The original Tall-Boy came in many variations, including the radical Turbo and Cabriolet

The first generation Honda City debuted in 1981. We would like to introduce Hisayuki Ote, an owner who has continued to own his car ever since he got it at that time, and his favorite car, the City Cabriolet.

A cute little car with excellent economy

The so-called Tall-Boy style is a common appearance today, including in Kei-cars, but it was a novelty when the ‘City’ was launched. Moreover, with a displacement of 1200 cc and a vehicle weight of only 655 kg, it was the first car equipped with a 67 hp NA engine to appear on the market and was an instant hit thanks to its remarkably high fuel economy of 20.0 km/L.

The following year, 1982, saw the introduction of the even more fuel-efficient EI, the turbocharged Turbo, and the high-roof Manhattan Roof, followed in 1983 by the intercooler turbocharged Turbo II (Bulldog) and in 1984 by the open-air Cabriolet. The ‘City’ series was a big hit for Honda, selling a total of over 310,000 units until its production ended in 1986.

Ran into the dealer before the official announcement

Hisayuki Ote, the owner of this yellow ‘Cabriolet’, bought his other car, a ‘Turbo I’, new back in 1982 and still owns it, and enjoys a neo-classic car life with his two first-generation ‘City’ and ‘Moto Compo’.

“I wanted one from the time it was launched, but I was a bit wait-and-see. Then I saw an article about the City Turbo in a magazine and ran to the dealer to test drive it. But the person in charge at the time said they didn’t have the car in the first place because they hadn’t received such information yet. I really wanted one, so I made an appointment with the dealer based on the prediction that it would go on sale. Thanks to that, they were the first to deliver the car to Nagasaki Prefecture, where I live.”

Although it was a brave decision to book a new car, the result was a success. And that was the start of a long relationship with the ‘City’ that continues to this day. Later, he also acquired this ‘Cabriolet’. This one is a 1984 model, with an intercooled turbocharged engine for the Turbo II, instead of the normal NA. In contrast to its cute appearance, it has been upgraded to a specification that allows even convertibles to enjoy fun driving.