It’s hard to tell, but there’s actually a scooter in there. A scooter you might recognize as the Honda Express, with a 50cc engine putting down all of 3.8 horsepower. Honda created a very unsuccessful three-wheeler by putting a fiberglass body around the scooter, and called their creation the Honda Caren.
The tiny engine, in conjunction with a CVT, was still good for 35 miles per hour. As far as I can tell, the seller’s claim of this being the only one imported into the US is correct – this little thing is rare. The bodywork is designed to hold one occupant – there’s only one door – and if you look real close at the above picture, you can see a tiny wheel (which looks like it might as well be from a desk chair) to keep the front left corner of the Caren from hitting the ground in a sharp right turn. That should hopefully save you from replicating Jeremy Clarkson’s test of the Reliant Robin, which might be one of Top Gear’s best reviews ever:
This specific Honda Caren used to be part of the Bruce Weiner Microcar Museum, though all museum pieces were auctioned off in February 2013. It has 1,950 miles, and as you might guess, has been heavily modified. Modifications include the spotlamps, neon lighting around the windshield, a removable (thank God) chrome spinner, and the giant sound system in the back, which probably brings down the top speed of this Caren to 30. It was imported into Miami from Japan in 1990, and it seems it’s now time for it to have a new owner – hopefully one that will bring it back to stock?
Find this Honda Caren for sale in Fresno, California with a BIN of $79,999 (no, I did not make a typo) or best offer
