The Honda model that became the company’s first production car with a turbocharged engine was the City Turbo.
Honda introduced the first-generation City in Japan in November 1981. Its unusually tall “Tallboy” body made the compact three-door hatchback surprisingly roomy, while keeping the exterior short and easy to maneuver. In September 1982, Honda added the City Turbo, using a turbocharged version of the 1,231 cc ER four-cylinder engine.
The turbocharged City was developed in part from an idea associated with Hirotoshi Honda, Soichiro Honda’s son and the founder of Mugen. Honda turned the concept into a factory production model, giving the small hatchback about 100 PS and a distinctly sporting character. The later City Turbo II added an intercooler and became famous by the nickname “Bulldog.”
A common mix-up is confusing the City Turbo with the Turbo II: the original City Turbo came first, while the intercooled Turbo II followed in 1983. The model was sold as the Honda Jazz in Europe because Opel already used the City name there.