77 Years Ago, Honda Came to Life
This page is translated from the original post "Il y a 77 ans, Honda venait au monde" in French.
- 24/09/2025 9:46
On September 24, 1948, in Japan, a small company named Honda Motor Company was officially founded.
Founded by Soichiro Honda and Takeo Fujisawa, it bore no resemblance to the industrial giant we know today. The post-war period had left the country devastated, and Honda’s first idea was simple and pragmatic: to motorize bicycles with small salvaged engines. These modest yet ingenious vehicles offered an affordable mobility solution in a rebuilding Japan.
77 years ago, Honda laid the first stones of a unique industrial adventure. Quickly, the company specialized in motorcycles, a field in which it would achieve spectacular success. By the 1950s, Honda became the world’s largest manufacturer of two-wheelers, a title it still holds today. This year, Honda’s production of motorized two-wheelers reached 500 million units! Its reputation is built on reliability, innovation, and a constant desire to democratize motorized mobility.
The Genius of Soichiro Honda
But Soichiro Honda’s ambition did not stop at motorcycles. In 1963, the brand launched its first car, the small T360. The same year, it unveiled the S500, a small sports roadster that marked the beginning of the manufacturer’s automotive adventure. In less than two decades, Honda established itself in international markets, notably with iconic models like the Civic (1972) and the Accord (1976), synonymous with compactness, efficiency, and low fuel consumption.
Today, Honda is a global group that sells several million vehicles each year and employs more than 200,000 people. Present in automotive, motorcycles, robotics, and even aerospace with the HondaJet, the manufacturer has always sought to combine engineering and innovation. Its commitment to competition, especially in Formula 1 where it gained glory with McLaren and Red Bull, illustrates this ongoing quest for performance.
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Looking back, the journey is impressive: from a small workshop tinkering with motorized bicycles in 1948 to a multibillion-dollar technology conglomerate, Honda remains true to its creed: making mobility accessible and exciting.
77 years ago, a brand was born that became synonymous with ingenuity, boldness, and universality.
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