Ad Art AD-S50
Originally popularized in the mid-1980s for being a “simple car that didn’t require a regular driver’s license — only a moped license,” moped cars quickly gained traction in Japan. However, a 1985 revision of the Road Traffic Act made a regular driver’s license mandatory even for these vehicles.
As a result, moped cars gradually lost their role as accessible transport for people with limited mobility.
At one point, moped cars didn’t require registration inspections or large-scale production facilities. This allowed a wide range of manufacturers — from major companies to small-town workshops — to develop and sell them.
Most were designed as “minimal transporters,” true to the original purpose of moped cars.
In this spirit, the AD-S50 was conceived — a road-legal, toy-like vehicle born of that era. Developed by a company called Ad Art, it was sold as a limited series of just 200 units.
The name likely derives from the company name Ad Art, while “S50” suggests a 50cc engine, following in the naming tradition of Honda’s S600 and S800 sports cars (often nicknamed “Esuroku” and “Esuhachi” in Japan).
Though it wasn’t officially marketed as a shrunken replica of a Honda sports car, the catalog tagline — “He’s back, carrying my nostalgia” — strongly implied that the car’s inspiration was “that guy” (i.e., the Honda “S”).
The AD-S50 was powered by a 49cc 2-stroke engine borrowed from a Honda scooter of the time. It came equipped with a differential featuring a reverse gear, a parking brake, and optional soft-top or hard-top roof configurations.
The body dimensions were 2495 mm long and 1290 mm wide (98.2 x 50.8 inches) — just within the upper limits of moped car regulations. It rode on 10-inch wheels, the same size as those used on kei cars.
All these features make it clear that the AD-S50 wasn’t aimed at vulnerable road users in need of basic transport. Rather, it targeted stylish car lovers interested in owning a street-legal toy for adults. The featured model wore a red body, but catalog colors included yellow and white as well.
Some older car fans may associate the AD-S50 with the go-karts that ran at Honda-affiliated amusement parks like Tama Tech, which were also scaled-down, engine-powered Honda replicas. In fact, there are scattered claims online suggesting a connection between the AD-S50 and the karts used at Tama Tech or Suzuka. However, upon closer inspection, they are completely different vehicles.
Ultimately, the trend of comically miniaturizing real classic cars into moped-size vehicles never really took off and eventually faded away. While Mitsuoka successfully carried on that philosophy in the full-size car world, Ad Art’s miniature “S” quietly disappeared into the waves of history.
