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.
Charisma of Soichiro Honda and the F1 boom made him a captive of Honda
It was the fascination with Honda that got Mr. Ote interested in the ‘City’ in the first place.
“The passion of the founder, Soichiro Honda, and Ayrton Senna’s success in F1. A friend of mine owned an S800, and I was given a ride on it, which also made me realize the joys of Honda cars. From these various influences, I grew to love Honda.”
By the way, the pride of being a Honda enthusiast can be well understood by the fact that his daily-use vehicle is the current ‘Civic’. Of course, he also owns a ‘Moto Compo’, which is a must for ‘City’ owners. On this day, I was impressed that he was enjoying the event to the fullest, as he and his friends went out for a little tour on the ‘Moto Compo’ during the meeting.
“The truth is, I wasn’t interested in Moto Compo. That’s why I didn’t buy one at the time. However, as a City owner, I knew I had to have this one, so I got it from an acquaintance.”
The two first generation Citys, a ‘Turbo I’ and a ‘Cabriolet’, are being cared for by owners who are full of Honda love.
translated by DeepL