Honda, history on four wheels – Auto Story
Content
Not everyone knows that Honda, officially born as a motorcycle manufacturer in 1948, began producing cars just fifty years ago. Let's discover together the history of the Japanese company's innovative four-wheel products.
Honda: a story on four wheels
Adventure Honda in the automotive world begins in the early XNUMXs, when the Japanese brand, which has already become the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer, decided to expand its business.
The Japanese government does not want the country to have too many four-wheel drive car manufacturers, and in 1961 enacts a law that only approves a couple that have been in effect for some time. Founder Soitiro Honda is absent and responds quickly, presenting two completely new models already at the Tokyo Motor Show in 1962: the small van T360 and sportswoman S360... And that's not all: in one of the interviews, he announced his desire to debut in F1.
F1 debut
La Honda he made his Formula 1 debut back in 1964 at the German Grand Prix with a pilot from the United States. Ronnie Bucknum but the results start to get interesting in the following years: in 1965 comes the first victory - in Mexico with the Yankees. Richie Gunther – while in 1967 the British John Surtez rises to the highest step of the podium in Italy. The first adventure of a Japanese company in the Circus ends in 1968 when a transalpine driver was killed in France while driving a Japanese car. Joe Schlesser.
Mass production
Sports successes allow the Japanese brand to make a name for itself even in the automotive arena: in 1967. city car N360 and in 1970, the year the company's small operation produced one million units, Honda also began exporting its vehicles to Italy.
Conquest of the USA
La Honda conquers the US market primarily due to technology CVCCintroduced at the Civic in 1972 and built to comply with strict US pollution control regulations in force since 1975. In addition, this system is licensed to other manufacturers such as Chrysler, Ford e Isuzu.
International agreements and return to sport
The first cooperation agreement signed by a Japanese company dates back to 1979, when Honda signs a partnership with the British giant. British Leyland (to which the brands belong Austin, Pirate e Triumph). The first fruit of this "friendship" is a sedan. Ballad - cousin Acclaim - introduced in 1986, when the first models are equipped with four wheel steering.
in 1983 Honda instead go back to F1but only as a supplier engines for Spirit of Serbia и Williams (with whom he achieved his first success in the United States the following year thanks to a Finnish driver. Keke Rosberg).
The palms of the Japanese brand as an engineer from 1983 to 1992 are simply incredible: eleven world championships - five pilots (three with a Brazilian player). Ayrton Senna and one with Brazilian Nelson Piquet and french Alain Prost) and six constructors (four with McLaren and two with Williams) - and 69 victories.
The nineties
In the early nineties of the last century Honda presents its most iconic models: in 1990 it was the turn supercar NSX, in 1991 it was the fifth generation (prettiest) of compact Civic and in 1992 the third series of the sports car was presented. CRX, characterized by the ability to remove the metal roof.
In the period from 1996 to 2001, the Japanese brand engines won five titles in the American series. Champ car (two with our Alex Zanardi) and in 1998 - in commemoration of half a century of the brand's life - spider S2000equipped with a naturally aspirated 2.000 engine with a capacity of 240 hp.
Real
In the XNUMX century Honda pays special attention to the environment and launches many models hybrydы: two generations Civil и Insight (first, actually, born in 1999) and coupe CR-Z... Not forgetting the little Jazzdesigned to make dual-fuel vehicles available to the general public.
However, the world of sports is not forgotten: in 2000, the Japanese company returned as a supplier engines in F1 for BAR but the best results were achieved when in 2006 - the year of his return as a manufacturer - the British Jenson Button victories in Hungary.
In American races Honda he is doing even better - from 2004 to 2013 he himself engines win nine titles IndyCar and nine Indianapolis 500 – and this year he excels at the constructors' world championship. WTCC conquered Civil.
