The history of the Honda Motor Company began with the vision of one man -
Soichiro Honda. His dream was personal mobility for everyone.
Soichiro Honda founded the Honda Motor Company in 1948. In the same year, he
designed and engineered the first product of this company - a 50 cc motorised
bike on a bicycle frame - in his small shed at Hamamatsu. Today, as we
celebrate our 50th Anniversary, Honda is a global company with a global
viewpoint and a five-region global strategy that is reflected in a solid
commitment to local markets and economies.
Challenging the Limits
'Challenging the Limits' is a phrase commonly heard across the length and
breadth of Honda. It was made popular by its founder, Soichiro Honda, who knew
that his fledgling company had to out-think and out-perform its competitors
every step of the way in order to survive. After all, he started out at a time
when his country was devastated by war.
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Soichiro Honda
Founder, Honda Motor Co.
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Honda's Global Vision
Soichiro's vision was international in character. His desire was to lead the
world in technology, and make a significant contribution to the creation of a
better society. As a result, most of the products that Honda developed started
out by making a difference. Whether it was the CVCC engine in the sixties or
the solar powered car of the nineties, they all sought to challenge and
overcome conventional wisdom.
World's Toughest Training Tracks
No story of Honda is complete without the mention of motor sports. Honda
started participating in racing at the highest level much before it found
international acclaim as a manufacturer. Once again, it was Soichiro Honda who
was the driving force. He considered the highly competitive world of motor
sports as the ideal training ground for his people. Through racing, Honda
engineers learnt to accomplish more than they ever dreamed possible within
limited amounts of time. They become quicker at responding to the technological
challenges that arise in the commercial world.
Honda's belief in the benefits of racing is sincere and unwavering. The company
has invested millions of dollars in building two world-class racing circuits.
The Suzuka opened its gates in September 1962. Located in northern Japan, it
has become an integral part of the Grand Prix calendar. The Twin Ring Motegi,
on the other hand, is a racing circuit for fans. Inaugurated in August 1997, it
offers an oval-shaped Super Speedway, an Active Safety Training Park and the
extremely popular Honda automobile museum.
Innovation Everywhere
Honda is already, and literally, making big strides in the development of the
world's first humanoid robot. Christened ASIMO, it is designed on the
presumption that if a robot could walk like a human, it may be able to work
like one. Honda is also taking to the skies with its very own aircraft
technology. It took a 30-man team only six years to develop a prototype.
Typical of Honda, the project leader was not quite 30 years of age when the
experimental aircraft was first unveiled in 1993. Together, these diverse ideas
prove the one central maxim that is dear to everyone at Honda - Challenging the
Limits.
To learn more about Honda's ground-breaking innovations,
click here.