The world's largest motorcycle
manufacturer did not make its first car until
1963, and even then it owed much of its mechanical
underpinnings to the two wheeled variety. Founded
by Soichiro Honda, one of nine children from a
poor family, he was a gifted engineer and astute
businessman. Apprenticed in a car repair shop,
got his first chance to actually drive a car during
the Toyko earthquake of 1923, then ferrying people
and supplies around the devastated city.
Dabbled
with racing cars, but his big break came after
World War 2 when he realised that few could afford
a car, and so turned his attention to the manufacture
of ex-military two-stoke engines fitted to bicycles.
Manufactured their first motorcycle, the Dream,
in 1949, which was fitted with a four-stoke engine.
Launched the chain driven 500 sports car in 1963,
subsequent iterations becoming more conventional,
and more popular.
1963 - 1966
A plaque in the Honda Collection Hall recalls the days
when Soichiro Honda went from being a motorcycle manufacturer
to a maverick carmaker. "I didn't want to build a car
like everyone else's". More>>
1965 - 1979
Undercutting the Mini Cooper and Triumph Spitfire in price,
the vehicle soon made in-roads into the more traditional
British sports car category and the rest was history.
More>>
1968 - 1973
The Honda Scamp changed a lot of pre-conceived ideas about mini cars with mini engines – the concept of which had become a little maligned by the likes of the Glas Goggomobil and Lightburn Zeta. More>>
1972 -
To break into the lucrative international markets Honda
needed to produce a vehicle perceived as 'economical',
having the appeal of the venerable Mini, while offering
new levels of ride and comfort. More>>
1991 -
In 1991 Honda was to release undoubtedly their finest
car, and a worthy flagship for the marque, the mighty
NSX. Graced with sleek and purposeful styling, the NSX
was embodied with a sublime rear-wheel drive chassis and
a fantastic mid-mounted V6 engine - the only thing lacking
was the cache of its European rivals. More>>
1999 -
The Honda S2000 produces more power per litre than any
other non-turbo production engine and sends the rev counter
needle sweeping around to the 9,000 mark. Honda built
this remarkable two-litre car to celebrate its 50 year
anniversary. More>>
