Also on show was Honda’s new S660 concept, aimed mainly at the Japanese market, and expected to lead to a production model in 2015.

The exciting S660 clearly draws on the spirit of Honda’s small sporty models of the 1960s such as the S600, and also bears more than a passing resemblance to Renault’s Wind mini-Roadster, although unlike either of those cars, the S660 has a mid-engined layout.

Speaking at the Tokyo show, Takanobu Ito, CEO and President of Honda Motor Co, said, “This model embodies the freewheeling thinking of young Honda engineers, who want to make a cool car that is unique to Honda. Our engineers are devoting their passion and technologies to the development of this model.”