The History of Honda: Motorcycles to the Civic and Accord

this company is best known as an

this company is best known as an automaker but was actually founded to

automaker but was actually founded to

automaker but was actually founded to produce motorcycles welcome to

produce motorcycles welcome to

produce motorcycles welcome to watchmojo.com and today we’ll be

watchmojo.com and today we’ll be

watchmojo.com and today we’ll be learning more about the Honda Motor

learning more about the Honda Motor

learning more about the Honda Motor Company and right now you can get a

Company and right now you can get a

Company and right now you can get a great deal on one away

great deal on one away

great deal on one away why rad deals to max souichirou Honda

why rad deals to max souichirou Honda

why rad deals to max souichirou Honda opened his own auto repair shop after

opened his own auto repair shop after

opened his own auto repair shop after working four years as a mechanic he

working four years as a mechanic he

working four years as a mechanic he eventually perfected and sold a piston

eventually perfected and sold a piston

eventually perfected and sold a piston ring design and began selling motorcycle

ring design and began selling motorcycle

ring design and began selling motorcycle engines this earned him enough money to

engines this earned him enough money to

engines this earned him enough money to found the Honda Motor Company on

found the Honda Motor Company on

found the Honda Motor Company on September 24th 1948 in Hamamatsu Japan

September 24th 1948 in Hamamatsu Japan

September 24th 1948 in Hamamatsu Japan in August 1949 Honda entered the

in August 1949 Honda entered the

in August 1949 Honda entered the saturated Japanese market by producing

saturated Japanese market by producing

saturated Japanese market by producing its first motorcycle the dream D with

its first motorcycle the dream D with

its first motorcycle the dream D with the success of this and other models the

the success of this and other models the

the success of this and other models the company became known for producing

company became known for producing

company became known for producing lightweight motorcycles with small but

lightweight motorcycles with small but

lightweight motorcycles with small but effective engines exports began in 1952

effective engines exports began in 1952

effective engines exports began in 1952 and within three years Honda became the

and within three years Honda became the

and within three years Honda became the leading motorcycle manufacturer in Japan

leading motorcycle manufacturer in Japan

leading motorcycle manufacturer in Japan just a few years later it was one of the

just a few years later it was one of the

just a few years later it was one of the world’s leading motorcycle companies on

world’s leading motorcycle companies on

world’s leading motorcycle companies on the strength of its popular super cup

the strength of its popular super cup

the strength of its popular super cup model also around that time Honda began

model also around that time Honda began

model also around that time Honda began competing at the Isle of Man TT

competing at the Isle of Man TT

competing at the Isle of Man TT motorcycle races towards the end of the

motorcycle races towards the end of the

motorcycle races towards the end of the 50s

50s

50s Honda considered entering the automotive

Honda considered entering the automotive

Honda considered entering the automotive market in 1959 the American Honda Motor

market in 1959 the American Honda Motor

market in 1959 the American Honda Motor Company was established sales in that

Company was established sales in that

Company was established sales in that market began to rise four years later

market began to rise four years later

market began to rise four years later due to an ad campaign that targeted

due to an ad campaign that targeted

due to an ad campaign that targeted typical Americans 1963 was also the year

typical Americans 1963 was also the year

typical Americans 1963 was also the year Honda produced its first automobiles

Honda produced its first automobiles

Honda produced its first automobiles just one year later the company began

just one year later the company began

just one year later the company began competing in Formula One and remained

competing in Formula One and remained

competing in Formula One and remained involved in that sport in a variety of

involved in that sport in a variety of

involved in that sport in a variety of capacities on and off in the years that

capacities on and off in the years that

capacities on and off in the years that followed however it wasn’t until the

followed however it wasn’t until the

followed however it wasn’t until the early 70s that Honda really made a

early 70s that Honda really made a

early 70s that Honda really made a splash in the auto market with the

splash in the auto market with the

splash in the auto market with the introduction of the Civic in 1972

introduction of the Civic in 1972

introduction of the Civic in 1972 beyond Earth Day on the head driving

beyond Earth Day on the head driving

beyond Earth Day on the head driving this model proved to be one of the

this model proved to be one of the

this model proved to be one of the company’s biggest successes and evolved

company’s biggest successes and evolved

company’s biggest successes and evolved from a basic model to a more upscale

from a basic model to a more upscale

from a basic model to a more upscale ride it also became one of the

ride it also became one of the

ride it also became one of the best-selling cars in North America this

best-selling cars in North America this

best-selling cars in North America this helped the company build a solid

helped the company build a solid

helped the company build a solid reputation based on the reliability

reputation based on the reliability

reputation based on the reliability affordability and fuel economy of its

affordability and fuel economy of its

affordability and fuel economy of its cars Honda earned more admirers in 1976

cars Honda earned more admirers in 1976

cars Honda earned more admirers in 1976 when the company released the Accord

when the company released the Accord

when the company released the Accord that model was first introduced during

that model was first introduced during

that model was first introduced during an oil crisis and was designed to be

an oil crisis and was designed to be

an oil crisis and was designed to be fuel-efficient and low on emissions the

fuel-efficient and low on emissions the

fuel-efficient and low on emissions the Accord was the best-selling Japanese car

Accord was the best-selling Japanese car

Accord was the best-selling Japanese car in America between 1982 and 1997 however

in America between 1982 and 1997 however

in America between 1982 and 1997 however the company did not forget its roots

the company did not forget its roots

the company did not forget its roots Honda’s motorcycle segment reached its

Honda’s motorcycle segment reached its

Honda’s motorcycle segment reached its peak in 1982 when approximately 3

peak in 1982 when approximately 3

peak in 1982 when approximately 3 million bikes were produced by 1986

million bikes were produced by 1986

million bikes were produced by 1986 Honda unveiled Acura as the first

Honda unveiled Acura as the first

Honda unveiled Acura as the first Japanese luxury car brand two years

Japanese luxury car brand two years

Japanese luxury car brand two years later Honda’s production numbers reached

later Honda’s production numbers reached

later Honda’s production numbers reached 15 million and that number doubled by

15 million and that number doubled by

15 million and that number doubled by 1995 at that point Honda had already

1995 at that point Honda had already

1995 at that point Honda had already overtaken Chrysler to become the third

overtaken Chrysler to become the third

overtaken Chrysler to become the third largest auto seller in the US however by

largest auto seller in the US however by

largest auto seller in the US however by the mid 90s Honda increasingly felt

the mid 90s Honda increasingly felt

the mid 90s Honda increasingly felt pressure in the oversaturated car market

pressure in the oversaturated car market

pressure in the oversaturated car market this led to a great deal of research and

this led to a great deal of research and

this led to a great deal of research and development particularly with regard to

development particularly with regard to

development particularly with regard to environmentally-friendly solutions

environmentally-friendly solutions

environmentally-friendly solutions Honda’s first attempt at a hybrid

Honda’s first attempt at a hybrid

Honda’s first attempt at a hybrid electric vehicle came in 1999 with the

electric vehicle came in 1999 with the

electric vehicle came in 1999 with the introduction of the insight shortly

introduction of the insight shortly

introduction of the insight shortly thereafter a civic hybrid was released

thereafter a civic hybrid was released

thereafter a civic hybrid was released and this was even more fuel-efficient

and this was even more fuel-efficient

and this was even more fuel-efficient than the original these moves helped

than the original these moves helped

than the original these moves helped Honda rebound aside from its successes

Honda rebound aside from its successes

Honda rebound aside from its successes with cars and motorcycles Honda became

with cars and motorcycles Honda became

with cars and motorcycles Honda became involved in various other industries for

involved in various other industries for

involved in various other industries for example the company joined the aviation

example the company joined the aviation

example the company joined the aviation industry with the Honda Aircraft Company

industry with the Honda Aircraft Company

industry with the Honda Aircraft Company in addition Honda developed a robotics

in addition Honda developed a robotics

in addition Honda developed a robotics program and produced a humanoid robot

program and produced a humanoid robot

program and produced a humanoid robot referred to as awesomo Honda was one of

referred to as awesomo Honda was one of

referred to as awesomo Honda was one of the first car companies to cater to

the first car companies to cater to

the first car companies to cater to specific markets when designing its

specific markets when designing its

specific markets when designing its automobiles

automobiles

automobiles thanks to this and its technological

thanks to this and its technological

thanks to this and its technological advances Honda has become an important

advances Honda has become an important

advances Honda has become an important member of the automotive industry and

member of the automotive industry and

member of the automotive industry and will continue to be a leader in motor

will continue to be a leader in motor

will continue to be a leader in motor side

side

side Manufacturing for years to come