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Most people have seen at least a few Japanese Kei vehicles in their time, even if they don’t realize it, although they are rare imports. The Scion xB would be the closest a car made for the US market would come to these small, energy efficient and cheap models that are quite common in Japan. But even in the Land of the Rising Sun, the Honda Vamos is one of the rarer and weirder Kei trucks out there.
See the lowrider culture in Japan.
Unlike many other Keis, the Vamos is designed for open-air use, like the old Jeeps. While consumers got a fabric roof and doors for these vehicles, Honda designed all switchgear and gauges to survive exposure to water and dust.
The rest of the simple interior is also made for heavy use, so it’s not hard to see how this little thing was seen as a weekend toy or a runabout in the wilderness. Buyers had the option of getting this Honda with two or four seats.
Although the spare tire mounted on the gently sloping front nose, combined with the cute round headlights, invited open comparisons to the Volkswagen Type 2 Microbus, the Honda Vamos did not have a rear-engine layout. Instead, this vehicle has the 354cc engine located in the middle of the chassis.
Most people could never quite figure out what the Vamos was all about. Like other strange vehicles that seemed to be a confused division of different market segments, this wasn’t quite a pickup, beach car, Jeep or economy car. That could have been why Japanese consumers weren’t more likely to adopt it.
Despite what the British man falsely claims in the attached video, “Vamos” is Spanish for “let’s go.” This was hardly the last time a Japanese carmaker used a Spanish word for a model name, with the Mitsubishi Pajero being a prime example of another. Still, some may find this revelation incredibly strange, but it’s possible they’re simply amazed at the strange nature of this beast.
It is claimed that only 2,500 of these strange contraptions were ever made. In other words: they failed to really resonate with the public. Some have attributed that to the lack of all-wheel drive, which runs counter to the runabout’s rugged, albeit small, image. If Honda had sent power to all four wheels, perhaps more people would have opted for a lightweight, small, maneuverable and affordable vehicle to take into the wilderness for a weekend of play.
Production only lasted from 1970 to 1973 and no brand new units were sold outside Japan. Presumably Honda decided that since it’s a Kei car, foreigners wouldn’t be all that interested in such a vehicle. The automaker was probably right. Today there is a small cult following for the Vamos in North America and elsewhere, but most are still unaware of its existence.
Images via WasabiCars/YouTube
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