Japanese automaker Honda will celebrate its 70th birthday this year. Founded in 1946, in a country torn apart by Word War II, the company rose from humble beginnings to become the eighth largest auto-manufacturer in the world. Along the way, Honda has been responsible for many innovations in the auto world, and it has helped change the image of imported Asian cars in North America.
For auto mechanic students, there’s a lot to admire about a Honda-made machine—whether it’s one of the company’s efficient but affordable cars, its more luxurious Acura models, or one of its famous motorcycles. The history behind these vehicles, as well as the company itself, is just as remarkable.
Here are just a few interesting facts about the Japanese auto giant:
From Car Repair Expert To Auto Giant: The Amazing Story Of Soichiro Honda
As a young man, Soichiro Honda worked as a mechanic before taking his first steps into the entrepreneurial world in the 1930s, manufacturing piston rings. However, his factory would be destroyed by a U.S. air attack during WWII, forcing Honda to begin again, working in a small shack with a staff of just twelve. Noticing the need for cheap transport in war-torn Japan, Honda began manufacturing motorized bicycles. The business continued to grow slowly, building its first complete motorcycle by 1949, before expanding into automobiles in 1963.
Why You’ll See Many Honda Motorcycles Once You Become An Auto Mechanic
Auto mechanic school students with an interest in bikes probably know that Honda have been the largest motorcycles producer in the world since 1959. Much of their dominance was established by some clever marketing in the 1960s.
As American motorcycle brands suffered from their association with violent biker gangs, Honda introduced its series of small, sporty models to North America with the eye-catching “You meet the nicest people on a Honda” campaign, positioning the automaker’s brand as a motorbike for the common man.
Green Mechanics: Why Honda Civics Were Built For Fuel Efficiency
With its motorcycles far more profitable, Honda considered pulling out of car manufacturing altogether before the 1973 oil crisis led to a sudden surge in popularity for one of the company’s models. The original Civic offered remarkable fuel efficiency for its time, achieving up to 34.5mpg (8.2L/100km).
The introduction of a CCVC system in 1975 even allowed it to meet new emissions regulations without the need for a catalytic converter. And as many car repair experts know, the 50hp 1169-cc engine was no slouch in terms of performance either.
What Auto Mechanic School Students Should Know About Acura – Japan’s First Luxury Car Brand
Honda would also change the face of the luxury car market with introduction of its Acura brand in 1986. The Acura Legend and Integra (and later the famous NSX) offered cheaper alternatives to European brands like Ferrari and BMW, and helped to change public perception of Asian automakers. The automaker’s competitors soon followed suit, with Nissan launching its Infiniti brand in 1989 and Toyota releasing its first Lexus the same year.
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