OPO 10 - Dinky Toys Atlas - HONDA S800 1408 1:43 (MB316)

Product Information

The S800 was a masterpiece of engineering featuring a four cylinder 791cc engine with four carburetors. Based on Honda’s motorcycle technology, this engine was capable of revving up to levels unheard of by its competitors like the MG Midget or Fiat 850 and could compete with sports cars with much higher engine sizes.

Lightweight construction and space-age looks reminiscent of the 1983 Honda CR-X ensured the original Insight was almost ahead of its time. Now car adverts are being BANNED by the woke brigade! Toyota SUV ads removed for condoning driving off-road 'with no regard for environmental impact'What’s more, as with most 125s, the Monkey can be ridden on L-plates with a provisional driving licence, as long as you've taken a CBT. All of that’s true of the slightly cheaper, arguably funkier Grom, too. But that bike’s more for trendy teens. If you like a touch of classics and want a fun bike that reminds you of your youth we can’t think of any cuter introduction to motorcycling. This is also made possible thanks to stop/start technology, which can also be found on other Honda scoots; such as Britain’s best-selling PCX125. And after a day succumbing to the S660’s sweetness, I’m struggling to see why – beyond their fragile proportions not yielding spiffing crash results – we’re deprived of this motley crew of mini-cars. Europe likes its city cars strong and stylish, it would seem, and more than a little premium. But everything that’s fashionable now – shrunken three-cylinder engines, a focus on cheap tax and a U-turn on swelling dimensions – has been evident in the Japanese market for more than six decades, with little stars like the S660 peppered across that timeline.

Japanese cars are renowned for their reliability and Honda models appear to be no different; though the brand placed a middling 18th out of 32 manufacturers in our 2023 Driver Power customer satisfaction survey, only 15% of respondents reported a fault with their car within the first year of ownership – quite a bit below the industry average. From air-con to smartphone charging - how much range is wiped-out when using these nine common featuresSpain's 'anti-braking' devices detect if drivers slow down before or speed up after a fixed camera location As well as its state-of-the-art hybrid powertrain, the Insight was equally pioneering in its construction. Liberal use of light materials and a unit-body/space-frame which used stressed sheet metal panels to absorb and distribute loads as well as extruded frame members resulted a body a whole 40 per cent lighter than a contemporary Honda Civic. The bike, a Honda 160Z Monkey Bike, was said to have been owned by the Imagine and Happy Xmas (War is Over) singer and was showcased alongside the same image of Lennon and his son from 1970 when it went under the hammer a decade ago.

But not any more. The chap in the posters for the J125 may have a blonde hanging on his leather-clad arm, but he is, gulp, wearing a tie. The frame and engine are from Honda's MSX125 minibike as introduced in 2014, which also donates its wheels, brakes and front suspension, but the styling is very much inspired by the original, with the result being mouth-wateringly cute but with thoroughly modern mechanicals and manners.

Inside the interior is in red and fairly simple but shows the dashboard and steering wheel, two seats and luggage area well. It only has four gears though (although this again was uprated to five for 2021), so it does seem to run out of puff around 55mph – but that's more than enough for inner-city riding wher you also appreciate its ultra-light clutch and feather-light gearbox, meaning that changing ratios takes little effort. BUSINESS LIVE: Hargreaves Lansdown chair to exit; Water group profits slump; CMA finds 'greedflation' evidence The Monkey (and MSX) was also updated for 2021, gaining a revised, now-Euro5 compliant engine that actually gained a touch more power and a useful fifth gear. The Honda S800 Coupé produced by Atlas is in the original bright yellow shade and is a faithful replica of the original model. This model has only one opening feature, it’s bonnet. Once opened this reveals a simplified but generally correct depiction of the canted over 4 cylinder engine fed by four carburetors.