Honda Motor Co., Ltd. is a Japanese manufacturer of automobiles, motorcycles and power equipment. The headquarters is located in Tokyo.
The brand is known as one of the largest car manufacturers in the world. Honda in 1986 was the first among Japanese manufacturers to introduce a premium brand Acura Toyota and Nissan later followed suit.
Soichiro Honda, the founder of the company, has been interested in cars since childhood. His father ran a forge and often took jobs repairing bicycles and other mobile equipment. Therefore, Soichiro, who helped him, was well versed in mechanics. Later, he went to work in a car repair shop, where he established himself as a talented inventor and racer. Over time, he opened his own repair shop.
In 1946, Soichiro Honda founded the "Honda Technical Research Institute", which produced small motors and mopeds. In 1948, the Honda Motor Company appeared, producing motorcycles. Around the same time, Honda hires experienced engineer Kihachiro Kawashima and meets Takeo Fujisawa, who is considered the second founding father of the company. Together they created a world-famous automaker, with Honda focusing on the technical side and Takeo Fujisawa handling marketing and commerce.
The brand started assembling cars in the 60s, quite late compared to the rest of the "monsters" of the automotive industry. The Japanese government resisted the company's entry into competition with Nissan, Toyota and Mitsubishi, believing that this would negatively affect the interests of the country. However, Honda's debut was stubborn and ambitious. When the Japanese Ministry of International Trade and Industry announced the start of the People's Car program in May 1955, the company said it would be in business. The program provided for the creation of a four-seater car with a maximum speed of up to 100 km / h at a price of 150,000 yen.
To develop the car, Honda hired nearly 50 engineers in 1957 and set up a new research and development center. Contrary to expectations, the prototypes were tested for a long time and all did not find their production implementation. Honda was a perfectionist and spent a lot of time making sure the quality of his debut car.
On October 25, 1962, during the Japan National Auto Show, Honda presents three new models: the S360 and S500 sports cars, and the T360 small truck. Despite a warm reception, the S360 never made it to market. The main reason is that the S500 model was more relevant at that time.
The S500 used a high-tech engine with maximum torque at 9500 rpm. With a volume of 531 cubic meters. cm he gave out 44 hp at 8000 rpm. A car weighing 680 kg accelerated to 129 km / h.
Honda S500 (1963-1964)
In 1964, Honda announces plans to take part in Formula 1, opens a representative office in France, and the S500 becomes the winner in the 600-kilometer race at the Nürburgring. In 1965, the brand wins Formula 1 in its class.
In 1966, the elegant N360 appears. A small two-door received front-wheel drive and a four-stroke two-cylinder 354-cc air-cooled engine that developed 31 hp. N600 model variant with big engine was developed with the aim of entering the US and European markets. He became the first car of the brand, which was officially exported to the United States.
In 1970, the company opens two new research centers: one dedicated to road safety, the other to reducing pollution. environment. A year later, presented new motor Compound Vortex Controlled Combustion (CVCC), which complied with the performance and emission levels of the Clean Air Act, which appeared only in 1975.
In 1971, a representative office in Brazil also opens and the Life model appears. Compared to other small cars, this car offered a different level of passenger comfort. The 356 cc power unit was equipped with a water cooling system and produced 30 hp. at 8000 rpm. The maximum speed was 105 km / h. The motor was quiet and smooth running, the gearbox was separated from it.
Honda Life (1971-1974)
1972 is the year of the appearance of the legendary Civic models, which conquered the whole world with its reliability, quality and inexpensive price. Initially, it was produced as a small car. The car has gone through several generations, getting bigger and bigger.
The first generation was equipped with a four-cylinder water-cooled engine with a volume of 1169 cubic meters. see and front-wheel drive system. Despite its small size, it offered impressive interior space and was quite comfortable for passengers. The Civic also received disc front brakes, a wood-trimmed dashboard, air conditioning, and a radio.
The success of the model was greatly contributed fuel crisis, forcing buyers to choose economical cars. Compared to competitors, Civic allowed the driver to switch from one type of fuel to another, which gave him a significant competitive advantage.
Honda Civic (1972)
In 1974, the oil crisis broke out in Japan and all companies significantly reduced production volumes. All except Honda, which, on the contrary, doubled them, reducing the price to a reasonable one. This helped increase sales by 76%.
To stimulate growth in sales, the brand launched the Honda Credit System program, which allows you to buy cars on credit. Another step towards increasing sales volumes was quite successful.
In 1976, a compact Honda Accord which has become very popular all over the world. The model was presented in the body of a three-door hatchback. The sale of the sedan started next year. In 1978, a 1.8-liter power unit was added to the base 1.6-liter engine. Since 1979, the model received an optional three-stage automatic transmission. Already in 1980, Honda Accord sales reached 1 million units.
Honda Accord (1976)
In 1979, the automaker opens the Tochigi test site to test new models. A year later, the company is called one of the largest car manufacturers in Japan.
In 1981, two new models are released: Vigor and City. In the same year, the five millionth car rolls off the assembly line, and Honda shares begin to be listed on the London Stock Exchange. In 1986, the 4WS four-wheel steering system appears, and the brand's factory begins to operate in Canada. In 1990, the Dream model was introduced, powered by solar panels.
In 1991, Soichiro Honda, the founder of the company, dies at the age of 85. In 1996, the Automatic Torque Distribution System (ATTS) was introduced, the Logo and Stepwgn models appeared. The same year saw the release of the EV PLUS, the first electric vehicle to use lead-acid batteries. Its engine developed 66 hp. The driving range on one charge was 160 km. In 1999, the model was discontinued, announcing the release of the first Honda Insight hybrid car.
In 1999, the Honda Insight was introduced, a hybrid car in the form of a three-door hatchback. The car received an aerodynamically optimized body, lightweight aluminum construction and a 1.0-liter three-cylinder engine with 67 hp, which is complemented by a 13-horsepower electric motor.
In 2001, Honda Fit comes out, which is called Jazz in some markets. This model later received hybrid and electric modifications. The first generation was equipped with a 1.3-liter engine with a CVT, as well as an all-wheel drive and front-wheel drive system. The model was very warmly received by experts and named "Car of the Year" in Japan.
Honda Fit (2001)
On June 16, 2008, Honda Motors launched the first hydrogen-powered car. fuel cells FCX Clarity, which does not emit any harmful substances into the atmosphere. The result of fuel combustion is only heat and water vapor. The car is equipped with a regenerative braking system and a 134-horsepower electric motor. A full tank of hydrogen is enough to overcome about 386 km. In 2009, the model received the title of "Global Green Car of the Year".
In 2010, a sports car with a hybrid gasoline-electric transmission is released. Honda CR-Z, whose name means Compact Renaissance Zero. This inexpensive and efficient car in 2010 was named "Car of the Year" in Japan.
The model received a 1.5-liter inline-four engine internal combustion and electric motor. Total power power plant amounted to 122 hp The fuel consumption level is 4 liters per 100 kilometers.
Honda CR-Z (2010)
Official sales of Honda cars in Russia began in 2004, when a representative office of the brand was opened in our country - Honda Motor RUS LLC. The most popular models in Russian buyers are Civic, Accord and CR-V. In 2006, the company launched the Driving Safety Program in Russia.
Enterprises now Honda Motor are located in countries such as China, USA, Canada, UK, Pakistan, Belgium, Brazil, Mexico, New Zealand, Malaysia, Indonesia, India, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Turkey, Taiwan, Peru and Argentina. The brand is known not only for its advanced views on the cars of the future, but also for large-scale experiments in the field of creating humanoid robots.
In 1946, the Japanese automobile company Honda was founded. Its founder, Soichiro Honda, did not have the necessary engineering education, but he compensated for all the gaps with risk and accurate instinct. So, in 1947, the first Honda moped was introduced, which was a modernized bicycle with a single-stroke power unit. At first, Soichiro's customers were his friends, who liked a reliable and compact scooter that can work in any conditions. However, after the release of the moped version with a two-stroke engine, success was not long in coming.
In 1949, the first Honda Dream motorcycle was introduced, which was equipped with a 0.1-liter engine with a power of 1/2 horsepower. In the same year, Takeo Fujisawa joins Honda and quickly takes the position of head of sales, while Honda focuses on the technological side of the brand.
By 1952, Honda is firmly established in Tokyo, and also expands its production by opening a factory for the production of Shirako engines. In the same year, a new update of the Dream motorcycle was released, which received a power unit with a capacity of 1.2 horsepower.
By 1959, the company expanded its range of motorcycles to 6 models. different classes, all local motorcycle racing competitions have been won, and the stock value of the brand has been continuously growing, ranking tenth in value among all public companies in Japan. The turnover of motorcycles is so extensive that in 1959 the company was officially considered the largest motorcycle manufacturer on the planet, and at the end of 1959 a branch of the brand was opened in the United States of America.
Thanks to a well-thought-out development strategy of the company, all Honda plants responsible for the production of various components stand out in individual companies, and the head office in Tokyo becomes the base for the Honda conglomerate. In the first half of the 60s of the 20th century, the company consistently entered the markets of Germany, Taiwan and Belgium, bringing the total number of motorcycles produced to 10 thousand copies per day.
However, Soichiro Honda has a new dream, which, it would seem, is not destined to come true - he submitted the project of the company's first car for discussion at the registration chamber of Japan, which was refused in a strict form. Since the government of the country was not interested in creating another car brand that could interfere with the development of other car companies, creating internal competition.
However, in 1963, a compact sports coupe Honda S500, and in 1964 a small delivery truck T360 saw the light. In the same year, the company made a surprise debut in Formula 1 racing, trying to use the elite motorsport competitions as an opportunity to improve the technology to create new cars. So, the team takes part in the Grand Prix of France and Germany, and also participates in the Grand Prix of the United States of America as a special guest on the occasion of the release of the millionth Honda motorcycle in the United States. However, Honda cemented its place in the championship with its first victory at the 1965 Mexican Grand Prix. In 1968, the team leaves the Formula 1 racing championship due to the death of one of its drivers, Frenchman Jo Schlesser.
In 1969, thanks to the right strategic decision, the company entered the motorcycle markets of Mexico, Argentina and Brazil, and sales of Honda cars began in Italy.
In 1972, Honda released compact hatchback Honda Civic, which many experts called too simple, and sales were not successful at first. However, a year later, the company updates the Civic power unit, reducing fuel consumption by 45%, and in 1974 the global fuel crisis begins, which negatively affects most automakers around the world, especially in Japan, where Toyota and Nissan were forced to reduce their production volumes. At that time, retired Soichiro offers the widow to increase the production of Civic, while reducing the cost of the car, in the hope of profiting from high sales, and his decision is bearing fruit. It was sold almost twice more cars brand "Honda", than for all previous years combined. The company's cars were in particular demand in the United States of America, where buyers turned their attention to small and economical cars. At the peak of its success, in 1975, the company began to offer the opportunity to borrow your car, thus bypassing the need to cooperate with banks, where lending rates were too high and few buyers resorted to their services.
And in 1976, Honda releases the Accord, which is positioned as an inexpensive family car. The second generation Accord began to be produced already at Honda's factories in the USA in 1982, providing the most attractive price in the class.
In 1981, the concern sets another record by producing more than 5 million power units, as well as concluding agreements on the transfer of their technologies for the production of economical engines with brands such as Chrysler, Ford and Suzuki.
After 2 years, Honda returns to Formula 1 racing as an engine partner of the McLaren team, resulting in 6 wins in the individual competition and the same number of victories in the Constructors' Championship. The production of motorcycles for participation in the Paris-Dakar races, where Honda has been the sole leader for more than 20 years, also begins.
In 1986, Honda's subsidiary Akura entered the American automobile market, which specializes in the production of luxury versions of Honda cars, thus pushing brands such as Cadillac and Lincoln into the background in terms of sales. Further, the example of Honda was followed by Nissan and Toyota, founding Infiniti and Lexus, respectively.
By 1990, Honda becomes the fourth largest automaker in the United States and Canada in sales, and also ranks second in Japan and Europe, significantly ahead of all other competitors. In the same year, completely new supercar NSX, which was supposed to compete with cars legendary brand"Ferrari".
By 1995, the company has in its model range cars of all existing classes, and also begins development in the field alternative energy, introducing a new generation of gas and hydrogen engines, as well as opening two research centers and state-of-the-art factories in the US and China.
By 2000, the company is the third largest sales of civilian cars and motorcycles in the world, continuously investing in new technologies. Thus, in 2003, the world's first cars on the market of the United States of America were presented. hybrid engine, and in 2005 the first generation of ecocars was released, which used only hydrogen engines and solar panels.
In 2006, the company returns to Formula 1 again, putting up its own team with the support of the tobacco giant BAT, but apart from the only victory won in the debut year, nothing grandiose is celebrated. In 2009, the company, having already created a new car for the next Formula 1 season, unexpectedly announces its retirement from the competition, due to the fact that the consequences of the global economic crisis have affected the company's well-being much more seriously than previously thought. And the Japanese government has promised to impose additional taxes on the brand if it continues to invest in other countries. Thus, the company left its team, selling it for $1 to Ross Brawn, who has been building the car since 2009. The team under his name wins both championships, and Honda CEO Takeo Fukui resigns due to a misguided sports strategy.
In 2010, the renewal of the entire model range of the company begins, which gradually increases the demand for Honda cars, returning it to its leading position. A year later, the company announces the start of work on second-generation electric motors, which, as promised by the Honda management in the person of the new manager Takanobu Ito, will go on sale in 2015 and will be installed on all current models of the brand. In 2012, the company opens another representative office in China, separating into a separate structure the factories for the production of its products for automotive market Central Asia.
In 2013, one of the largest insurance companies in the UK, Warranty Direct, together with the Whatcar portal, conducted a study in which 38 representatives of the global automotive industry took part. According to its results, Honda cars were recognized as the most reliable. It is worth noting that such high results the company showed the eighth year in a row. In the same study, powertrain failure probability ratios were calculated for each vehicle, and here Honda again won its honorable first place with a score of 0.29%.
In the same year, Honda cars, according to the results of crash tests conducted by the US Highway Safety Institute, were included in the list of the safest vehicles in the country. The essence of the test was that for each participant it was modeled head-on collision with a half-meter concrete curb. As a result, the safest cars included: Honda Civic 4D and 2D, Honda Odyssey, Honda Accord 2D and 4D, Acura MDX, Acura RLX and Acura TL.
In 2015, the agency J.D. power. The study involved 100 representatives of each brand. Honda with a score of 116 took the fifth position in the ranking, thereby once again confirming the high quality and safety of their cars.
At the beginning of the same year, the premiere took place in Chicago. Honda crossover Pilot 3rd generation in a new body. In early 2016, the car will appear on Russian market in three sets. And in 2017, it is planned to enter the European market for the updated tenth-generation Civic hatchback with a 1.5-liter turbo engine with a capacity of 175 horsepower, which is paired with a CVT. It is possible that with a successful start, the car will appear in Russia.
Soichiro Honda was a famous visionary of the automotive industry. A man of limited means but great talent forever changed the way we drive today. In this brief history only some interesting stages of his long and glorious biography are highlighted.
Future Napoleon from mechanics
In the small village of Komyo near Tenryu, now the city of Hamamatsu, lived Gihei Honda - an honest, experienced blacksmith with his wife Mika - a skilled weaver. Gihei ran a bicycle repair shop. On November 17, 1906, Soichiro was born to the couple. Despite the fact that the family was poor, the son was brought up in a happy environment, although a little strict. Like his father, Honda (see photo below) had a love for mechanics, and like his father, he had skillful hands. He was not inclined to cause inconvenience to others and grew up appreciating time, always arriving on time for all his meetings.
At the age of 8-9, he first saw a car drive past him on a rough and dusty rural road. Soichiro found the exhaust fumes charming, and the roar of the engine sounded like music to him. Coming to a tiny puddle of gasoline left by a passing miracle, he knelt down, dipped his fingers into it and inhaled. The boy felt mesmerized by the smell, and from then on he dreamed only of cars and engines. At elementary school in Futamata, Souichiro's classes dragged on for ages, waiting for the bell to spend his free time in his father's workshop. Pedals, chains and wheels were his toys when he helped Gihei with repairs.
Work in "Art Shokay"
When Honda was 16 years old, he saw an advertisement for the Art Shokai car workshop in Tokyo. The car service was popular because it provided the best repair services in town. It wasn't a job ad, but Souichiro wrote to management asking for him to be an apprentice. Having received a positive response, a week later the dreamer left for Tokyo.
Soichiro Honda was delighted to see the urbanized capital of the country. For the first few months, the apprentice did small chores like making tea or mopping the floors. The elders took him under their wing and observed his patience and devotion to the company. He quickly learned the nuances of auto repair and earned a reputation as a hardworking mechanic. His enthusiasm for hard work, ability to improvise, and intuitive understanding of mechanics have served him well. It was here that he learned how to make piston rings under the guidance of his boss, Yuzo Sakakibara. Soichiro not only learned how to repair work, but also how to deal with customers, and the importance of taking pride in his technical competence and work. He received not only theoretical knowledge, but also such necessary work skills as forging and welding.
Branch Head
The young man lived his dream, but everything changed on September 1, 1923. A great earthquake in Japan brought destruction and death. More than 140 thousand people died as a result of the tragedy. While the senior employees left to rebuild their homes and lives, Soichiro stayed in the workshop. Tragedy turned into a blessing for this aspiring engineer, who was given the opportunity to repair his clients' motorcycles and cars.
Honda has become an indispensable asset of the Art Shokai workshop. In 1928, the company expanded rapidly and the owners decided to open branches in other cities. The 22-year-old Soichiro was put in charge of the Hamamatsu branch. The new responsibilities gave him enough time to build racing cars from old parts and chassis. It also gave him the opportunity to test his talent as an inventor. Soichiro built and installed a completely overhauled Ford engine from scratch. Showing a speed of more than 160 km / h, the car broke the record of the Japanese race track. Soichiro worked day and night on his creations.
By that time, the Hamamatsu branch had more than 30 employees. In October of the same year, Honda married Sati. She began helping her husband run the company, taking over the catering and bookkeeping duties. The racing enthusiast personally drove his cars until he had an accident in 1936 that almost ended fatal. He withdrew from racing at the urging of his wife and father.
Own business
In 1937, Soichiro Honda (pictured in the article) invested his savings of $ 3,200 in a company manufacturing piston rings Tokai Seiki Heavy Industry. His short tenure at a previous job came in handy when he opened his factory in Hamamatsu. The company supplied piston rings to Toyota and then to the Japanese Imperial Army and Air Force. Soichiro's first lesson came when a batch of 3,000 of his piston rings supplied to Toyota failed inspection. It was a big blow to the company's finances. But the resilient Honda learned a valuable lesson in quality control and returned to business. He decided to enter the Institute of Industry in Hamamatsu and study metallurgy for two years.
During the Sino-Japanese War and later, during World War II, the company's sales tripled. It was also a time of frustration for Honda, who could no longer build racing cars. Gradually, the number of male employees in the company, whose workforce had already risen to two thousand, was reduced as they were called up for war. They were replaced by inexperienced women. It was then that Soichiro realized the need to automate production.
The attack on Pearl Harbor brought the war to the shores of Japan. Allied air forces bombed the airbase at Hamamatsu. During the raid, the Honda plant was partially destroyed. But he restored it and the assembly line.
sabbatical
In 1945, another earthquake shook the city, and this time luck was not on Honda's side. The plant was so badly damaged that Soichiro had neither the means nor the desire to restore it. Having sold the Toyota plant, Honda took a year-long sabbatical. He entered the technical college in Hamamatsu and studied automotive engineering, but did not show up for his final exams. Soichiro became an engineer without a degree.
After World War II, Japan was devastated. Public and private transportation has been hit hard. The country rallied with courage to restore its pre-war glory. Manufacturers in all industries sought with religious zeal to achieve high quality products at affordable prices. Nevertheless, the automotive industry was still at a crossroads in the creation of a vehicle that would "carry" the country to prosperity.
Bicycle with petrol engine
In October 1946, Soichiro established the Honda Research Institute. He purchased tiny two-strokes from the army. radial engines and adapted them to bicycles. A cheap gasoline-powered bicycle instantly became popular with people who could not afford expensive cars.
In 1948, Honda founded its own motorcycle factory. Further research and development led to the Type-A model. The competition was fierce, as Honda was only one of the country's 200 motorized vehicle manufacturers. Soichiro's ingenuity and word of mouth made Honda's first motorcycle a hit. And the advent of the "Dream" Type-D model changed the Japanese two-wheeled industry forever.
Honda: dream price
Soichiro had a principle - "good products need a good marketing strategy." The name "Dream" was suggested by close friends, as Honda had always dreamed of making elegant yet powerful cars. Unfortunately, the financial position of the company was not in best condition. Soichiro was a great engineer but a terrible businessman who was unable to control his expenses or cut his losses. The company was rapidly losing money, jeopardizing the dream of its founder. As Soichiro was contemplating the future of the enterprise, Takeo Fujisawa appeared at his doorstep.
Savior Companion
It was 1950 when Fujisawa met 44-year-old lone manufacturer Soichiro, owner of a motorcycle factory. He shared his passion for cars and they could talk about them for hours. By the end of the day, Fujisawa walked out with a job, though without any formal contract. He took over the control of the company's business operations, while Soichiro devoted all his time to research and development.
Creating engines of the highest quality became Honda's highest priority, and as a result, the Type E model was launched. The motorcycle featured a 5.5 hp 4-stroke engine. With. Fujisawa's business acumen led to the production of the Type Cub, a light motorized vehicle with an engine capacity of 50 cc. see This inexpensive model won the hearts and hopes of thousands of Japanese who could not afford to buy a car.
Soichiro Millionaire
To meet the growing needs, the growing company built new factories and research laboratories. In 1955, Honda Motors secured financial security through a public initial public offering on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. By the end of 1956, the company had become Japan's leading motorcycle manufacturer, and Soichiro and his close friend Fujisawa had amassed a multi-million dollar fortune.
Honda's motto is based on the philosophy of three joys:
- The joy of production experienced by engineers and manufacturers.
- The joy of selling for promoters and sales teams.
- Joy of Purchase: Soichiro's greatest reward is when a customer is satisfied with the product.
During the Korean War in the 1950s, sales skyrocketed as American troops began using Japanese vehicles for their logistics operations. Even the country's shipbuilding and steel industries benefited from the ongoing war. High quality, reliable engines and low prices have made Honda the US military's most preferred logistical partner. Fujisawa saw an opportunity for growth and developed the company's successful high-productivity manufacturing system. The financial situation of Honda Motors was in such good condition like never before. Motorcycles "Honda" played important role in the development of the country. Despite his successes, 52-year-old Soichiro was still a boy at heart who never disdained to get his hands dirty.
America's conquest
In 1959, Honda Motors entered the US market. It was dominated by local heavy-duty motorcycle manufacturers such as Harley Davidson and Indian. The company was located in Los Angeles, but could not attract customers. The average American believed that only criminals and police officers rode motorcycles.
Honda wanted to change perception target audience. For this, a unique marketing strategy was adopted. The company showed off its motorcycles at hardware stores, sports equipment stores, and even supermarkets. When the Super Cub arrived in the US, it changed the way young Americans commuted to work.
In the first year, the American branch managed to sell 15,000 units, which was an excellent result for a foreign company. Nevertheless, Soichiro hatched ambitious plans. He wanted to sell 15,000 units a month. As always, Fujisawa stepped in and began selling non-traditional Japanese-style motorcycles. The company's sales department transported trailers loaded with them from city to city.
The unique distribution method worked and sales skyrocketed. The 1958 Super Cub was redesigned for the American market. The high-quality and attractive motorcycle was considered one of the best in the USA. Lightweight female frame, simple operation, low maintenance costs and simple design have made it popular among the fairer sex. Characteristic Honda Super Cub in terms of fuel consumption made it possible to call the motorcycle the most economical in the country. American version had a 50 cc engine. cm and a capacity of 4.5 liters. With.
For the production of this model in Suzuka (Japan), a new Honda factory was built, the cost of which was 10 billion yen, designed to produce 30 thousand vehicles in one shift or 50 thousand in two. The enterprise became the largest in the world, and mass production reduced costs by 18%.
Race with yourself
Honda Motor Company has penetrated deeply into the American motorcycle market. But Souichiro wanted more. One day he visited his own research center and shocked the team by announcing his participation in motorcycle racing. His passion and need for speed showed up again. In 1959, the Honda team raced on the Isle of Man and openly opposed their rivals. What seemed like a bold move became a strategic move that pushed the company's technological boundaries. The technology, developed for racing, has subsequently been applied to consumer motorcycles. An unsuccessful start due to constant engine failures and other technical failures for Soichiro became a learning process, and he, in spite of everything, constantly maintained a high morale of the team, aiming it at victory. Success came in 1961 when Honda won the first 5 positions in the 125cc and 250cc categories. cm.
world conquest
To capitalize on the success of racing motorcycles, Soichiro began to expand into overseas markets. In 1964, the American branch of the company sponsored the Academy Awards and the Super Bowl. It instantly attracted attention and converted into 100k sales per month. The "You'll meet the nicest people at Honda" ad campaign created huge consumer demand. The campaign was a true reflection of its founder. In the 60-second commercial, a young mother drops her child off at school in her Honda and drives into a nearby store. Aesthetically perfect black and white advertising showed people from different backgrounds riding motorcycles of this brand. Later color commercials featured boys and girls in Hondas to appeal to young Americans.
"Formula 1"
The founder of Honda conquered the global motorcycle market, but he wanted to conquer even greater heights. He once again shocked the developers by announcing the start of car production. It was a practical step as the company had all the resources and technical experience to solve this problem. But Honda faced an obstacle - Japanese trade and industry did not issue licenses for the creation of new car productions. This depressed Soichiro, who was passionately carried away by them.
In order to morally defeat politicians, he began performing in Formula 1 races. The idea was to produce faster and cheaper cars while still maintaining international quality standards. Participation in the "Formula 1" helped the company to quickly introduce innovations, subsequently used in consumer models. The first season of the Honda team in 1964 was full of disappointments and setbacks. But the CEO backed up the engineering team. The next year was promising, but also ended in failure. Soichiro Honda began to worry if his success was limited to motorcycles.
Then came the high point of the team when it won the Mexican Grand Prix. In 1967, Honda took pole position in the Italian Grand Prix. She performed much better on the Formula 2 tracks, winning 11 times in a row. The company promoted its technology through motorsports.
dream come true
Soichiro Honda lobbied the government and got permission to build a small number of cars. He was involved in the company's research and design process. His European tour was a revelation to him when Soichiro stumbled upon a compact Fiat. It was smaller, maneuvered easily in traffic, burned less fuel and required less parking space.
Inspired by their European counterparts, engineers built the Honda Civic. The first car to wear the Honda badge featured an innovative pre-combustion diesel engine that emits less carbon dioxide and pollutants. The model has successfully passed the test of compliance with strict environmental laws United States, causing anger American manufacturers. Sales exceeded even bold expectations, and Honda Civic became number one in the United States, displacing eminent automobile concerns.
In 1973, the company decided to build a plant in Marysville, the Accord began to be produced in 1982. In the same year, the Accura brand was launched with the addition of Integra and Legend. The Accura NSX was Japan's first supercar.
On the 25th anniversary of Honda Motors, Soichiro Honda and Tekeo Fujisawa left the company. The genius passed his offspring into the hands of the younger generation at the height of the technological and infrastructural power of the enterprise.
Life in retirement
But the skill of Honda did not leave him. He spent hours in his private garage restoring and stripping engines. At the invitation of the British Museum, he repaired an antique car and drove it from London to Brighton.
66-year-old Soichiro Honda is a retired Japanese Goodwill Ambassador. He met with many prominent personalities, built bridges between East and West. He welcomed the transfer of automobile production to the US in 1974 and their sale worldwide. Honda did not forget about his offspring and often visited the company's research laboratories to keep abreast the latest technologies. Souichiro gleefully admitted that the innovations are intriguing, but he fails to understand them. The master breathed his last on August 5, 1991. He died due to liver failure. The dreamer left his beliefs, ideas and spirit with Honda motor corporation.
- The founder of the company, Soichiro Honda, did not have a higher education diploma.
- Honda began manufacturing motorized bicycles in 1946, and by 1964, his company had become the largest motorcycle manufacturer in the world.
- Soichiro Honda was the first Japanese to be inducted into the American Automobile Hall of Fame. This happened in 1983.
- The Super Cub, which debuted in 1958, was selling 165,000 units a month by 1960. More than 60 million motorcycles of this model have already been sold worldwide.
- The market value of Honda is greater than that of General Motors and Ford combined.
- The company is not limited to motorcycles and cars. It manufactures jet skis, ATVs, airplanes, mountain bikes, lawn mowing equipment, and more. In addition, Honda is actively involved in robotics, developing models that can walk, run, dance, avoid obstacles and even conduct an orchestra.
Honda is a manufacturer of automotive and motorcycle equipment that has won worldwide recognition. The company was founded in Japan and has been able to achieve incredible success throughout its history.
The range of motorcycles produced by Honda includes a variety of motorcycles and ATVs. The corporation produces both street-models of motorcycles, and sports, and heavy motorcycles. The volume of engines varies from 50 to 1900 sq. cm. The main consumer is Asian countries, and the average annual revenue is growing by 12-15% every year.
The model range of motor vehicles includes the following product classes:
- classic models of lightweight control;
- cross motorcycles;
- cruiser models of motor vehicles;
- small-capacity motorcycles;
- models of the “super sport” class;
- tourist motorcycles;
- motorcycles of a universal type.
The corporation is constantly modernizing its production, equipping it with the latest technicians and improving the skills of specialists. This approach to work provided the company with a resounding success among consumers and brought products far beyond the borders of the state.
History of Honda
Honda was founded in 1948 in Japan. The first founder was Soitro Honda, after whom the corporation is named. In 1948, Honda employed no more than 20 people.
By 1950, the company began developing motorcycles that were powered by four-stroke engines. These models brought the first wave of popularity of the company.
Until the early 60s, motorcycles manufactured by the company actively participated in races, in which they won only first positions. Also during this period, the total sales turnover and profit of the company increased significantly, which amounted to more than 60 million dollars.
The advantage of Honda motorcycles was that they were much lower in price than other manufacturers, but had high rate total power. such a marketing move allowed the company to quickly take a large share of the motorcycle market.
After such success, the company began to invest even more in product and technology research, creating motors with even higher volume indicators. current Honda motorcycles - best models of its kind, which have no analogues in the whole world.
The history of Honda models is fascinating and diverse. Let's start with the oldest models.
1925 Honda
Honda was born in 1906. From the age of five, he helped his father, first in the forge, and then in the mechanical workshop. The family lived in a fairly developed suburb of the regional center of Hamamatsu, where two hundred horse-drawn carts had the same number of bicycles. And when the boy was finishing school, a Ford T appeared in the town, which became a revelation for him: “When this miracle stopped, oil dripped from it. Like a dog, I crouched on the ground and inhaled its magical smell, got my hands and face dirty and swore that one day I would build a car myself. A childhood dream came true surprisingly quickly.
In 1922, Honda-father got a job as a mechanic in the best metropolitan dealership Art Shokai, who specialized in European models upper class. And his son Soichiro Honda turned into Chekhov's Vanka Zhukov - the teenager was instructed to look after the master's children. There would be no happiness, but misfortune helped: in the first hours after the catastrophic earthquake in Tokyo, where 100,000 people died, a sixteen-year-old boy, who had never driven, managed to drive a huge limousine to help the victims. After this incident, the boy's fantastic career growth began - the boss, obsessed with motorsport, appointed Soichiro as a full-time mechanic at the racing Art Daimler, which acted under the flag of the dealership.
Soon Honda was entrusted with the creation and fine-tuning of one of the first cars in Japan. True, the car was built on the basis of foreign mechanisms. The American Miller chassis was supplied with an overseas 100-horsepower Curtiss V8 mined at a nearby airbase. On this self-propelled Honda won its first race - the Japanese Chairman's Trophy.
In 1928, with the support of the boss, Honda opened in his native Hamamatsu a branch of the capital's Art Shokai with a staff of 15 people. He turned out to be the youngest top manager in Japan. The guy, who was not even thirty, became a local celebrity - the owner of the couple expensive cars and "Harley", a frequenter of establishments with geishas.
Parallel Honda led own business: managed a restaurant opened with his sisters, built excellent sports boats and was engaged in inventions. The latter made him a wealthy man. For the use of a patent for metal spoked wheels, which replaced wooden ones in many Asian countries, he received 1,000 yen a month - many Japanese have never seen such money in their entire lives. Superprofits and helped to realize a childhood dream. Honda finally built his car. And racing. He named the car after his hometown - Hamamatsu.
The basis for the car was the Ford chassis. Ford's V8 was boosted with a mechanical supercharger. With this car, Soichiro and his brother Benjiro, who accompanied him as a mechanic, were in the lead throughout the entire distance in the "All Japan Speed Competition". However, at the finish line, the crew got into terrible accident, having flown into the lagging "circular" in the last turn. After several somersaults, Hamamatsu landed upside down. Honda got off easy - a dislocation of the forearm and a broken arm. However, in his career as a racer, he decided to put an end to it. Over the next ten years, he still remained the fastest Japanese - one of the circles of the All-Japan High-Speed Competition, his car raced at an average speed of 120 km / h. This national record was broken only after the end of World War II.
The first car brand Honda. The prototype was created under the guidance of engineer Yoshio Nakamura, who worked on aircraft during the war. Previously, he had nothing to do with the automotive industry. His "not blinkered" look at the terms of reference and allowed the XI90 to avoid a typical fate Japanese car of those times - to be a copy of one or another English model. The original roadster was equipped with a 360cc V4 engine. Through the chain, he set the front wheels in motion. A very bold decision! Alas, tests revealed insufficient loading rear axle, so the unique scheme had to be abandoned.
The prototype itself has not survived. Only the photo remained. The second from the left is the entertainer Nakamura, whose idea was implemented by the Americans in 1965 on the Oldsmobile Tornado and Cadillac Eldorado. Like the Japanese X190, in these cars the engine turned the front wheels through a chain.
Honda's first production car was a small three-meter pickup truck, which, despite its utility, was very advanced technically. Honda T360 had a real central-engine layout - the engine was located under the seat. And what an engine! With a displacement of just 0.36 liters, the inline-four sported water-cooling, roller-driven double overhead camshafts and four carburetors. No wonder she developed an impressive 30 horsepower at 8500 rpm! In fact, Honda released the world's first charged pickup truck, made in a very impressive edition. In four years, the company has sold 100,000 Honda T360s.
It is no coincidence that the debut of the S500 roadster took place at the Suzuka circuit built by Honda, where one of the stages of the F1 championship is now held. It was a real extreme car, capable of competing with the MG Midget itself - the standard among light sports cars of those years. He outwardly resembled an English rival, but the design was the only concession that Honda made, justified for image reasons. The car used the original XI90 prototype platform with a fully independent suspension(European competitors could not boast of such a chassis). Drive - rear. Moreover, each wheel was served by a separate aluminum chain. Under the hood beat a four-cylinder "heart" with a volume of only 0.5 liters.
However, the engine was a very complex design and therefore gave out a solid 44 hp. With. The roadster with a curb weight of 725 kg gained up to 130 km / h. And the modification of the S600 (0.6 l), presented soon, could race at a speed of 145 km / h, almost not inferior in dynamics to competitors with engines of one and a half to two liters. In terms of handling, the Honda surpassed most of them. However, the merits of his offspring Soichiro Honda had yet to prove in Europe, where on any japanese car then looked down upon.
Therefore, courtesy calls were made to Ferry Porsche and Colin Chapman. Sports Honda performed with demonstration races before the F1 stages. As a result, the model has collected good press in Europe. Special praise was given to the motor, which spins up to 10,000 rpm without any problems - as on racing motorcycle! No wonder the journalists called this engine a diamond in the class up to one liter.
Soichiro Honda could only enjoy life. For his soul, he had races and sports cars, and a comfortable existence was ensured by the production of motorcycles and power equipment (generators, lawn mowers, etc.). It was the joys of the soul that the all-powerful Ministry of Foreign Trade and Industry took up arms against. I must say that big business in Japan has long been "under the hood" of the state.
Therefore, officials often made decisions that in Europe and America can only be taken by the heads of large corporations. However, this practice often helped protect the interests of ordinary buyers. So, a directive from above called “Plan people's car". He demanded to have in the production program a cheap model priced no more than 250,000 yen. At first, Honda ignored the government's demand, but when an administrative ax was raised over the company, Honda designed the affordable N360 minicar. IN this case the Japanese prudently took advantage of foreign experience - the novelty unambiguously resembled the British Mini both externally and in design. Only the engines were original, air-cooled. The N360 unexpectedly became a bestseller. Demand far exceeded supply. Therefore, the company urgently built a new plant. Thanks to the N360, the Japanese car industry's outsider firm has turned into a serious player.
The debut of this car took place in Europe - at the London and Paris salons. Externally, the S800 was very similar to the first S500, but technically it was almost completely Europeanized - this was demanded by the market. Honda abandoned the exotic chain drive and applied the usual cardan shaft. Disc brakes on all wheels and fully independent suspension were rare on affordable roadsters of those years. The four-cylinder engine produced 72 horsepower. The maximum speed of the S800 reached 160 km / h. Until 1970, the company produced 25,000 of these cars, after which the idea of a Honda sports car was shelved for many years.
The first mid-range Honda. Soichiro Honda believed in the virtues of an air-cooled engine so much that even the relatively large 1300 model was endowed with such an engine. He had four cylinders, developing 95 forces in the basic version. A modification with four carburetors produced 110 hp. With. A comparative test with Toyota Corona showed that Soichiro was right in some positions. Due to the heavy liquid-cooled engine, the competitor model was inferior to the Honda in terms of dynamics, speed, and handling. True, this victory was pyrrhic. On the streets of Tokyo and driving slowly on narrow roads, the Honda engine overheated. The situation was saved by the fact that by those years Japan had finally become covered with a network of multi-lane highways, and the inhabitants of the outback, where there were no traffic jams, became wealthy enough to afford a middle-class car. As a result, the Honda 1300 has found a steady demand in the provinces among fans to ride like a breeze.
The model opened the era of Japanese supermotorcycles. He was the first among his rivals to overcome the magic barrier of 200 km/h. The power of the four-cylinder engine reached a record 67 forces for those times. The motorcycle had a front disc brake, superbly finished chrome parts and, unlike its European counterparts, was surprisingly cheap. Now CB750 Four has moved to the rank of collectibles. A motorcycle in good condition can cost as much as a brand new Honda.
The model replaced the outdated N360. The car did not destroy, but shook the belief of the whole world that the mass Japanese car is necessarily dull, like a mailbox. Nicknamed "Surprised Eyes" for its expressive headlight design, the Honda Z has even appeared on American college campuses. It was this model that paved the way Honda cars to the US market. In Japan, the Z was sold with a tiny two-cylinder engine with a volume of only 0.35 liters (31 hp). But the car was not badly equipped. You could even order an automatic! On foreign markets a modification was supplied with a more solid 0.6-liter engine (36 forces). Allowed to gain 120 km / h. In the States, such a Honda cost $2,000. A good couple of hundred bucks cheaper than the Beetle, it seemed to be the benchmark for an affordable car of that time.
The debate about who invented the minivan continues to this day. It’s hard to say who came up with it, but the first car with such classic generic features as a “semi-sweaty” layout ( Windshield flows very smoothly into a short hood), four doors, removable seats and front-wheel drive were released by Honda. The Step Van model is also notable for the fact that its 0.36-liter engine finally received liquid cooling.
Honda made its first six-cylinder engine not for a car, but for a motorcycle. Transverse in-line "six" air cooling, baring its teeth with a long row of chrome-plated pipes, made a very impressive impression. The characteristics were to match the appearance: 1047 cubic meters of working volume, gigantic for those times 105 liters. With. Despite the monumentality and solid weight (dry - 203 kg), this Honda had excellent handling. “You can drive along the Alpine serpentine indefinitely,” one German journalist wrote about the SVH1000. “You only want to turn off it when the German autobahn is nearby, where you can squeeze 220 km / h!”
Soichiro Honda decided to cover the deficit, as always, with the most in an unexpected way. After entering the Accord II market, he announced: since 1983, the model will be produced in America, in the state of Ohio. But it was then that competitors proved the impossibility of setting up production in the United States because of problems with trade unions. What Honda did to get Americans to do quality work for relatively little money is a mystery. And almost a sensation was an interview published in 1984 with a white worker who worked at a Honda plant in Ohio: “Yes, I get 20% less than my colleagues in American auto companies.
However, at the enterprises where trade unions operate, everyone is opposed to the managers. And the working conditions there are not good. I like what I have. They say we have no guarantees for the future? But based on what we know about Honda, our jobs are guaranteed.” Incredibly, the Hondas were able to convert the native Yankees to their faith. And they began to make a car according to Japanese standards and without trade unions. Career Accord II was no less successful than its predecessor.
They say that Honda was very fond of the cowboy saying: "When they round up a brothel, they take the pianist." He followed it when forming a technical policy: the entire model range was saturated with the most advanced technical solutions at once - from the most expensive cars to the smallest and cheapest. Therefore, only in the bowels of Honda could such an amazing small car as the City appear.
The characteristics of this tiny car with a length of only 338 cm are amazing even now. The city "dwarf" was supplied with a serious four-cylinder engine with a volume of 1.2 liters. He not only possessed vortex combustion chambers, but in addition had fork-measuring-torch ignition (the spark plug ignites the enriched combustible mixture in a separate chamber, and the torch from it, in turn, ignites the lean mixture already in the cylinder itself). This solution allows you to combine high power with excellent efficiency.
The standard City produced 68 horsepower and accelerated to 100 km / h in just 12 seconds (normal for a business class sedan of those years). At the same time, fuel consumption was only 5.3 l / 100 km. Soichiro Honda has always loved speed, so the Honda City Turbo with a 110-horsepower engine soon appeared. Its production has long been curtailed, however, it still remains one of the fastest models in its class.
The epithet "grand" fourth Generation Civic awarded for popularity. Between 1987 and 1991, the company sold 2.5 million of these machines. What attracted buyers at first glance, an ordinary golf-class model? technical perfection. Honda cost more than its competitors, but it also outperformed them constructively. For example, this Civic was the first model in the class to be equipped with a variable valve timing engine. Therefore, at high speeds, the 1.6-liter engine behaved with sports pressure, and at low speeds it pulled in such a way that it seemed that there were at least two liters of working volume under the hood. In addition, the fourth Civic was offered time-tested engines of 1.3 and 1.5 liters. Again, the first in the golf class Civic got a fully independent suspension on double wishbones. Excellent driving performance allowed the model to gain respect among fans of fast driving on all continents.
Stereo system. Trip computer. Cruise control. Reverse gear ... No, we are not talking about a car. In the late 80s, Honda created the largest and most luxurious motorcycle in the world. In the saddle of the "Golden Wing" you are provided with comfort at the level of a convertible. If you maintain a speed of 80 km / h or more in the rain, your clothes will remain dry - the huge fairing is so extensive and well thought out. Truly royal conditions are provided to the passenger. He sits in a real armchair with armrests. Three capacious wardrobe trunks allow you not to be particularly limited when collecting luggage before long journey. The source of movement is a boxer six-cylinder engine with a volume of one and a half liters. Silent and smooth, it gives out 100 forces, allowing you to gain up to 185 km / h on the highway. Not a bad figure for a motorcycle, whose curb weight reaches almost 400 kg. Now the salons of dealers are decorated with the "Golden Wing" of the next generation, which, however, inherited all the main features of its predecessor. Competitors do not produce anything like this until now.
There is no trace left of Mozart's frivolity, characteristic of the model of the previous generation - the new Accord turned out to be strict, like Bach's organ canon. However, for the American Big Three, it sounded like Beethoven's funeral march: Honda's flagship became the most popular car in USA. And the car was produced in America. The Japanese trumpeted on every corner of a favorable moral climate in their factories, however, the main reason that allowed the Yankee workers to establish discipline, productivity and build quality unprecedented for Yankee workers was direct investment of $ 1 billion. The annual output of the Accord IV exceeded half a million. Part of the US-made sedans and station wagons were exported to Europe. The Accord IV was one of the first cars in the world where the airbag deployment force depended on the severity of the collision. And the most expensive versions Accord was equipped with avant-garde steering, acting on all four wheels.
