A little history
Long gone is the time an automobile should make dream its potential buyers above anything else. Today, a car has to be economical, ecological and practical, and so small boxes on wheels seem to flourish everywhere. Note that the concept on fitting as many passengers as possible in a very limited volume is nothing new – the first successful of all certainly was the original Fiat Multipla – but Japanese car makers brought it to new heights.
In December 2001, after receiving a fresh welcome and suffering from poor sales, the Honda Capa enjoyed an early retirement, giving way to a new Mobilio, more modern, more fun than its predecessor. With a relatively long wheelbase, sliding doors and a low floor, the Mobilio was a 4-metre-long-yet-roomy MPV able to seat seven. Extremely large windows were characteristic of the Mobilio, their design purportedly answering the need of putting the glazed areas low enough for young children to enjoy the scenery. As the Capa, the Mobilio could be ordered in 2- or 4-wheel-drive versions, but all through a lone “Multimatic S” continuously variable transmission.
Ten months after its release, the initial Mobilio was joined by the Mobilio Spike. Two seats were sacrificed in order to add cargo room and increase versatility. Apart from this, the Spike enjoyed a slightly different body.
Receiving only minor modification throughout their lifetime, both the Mobilio and Mobilio Spike were withdrawn in June 2008 after the announcement of the Freed, which is unfortunately larger and received a much more tortuous body. Well, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
About the model
Model: Honda Mobilio Spike
Year: 2002
Maker: Ebbro
Scale: 1/43
Distributed by: Ebbro
Acquired: brand new, in January 2007, in Hong Kong, S.A.R.
An excellent model – but is that surprising from Ebbro? Good paint and parts perfectly adjusted: it’s 15/20 for me.
Long gone is the time an automobile should make dream its potential buyers above anything else. Today, a car has to be economical, ecological and practical, and so small boxes on wheels seem to flourish everywhere. Note that the concept on fitting as many passengers as possible in a very limited volume is nothing new – the first successful of all certainly was the original Fiat Multipla – but Japanese car makers brought it to new heights.
In December 2001, after receiving a fresh welcome and suffering from poor sales, the Honda Capa enjoyed an early retirement, giving way to a new Mobilio, more modern, more fun than its predecessor. With a relatively long wheelbase, sliding doors and a low floor, the Mobilio was a 4-metre-long-yet-roomy MPV able to seat seven. Extremely large windows were characteristic of the Mobilio, their design purportedly answering the need of putting the glazed areas low enough for young children to enjoy the scenery. As the Capa, the Mobilio could be ordered in 2- or 4-wheel-drive versions, but all through a lone “Multimatic S” continuously variable transmission.
Ten months after its release, the initial Mobilio was joined by the Mobilio Spike. Two seats were sacrificed in order to add cargo room and increase versatility. Apart from this, the Spike enjoyed a slightly different body.
Receiving only minor modification throughout their lifetime, both the Mobilio and Mobilio Spike were withdrawn in June 2008 after the announcement of the Freed, which is unfortunately larger and received a much more tortuous body. Well, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
About the model
Model: Honda Mobilio Spike
Year: 2002
Maker: Ebbro
Scale: 1/43
Distributed by: Ebbro
Acquired: brand new, in January 2007, in Hong Kong, S.A.R.
An excellent model – but is that surprising from Ebbro? Good paint and parts perfectly adjusted: it’s 15/20 for me.
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