Honda Ascot History

Honda Ascot

The Honda Ascot was a name given to two motorcycles and two cars produced by Honda. The motorcycles to carry the name, the FT500 and VT500FT, were produced with the Ascot name between 1982 and 1984. The two automobiles produced as Ascots were built in two generations, the first from 1989 - 1993 and the second from 1993 - 1997.

The Honda Ascot Innova is the Japanese-market name for the Europe-bound Honda Accord between 1993 - 1997. Honda provided this car to the Rover Group, who modified the car to create its own Rover 600.

1989-93

The first Honda car with the name Ascot was announced in September 1989. This was identical to the new Honda Accord announced at the same time, save the front and rear ends. It had been created so that Honda can push the car in two different dealership channels.

1993-97

The second Honda Ascot was introduced in October 1993. It also has a sister car, the Honda Rafaga, for different retail channels. Unlike the first Ascot, however, this car was not based on the Accord. Instead, it features a 5-cylinder engine, longitudinally laid out in the engine bay, with the gearbox slotted underneath it. This layout is the same as the Acura Vigor and Acura Legend at the time. The Ascot is shorter and narrower than the Vigor, and features as its selling point a taller roofline than most Honda sedans. 2.0- and 2.5-liter engines were available.

The Ascot and Rafaga were discontinued in late 1997 as a new Honda Accord and its sister, the Accord Torneo, came on board. These were a few inches shorter and narrower than the US-bound Accord.