There’s a specific amount of romance to the Metropolis Turbo II. Not solely was it a pocket-sized sizzling hatch, but it surely additionally got here with a motorized scooter within the trunk. There are causes that concept didn’t take off, although.

The Honda Metropolis Turbo II was the mobility resolution for last-mile trips, promising simple transportation to the town’s edge with a technique to get you the final mile to the workplace.

With a Honda Motocompo scooter packing a 49cc engine that made 2.5 hp, it might get you as much as 18 mph. Though that’s not a staggering high velocity, it’s significantly quicker than strolling. Higher but, it matches within the trunk of the automobile it was bought with – if solely simply. Tipping the scales at 45 kg (99 lbs) it wasn’t precisely feather-light. Worse nonetheless, with it within the trunk, there wasn’t room for anything.

Learn Additionally: Polestar Previews Re:Move Electric Scooter For Last-Mile Delivery

As for the 1983 Honda Metropolis Turbo II, the sporty model of the Metropolis, it suffered from heavy, unassisted steering at low speeds and driving efficiency that, whereas rewarding, wasn’t actually attainable at low metropolis speeds.

However right this moment, graded on the bell curve of reminiscence, there’s rather a lot to like from this little oddity. Past the straightforward two-for-one pleasure of getting each a automobile and a moped in your cash, and the oh-so-80s appears of the Metropolis, you additionally get fairly dazzling efficiency for slightly automobile of the period.

It’s additionally solely barely greater than a Mini, making it a really charming automobile certainly for followers of tiny automobiles. It’s additionally nippy, reviews Prime Gear’s Jack Rix. It additionally comes with slightly area for cassette tapes, a digital turbo enhance gauge, and a refrigerated glove field.

The Metropolis Turbo II might not have caught on, however we’re actually glad Honda tried it. And that concept with the scooter still has currency today.