Cars and motorcycles
Honda 本田技研工業
From bicycle engines to the best-selling vehicle ever
Sōichirō Honda began by fitting small engines to bicycles in Hamamatsu after the war. His company made the Super Cub, the best-selling motor vehicle in history, then cars, jets and robots.
- Founded
- 1948
- Shōwa 23
- Founder
- Sōichirō Honda
- Started in
- Hamamatsu
- Status
- Still trading
- Age 78 years
Timeline
-
1948 (Shōwa 23)
Honda Motor is founded in Hamamatsu.
-
1949 (Shōwa 24)
Launches its first true motorcycle, the Dream D-Type.
-
1958 (Shōwa 33)
Launches the Super Cub, which passed 100 million sold in 2017.
-
1972 (Shōwa 47)
Launches the Civic.
-
2000 (Heisei 12)
Unveils the ASIMO walking robot.
Years in brackets are the Japanese era year. Japanese era converter →
Did you know?
Sōichirō Honda never studied engineering at university. He learned as an apprentice in a Tokyo car repair shop.
More Cars and motorcycles companies
Dates follow the companies' own published histories where available. Trademarks belong to their owners; this page is not affiliated with any company listed.