1972 Honda Z Coupe - 599cc/Low Ownership
The Honda Z, also known as the Honda Z360 and later Z600, was a small two-door coupé produced by Honda during the late 1960s and 1970s. Introduced as part of Honda’s growing range of compact cars, the Z combined distinctive coupé styling with the practicality and economy expected of a small Japanese car. Its unusual proportions, bright colours and sporting appearance have since made the Honda Z a particularly interesting and increasingly collectible example of Japan’s early automotive industry.
This 1972 Honda Z is a wonderfully characterful example, finished in its striking orange exterior and powered by the 599cc engine. With five previous owners, it comes with a useful collection of documentation and period material which gives the car considerably more interest than simply being a rare little Japanese classic.
The history file includes V5 documentation which helps to trace the car's ownership history, together with MOT history and an original Honda Z sales brochure. There is also a magazine article dedicated to the Honda Z models, adding useful contemporary background to this unusual little coupé.
Particularly enjoyable is the period magazine advertising that accompanies the car. The advert proudly opens with the wonderfully 1970s line, “The less you spend on a car, the more you can spend on other things”, before introducing “The Honda Coupe”. It highlights the Z's impressive specification for the period, including 40 miles per gallon, a claimed top speed of 75mph, four-speed synchromesh gearbox, overhead-camshaft engine, rack-and-pinion steering, power-assisted front disc brakes, front bucket seats and a racing mirror. It is exactly the sort of original period literature that helps bring these cars to life and illustrates how Honda positioned the Z when it was new.
The car is also accompanied by a lovely collection of photographs documenting its restoration. These provide a fascinating visual record of the work undertaken and form an important part of the car's history, allowing its condition and development to be appreciated beyond what can be seen today.
For the collector of unusual Japanese classics, the Honda Z offers something rather different. Small, distinctive and packed with period character, it represents an interesting chapter in Honda's early expansion beyond motorcycles and into the wider automotive market. The combination of the vibrant orange finish, diminutive coupé proportions and remarkably comprehensive collection of period literature and restoration photographs makes this a particularly appealing example.
A rare and engaging little Honda with provenance, period documentation and plenty of character, now offered by Milestone Classics for the next custodian to enjoy and preserve.
Viewing is strictly by appointment.
PRICE: £14995