance parts for motorcycles and automobiles, but was yet to gain recognition outside of racing circles. When he created the City Turbo, Hirotoshi took one of Honda's most unassuming vehicles and successfully turned it into an aggressive street rocket, considered to be well ahead of its time. Impressed, Honda took Hirotoshi's idea and made a production version, introduced in September 1982. A few months earlier, Honda staffers took two City Turbos on a gruelling 10,000 km round trip of Europe, all the way from Sicily to Karasjok
Karasjok
Kárášjohka or is a village and municipality in Finnmark county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Karasjok.-Name:Karasjok is a Norwegianized form of the Sámi name Kárášjohka...
in the arctic north.
In November 1983, the intercooled Turbo II joined the lineup. Flared fenders, wings, sideskirts and graphics combined for a much more pugnacious appearance, making its "Bulldog" nickname very fitting. In late 1984 the original Turbo was discontinued while the Turbo II continued in production until the City was replaced in late 1986.
Engine
CVCC
CVCC is a trademark by the Honda Motor Company for an engine with reduced automotive emissions, which stood for "Compound Vortex Controlled Combustion". This technology allowed Honda's cars to meet United States emission standards in the 1970s without a catalytic converter...
"ER" engine with its more pedestrian siblings, but the addition of a turbocharger
Turbocharger
A turbocharger, or turbo , from the Greek "τύρβη" is a centrifugal compressor powered by a turbine that is driven by an engine's exhaust gases. Its benefit lies with the compressor increasing the mass of air entering the engine , thereby resulting in greater performance...
meant that 100 PS at 5,500 rpm and 15 kgm at 3,000 rpm were available. Further changes to the engine included an aluminum/titanium alloy head and a magnesium valve cover to keep the weight down. The IHI RHB51 turbocharger, developed as a joint venture between Ishikawajima Heavy Industry
IHI
The acronym IHI can refer to:* Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries, a Japanese company which produces ships, aero-engines, and other transport-related machinery* Information Holdings Inc., part of The Thomson Corporation since 2004...
and Honda, was lighter and smaller than most other turbos and could run at higher rpm. When combined with Honda's PGM-F1 fuel injection
Fuel injection
Fuel injection is a system for admitting fuel into an internal combustion engine. It has become the primary fuel delivery system used in automotive petrol engines, having almost completely replaced carburetors in the late 1980s....
and an 8-bit digital computer control unit, the end result was a very efficient engine with minimal turbo lag. 0–100 km/h was possible in 8.6 seconds.
The later City Turbo II's engine featured an intercooler, a revised intake plenum, a slightly larger throttle body, a modified inlet manifold, a higher AR turbo compressor, exhaust housings, and a slightly raised (7.6:1) compression ratio. It produced 110 PS at 5,500 rpm and 16.3 kgm at 3,000 rpm.
Chassis
The City Turbo's suspension was more refined than that of the ordinary City. The four-wheel independent system used progressive rate coil springs, with stabilizers at both the front and the rear. Tires were the 165/70HR12 radials, and stopping power was provided by ventilated disc brakes at the front and semi-metallic shoes at the rear. The Turbo II's flared fenders weren't just cosmetic, but were necessary to accommodate a 30 mm (20 mm in the rear) wider track and bigger 185/60 R13 tires.Styling and Interior
The body of the Honda City Turbo was made sportier by the addition of a new air dam with fog lights and asymmetrical grille at the front and a small spoiler at the top/rear of the car. Meanwhile, a hump was added to the hood to make room for the extra equipment of the turbocharged engine. In addition to flared fenders and "Turbo II Intercooler" graphics, the Turbo II also got a bigger bump in the hood, body colored bumpers and a louver ahead of the rear wheel.The interior appointments to the car focused both on driver involvement and comfort. A digital speedometer, surrounded by a tachometer and a boost gauge, replaced the regular analog instrument cluster, and was used until the March 1985 facelift, after which the analog assembly from the regular City was used. Form fitting, leather and moquette bucket seats were made standard as well and a special "sonic seat" was available, which responded to the audio system by a transducer sending sound and vibration to the user through the seat. An extra thick, three-spoke steering wheel was also standard Turbo fitment.
Data
| Honda City 1981–1986 | ||||||
| Version | City E, U, R with A/T (AA) | City R, Manhattan Roof (AA) | City Pro (VF) | City Cabrio (FA) | City Turbo (AA) | City Turbo II "Bulldog" (FA) |
| Engine | 1,2 Liter (1,231 cc) Inline-four, 12 valve CVCC-II SOHC | |||||
| Aspiration | single two-barrel Keihin Keihin Keihin may refer to:* Keihin region in Japan* Keihin, a brand of motorcycle and powersports carburetor, common on Japanese and other motorcycles. The brand is manufactured by an epynominous keiretsu group company affiliated with Honda... carburator |
PGM-FI, turbocharged | PGM-FI, turbocharged and intercooled | |||
| Power | 63 PS at 5,000 rpm | 67 PS at 5,500 rpm | 61 PS at 5,000 rpm | 67 PS at 5,500 rpm (AT: 63 PS unit) |
100 PS at 5,500 rpm | 110 PS at 5,500 rpm |
| Torque | 10 kgm at 3,000 rpm | 10 kgm at 3,500 rpm | 9.8 kgm at 3,000 rpm | 10 kgm at 3,500 rpm (AT at 3,000 rpm) |
15 kgm at 3,000 rpm | 16.3 kgm at 3,000 rpm |
| Top Speed | 141 km/h (88 mph) | 150 km/h (93 mph) | 135 km/h (84 mph) | 150 km/h (93 mph) | 179 km/h (111 mph) | 175 km/h (109 mph) |
| Acceleration (0–100 km/h) | 12,9 sec | n/a | 13,1 sec | 13,7 sec | 8,6 sec | n/a |
| Empty Weight | 655–710 kg | 685–710 kg | 635–660 kg | 800–810 kg | 690–700 kg | 735–745 kg |
| Fuel tank size | 41 L | |||||
| Luggage space | 205 L | 182 L | 205 L | |||
| Wheelbase | 2220 mm (87.4 in) | |||||
| Track (F/R) | 1,370 / 1,370 mm | 1,400 / 1,390 mm | 1,370 / 1,370 mm | 1,400 / 1,390 mm | ||
| Length/Width/ Height (mm) | 3,380 / 1,570 / 1,470 (Manhattan Roof: 1,570) | 3,420 / 1,625 / 1,470 | 3,380 / 1,570 / 1,460 | 3,420 / 1,625 / 1,470 | ||