More than an old car #85: Honda Legend

Hondas, like any other brand, come in all shapes and sizes. We have the small CRX, to the renowned Civic, and we have surprisingly huge ones like this 1996 Honda Legend KA9 here! I had caught a glimpse from the bus and thought it was some sort of Civic at first, but a check on the database revealed a model that I had never heard of before. I knew it was entering one of the shopping mall carparks in the vicinity and by chance, I found it lurking at a corner...

The Honda Legend was first introduced back in 1985, where it was marketed as a premium-level sedan for wealthy, middle-aged drivers. Its competitors of that day included the Toyota Crown and the Nissan Cedric. The KA9 was the third generation of the Legend and changes included the removal of the wool and leather interior, and a shift to a gated/"jagged" auto transmission compared to the straight type previously. It was powered by a 3474 cc C35A V6 engine, allowing it to reach a top speed of 215 km/h and an acceleration of 9.1 seconds [0-100 km/h]. It was much larger than its fellow siblings at 4956 mm long and weighing in at 1650 kg.

The KA9 model was stopped in 2004, and this unit here is a pre-facelift model due to the trapezoidal grille. Facelifted models, introduced in 1998, had the front grille cutting into the front bumper. Honda Legends were on sale here by the local Honda importer, Kah Motors back in 1996, and apparently salesmen who could sell them were given generous bonuses. However, this luxurious Honda did not come cheap, costing S$248,888 including COE [S$331,439 in today's money] and with the onset of the Asian Financial Crisis, sales levels plummeted. This unit is still tastefully stock along with its wheels, and I believe this is the only one left here! I guess I was quite fortunate to see this legendary vehicle not once but twice, so there is actually an element of luck present too!