1946 - Yamashita-Cho
Soichiro Honda establishes Honda Technical Research Institute in Yamashita-cho, Hamamatsu-city, Shizuoka Prefecture, to research and produce manufacturing equipment and internal combustion engines
Our Story
The Power of Dreams
The joy of moving you is what moves us. So, whether it involves wheels, wings, water, or even walking, everything we do is centred around you. Maintaining a global viewpoint, we are dedicated to supplying products of the highest quality, yet at a reasonable price for worldwide customer satisfaction.
We are a company built on dreams. And these dreams inspire us to create innovative products that enhance human mobility and benefit society. We see "The Power of Dreams" as a way of thinking that guides us and inspires us to move forward. The strength of our company comes from this philosophy - based on the visionary principles of our founder, Soichiro Honda.
Honda’s success in the global marketplace results from our continued investment in each of the markets in which we participate. Since its inception in June 2000 as a wholly owned subsidiary of the Honda Motor Company, Honda has become a major player in South Africa, meeting our customers’ needs with a range of Automobiles, Motorcycles and Power Products. Initially concentrating on the local South African market, the company is now responsible for a significant part of the African Continent, with offices in South Africa, Kenya, and a dealer network stretching throughout the SADC region.
Click here for more details about the Honda Brand.
Environment
From our development of a super-clean diesel engine, to the production of our hydrogen powered cars, right down to the plastic cups we recycle in the staff canteen, Honda has long been at the forefront of the automobile industry’s efforts to improve fuel efficiency and reduce vehicle emissions.
Today, Honda is accelerating its efforts to reduce CO² emissions that contribute to global climate change through a dedicated approach to new technology development that includes more fuel-efficient gasoline engines, gas-electric hybrids, natural gas and battery electric vehicles, plug-in hybrids and fuel cell electric vehicles.
Mobility
At Honda, we’ve never stopped dreaming of a future where the joy of mobility is accessible to everyone. Where, no matter what the circumstances, you’re able to explore the world around you with complete freedom. Projects like Walking Assist and the HondaJet get us even closer to that dream.
Innovation
At Honda, The Power of Dreams is what drives us to create intelligent products that drive innovation, enhance mobility and increase the joy in people’s lives. We continue to draw inspiration from the visionary ideas of our namesake, Soichiro Honda. He saw incredible power in the freedom of mobility and used his imagination to change the world, and this is what guides us to help move people forward and enhance the future we all share.
Safety
Creating a world where collisions no longer happen is one of our most monumental dreams yet, and we’re already working toward making it come true with advanced suites of collision-avoidance and driver-assist technologies called HondaSensing®. Through these and future innovations, we are working toward our vision of a collision-free society.
Honda’s History
View the most important dates throughout Honda’s rich global history here.
1947 - Production of 2-stroke 50cc
Yamashita Plant begins production of 2-stroke 50cc A-Type auxiliary bicycle engines, including die-casting of multiple engine components.
1948 - Honda Motor Co. Ltd. is established
Sept – As successor to Honda Technical Research Institute, Honda Motor Co., Ltd. is established on September 24 in Hamamatsu-city, Shizuoka Prefecture, with 1 million yen in capital and 34 associates
1952 - Cub F-Type motorcycle
June – Honda begins exporting products, shipping Cub F-Type motorcycles to Taiwan and other countries
1952 - Manufacturing power products
October – Export of the Dream to Okinawa and the Philippines begins December – Honda begins manufacturing power products, its first general-purpose engine, the Type H.
1954 - Honda's first participation in an overseas motor sports
February – In Honda's first participation in an overseas motor sports event, Mikio Omura finishes 13th in a motorcycle race held in Sao Paulo to celebrate the city's 400th anniversary.
1958 - The Super Cub
July – The Super Cub is introduced
1959 - Honda wins the 125cc class Manufacturers
June – In its first participation in Isle of Man TT, Honda wins the 125cc class Manufacturers' Team Award.
1959 - American Honda Motor Co
June – American Honda Motor Co., Inc., is established in Los Angeles, U.S. (Honda's first overseas subsidiary)
1961 - Clean sweep in Isle of Man TT
June – Honda sweeps first through fifth places in 125cc and 250cc classes of the isle of Man TT
1961 - 1 millionth Super Cub
June – Honda produces 1 millionth Super Cub
1962 - Honda wins manufacturers Championship
September – Honda wins Manufacturer's Championship title in the 125cc, 250cc, and 350cc classes of the World Grand Prix.
1963 - C310
October – Honda starts production of the C310, a new moped produced at Belgium Honda Motor.
1964 - Formula One Debut
August – Honda enters its first race car in Formula One, the RA271 in the German Grand Prix.
1964 - GB30 Launch
December – Honda launches its first outboard engine, GB30.
1965 - Honda launches its first generator
January – Honda launches its first generator, E300.
1965 - Honda wins its first Formula One race
October – Honda wins its first Formula One race in the Mexico Grand Prix with driver Richie Ginther.
1966 - Championship Wins
September - Honda becomes the first company to win the Manufacturer's Championship in all five Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix classes.
1967 - Honda launches its first mini passenger automobile
March – Honda launches its first mini passenger automobile, the N360
1968 - First fully automatic transmission for Mini-vehicles
March – Honda announces the first fully automatic transmission for Mini-vehicles, the Hondamatic.
1969 - Launch of the H1300
May – The H1300, world-class super sedan is introduced.
1969 - Honda launches the CB750 Four
July – Honda launches the CB750 Four, which gives birth to the popular category in Japan, 'Nanahan' - 750cc class.
1970 - Driving Safety Promotion Centre
October – Driving Safety Promotion Centre is established.
1971 - CVCC engine is introduced
February – Low-pollution, high-efficiency CVCC engine is introduced.
1972 - Honda launches the Civic
July – Honda launches the Civic, which evolves into the world's standard.
1974 - The Gold Wing GL1000
October – The Gold Wing GL1000 motorcycle is introduced in the U.S.
1976 - Zandvoort 600 km Production Race Win
April – Honda wins Zandvoort 600 km Production Race, its first motorcycle endurance race.
1976 - Honda launches the Accord
May – Honda launches the Accord, Honda's second global model.
1977 - Honda launches ME engine series
June – Honda launches the ME engine series, million-selling engines that laid the foundation of the power product business.
1978 - Launch of the HR21
August – Honda launches HR21, its first walk-behind lawn mower.
1981 - Franz System foot-operated driving system
May – Honda's first automobile (Civic) equipped with the Franz System foot-operated driving system for people with leg and arm disabilities, is launched in Japan.
1981 - Electro Gyrocator
August – Honda announces the Electro Gyrocator, the world's first car navigation system.
1984 - Honda wins its first Formula One race
July – After ending its hiatus, Honda wins its first Formula One race, the ninth Dallas Grand Prix, with driver Keke Rosberg.
1986 - Team Williams Honda wins Formula One Constructors' Championship
September – Team Williams Honda wins Formula One Constructors' Championship.
1986 - Announces world's first steering angle-sensing four-wheel steering system
October – Honda announces the world's first steering angle-sensing four-wheel steering system (First available on the all-new Prelude in 1987).
1987 - Honda announces world's first antilock braking system
October – Honda announces world's first antilock braking system (ABS) for motorcycles.
1987 - First Formula One Japan Grand Prix
November – The first Formula One Japan Grand Prix is held at Suzuka Circuit.
1987 - Team Williams Honda wins Formula One Constructors' Championship
November – Team Williams Honda wins the Formula One Constructors' Championship for the second consecutive year, with team member Nelson Piquet winning the Driver's Championship.
1988 - Honda Variable Valve Timing and Lift Electronic Control (VTEC)
October – Honda introduces two new technologies for enhanced engine efficiency: Honda Variable Valve Timing and Lift Electronic Control (VTEC) and Honda variable wing turbo system.
1988 - Honda Marlboro McLaren wins Formula One Constructors' Championship
October – Honda Marlboro McLaren wins Formula One Constructors' Championship, with Honda engines winning 15 of 16 races (team wins again in 1989) and Ayrton Senna wins Formula One Driver's Championship with Honda power.
1989 - World's first traction control system
January – Honda introduces world's first traction control system for front-wheel drive automobiles.
1990 - First Japanese company to develop seat belt pretensioner
June – Honda becomes the first Japanese company to develop a seat belt pre-tensioner and front passenger SRS airbag.
1991 - 60 Formula One races are won with Honda engines
March – 60 Formula One races are won with Honda engines, at the Brazil Grand Prix.
1991 - Steering angle-linked automobile steering control system
June - Steering angle-linked automobile steering control system.
1992 - Honda attains milestone of 20 million Super Cub motorcycles
March – Honda attains milestone of 20 million Super Cub motorcycles produced (highest among motorcycle brands worldwide).
1993 - Honda's oval piston engine technology
May – Honda's oval piston engine technology is introduced.
1993 - Real-time dual-pump 4WD system
June – Honda develops real-time dual-pump 4WD system.
1993 - Honda wins the World Solar Challenge '93
November – Honda wins the World Solar Challenge '93 with the new Dream, setting a new record.
1994 - Honda wins Riders' Championship
August – Michael Doohan wins Riders' Championship in 500cc class of World Motorcycle Grand Prix (And again in 1995 and 1996).
1995 - Honda Multimatic continuously variable transmission (CVT)
July – Honda develops three-stage Honda Multimatic continuously variable transmission (CVT) for use with VTEC engine.
1996 - First Riding Simulator
March - Honda launches world's first Riding Simulator.
1996 - World's first Direct Yaw Control System
May – Honda develops the world's first Direct Yaw Control System (right/left wheel drive force distribution system).
1996 - Walking humanoid robot (P2)
December – Prototype of walking humanoid robot (P2) introduced via video at president's year-end press conference.
1997 - Navigation System
August – Honda announces, “Navigation System".
1997 - Jet Plane MH02
September – Honda develops 6-Passenger Experimental Jet Plane MH02.
1998 - 2-cycle engine exhaust emissions reduction system
January – Honda introduces a 2-cycle engine exhaust emissions reduction system that complies with Motorcycle Exhaust Emissions Regulations.
1999 - New technologies used in the new S2000
February – Honda announces two new technologies used in the new S2000: high-performance Eco-Engine and open car body structure.
2000 - World's first indoor vehicle-to-vehicle crash test facility
March – Automobile R&D Centre completes world's first indoor vehicle-to-vehicle crash test facility, which begins operating in April.
2000 - First fuel cell electric vehicle
September – Honda unveils its first fuel cell electric vehicle, the FCX-V3.
2001 - All-new Automobile Driving Simulator
April – Honda introduces all-new Automobile Driving Simulator and Motorcycle Riding Simulator with advanced technologies.
2002 - Development of thin-film solar cells
April – Honda Engineering Co., Ltd. develops next-generation thin-film solar cells, as well as technology to produce them commercially.
2003 - Develops RN01 mountain bike
February - Honda develops RN01 mountain bike for downhill competition, enters Japan Series and World Cup.
2004 - First Super Handling All-Wheel Drive
April - Honda announces world's first Super Handling All-Wheel Drive (SH-AWD) system
2005 - World's first airbag system for commercial production motorcycles
September - Honda develops world's first airbag system for commercial production motorcycles (first offered on Gold Wing Airbag in 2006)
2011 - HondaJet reaches maximum operating altitude
April – FAA-conforming HondaJet reaches maximum operating altitude of 43,000 ft.
2012 - UNI-CUB personal mobility device debuts
May – UNI-CUB personal mobility device debuts in Japan.
2017 - Most-delivered Jet in its Category
August – HondaJet ranks as most-delivered Jet in its Category During First Half of 2017.
2020 - Launched new electric vehicle "Honda e"
The Honda e is an electric car that was sold in Japan from 2020 to 2024 and in Europe from 2020 to 2023.
2021 - Honda wins Formula 1 Drivers Championship
Max Verstappen wins the 2021 World Championship driving the Red Bull-Honda RB16B.
2021 - World-first Level 3 Autonomous Honda Legend goes on sale
Honda produces a limited run of only 100 vehicles with Level 3 at its Sayama assembly plant.
2020 - Honda achieves unprecedented 800 Road Racing World Championship wins
October - Honda Achieves 800th FIM World Championship Grand Prix Victory.
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