Soichiro Honda / "Honda Technical Research Institute"

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«Many people dream of success. I consider, that the success can be reached only through repeating failures and introspection … Actually success is only one percent of your job, and the others of 99 percent are failures» Soichiro Honda, from speech during reception of honourable doctor's degree in Michigan in 1974.

In 1906 family Honda has been made happy by the first son, Soichiro. Even its baby, appear, grasped the technician. For some miles from its house there was risoochistitelnaja a factory with the engine which worked on gasoline which was a wonder those days. Its grandfather happened carried it there and to look at the motor became one of liked entertainments Soichiro. In 1914 when it was in the second class, he has seen the plane which was conducted by Nils Smith. All next month Honda inherited the pilot as soon as could, carrying pilotskie the points which have been cut out from a cardboard, and terrorising village, chasing on a bicycle with bamboo "propellers".

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After eight years of training at school, in 1922 pjatnadtsatiletny Honda has thrown school and has gone to Tokyo to become the pupil in Art Shokai (car repair shop) which, despite the loud name, was simply repair shop.

Earthquake of 1923 has completely destroyed Art Shokai though it and has brought some advantage Soichiro. All workers of the company have come back home, except Hondy and the senior master. It has given the chance to them to be trained well under repair cars. Honde also has very much carried, that JUzo Sakakibara, the owner of a workshop, was the inveterate admirer of races. After its offer, Honda in the free time built a racing car at night. It had aviation engine Curtis-Wright which was used in military aircraft. 8-litre engine V-8 gave the maximum capacity in 100 h.p. at 1400 rpm. Everything, except engine Honda has made itself, including details and wooden spokes of wheels.

In 1928 it has received the first of hundreds patents, for idea to replace wooden spokes of an automobile wheel on the metal. It was first excursion Hondy in the world of inventions which has laid a way to its future improbable technical decisions. Practically each of them is a simple decision of a challenge. Honda was the usual person, but its genius consisted in ability to find simple decisions of any problem rising in connection with its products.

After six years of job in Art Shokai Honda has received the permission of the owner to open the business, using the company name. So branch Art Shokai existence in Hamamatsu with the big hopes and the poor equipment has begun. Honda continued to devote the free time to building of racing cars.

Honde it would be necessary to test the new car in the important race. Such possibility in July, 1936 on the Japanese high-speed rallies which were spent on the river Tama in suburb Tokyo was presented to it. All went under the plan and when Honda came nearer to finish, he went in advance and went with improbable speed to 120 km/hour (75 miles/hours). Just then with it is repair-filling station before it the car has left. They have faced. Car Hondy has thrown in air, it has landed with a gnash of the bent threw and has turned over three times. Hondu has thrown out from the car, the left part of his face has been broken, vyvihnuto the left shoulder and is broken a wrist. His younger brother who went with it, too has been seriously crippled. Everything, that it remembers, before has lost consciousness, it that the world was started turning before it. In this race he has established a new record of average speed in Japan in 120 km/hour which has not been beaten throughout ten years after the Second World War termination.

In 1937 Soichiro Honda has headed the new enterprise. It has founded Tokai Seiki Heavy Industry to make rings for pistons. The firm has started to deliver rings for pistons Toyota Motor which owned 40 % actions of the company. The industrial equipment is already obsolete and Honda has invented automatic adaptations for manufacture of piston rings which the working could operate some. By request of the Ministry of Defence it also has developed the equipment for manufacture of propellers. For this innovation Honda has received the letter of gratitude from the high-ranking military men and the newspaper glorified it, as «industrial hero».

Being near military air base in Hamamatsu, factory Hondy has been subject to serious bombardment in the end of war, and in January, 1945 the factory almost has been completely destroyed by terrible earthquake. Then Honda sells Tokai Seiki companies Toyota for 450 thousand yens.

Somehow in 1946 Honda has faced a problem - it did not have a gasoline for the car then it took one of motors, in set left the American military men, and has attached it to the bicycle. This engine has been filled by kerosene. Similar simple, but elegant decisions of fundamental problems is usual style Hondy. Then it began to do the mopeds under requests of friends. Having executed from tens such orders, as well as it was possible to expect, torn to all new Honda has assumed, that the market of the similar car can be much more

In 1946 it has based the company under the name «Institute of technical researches Honda» (Honda Technical Research Institute), and in 1947 manufacture of the first product of the company has begun - 2-taktnogo engine A-type in volume 50 cubic see In a year, in 1948, the company has been re-registered and named according to a spirit of the age - Honda Motor Company - and has started working out and manufacture of motorcycles. The first motorcycle of the company, received name Dream ("dream") and equipped the engine in volume 98 cubic sm, has been let out in 1949.

In 1950 the company branch in Tokyo has opened; in the same place the garment factory has been bought and altered in factory on release of motorcycles on which manufacture of motorcycle Dream Type D which in 1951 has been replaced on Dream Type E - the new working out developing the maximum speed in 70 km/h has begun. In 1952 head office Honda has moved to Tokyo, in province Sajtama factory Shirako has opened, there was new engine Cub Type F in volume 50 cubic sm and capacity of 1,2 h.p. - have opened 1953 two more factories, the trade union was organised and the system of acceptance of offers of workers has been entered, manufacture Benly J-type has begun.

In the following, 1954 of action Honda Motor start to be on sale at the Tokyo stock exchange, sale of scooter Juno K-type and its export to the USA starts, and thanks to technological break Honda has an opportunity to participate in motorcycle sport - its command takes part in international motor-race Sao Paulo in Brazil and Isle of Man TT in the Great Britain. Soichiro Honda goes with fact-finding visit on Isle of Man and gets acquainted with the European motor industry. In 1955 the company became the leader on release of motorcycles in Japan, having destroyed a large quantity of competitors; Honda has taken part in first Japanese race Motorcycle Endurance Road Race and has won in classes 350 and 500 cubic sm, having received besides a prize for a design. New models - Benly JB, Dream SA, Dream SB-type have been let out. In 1956 corporate principles which the company adheres till now have been developed. The service department has opened and the annual guarantee on production has been installed. In 1957 at factory Shirako the centre of researches and workings out has opened, actions Honda Motor have got to the first part of the list at the Tokyo stock exchange.

Honda command has won first place in race Mt. Asama Race in a class 350 cubic Further victories Honda in races of motorcycles see so are numerous, that it is not meaningful to list them. In 1958 there was model Super Cub, and in 1959 Honda on manufacture of motorcycles became the largest company in the world. Besides, in 1959 company American Honda Motor in the USA has been founded.

In 1960 the centre of researches and workings out is allocated in the separate company - Honda R&D Co., Ltd., and in 1961 sales volume of motorcycles Honda reaches 100000 in a month - for the first time in this branch. Manufacture of motorcycles in Taiwan begins and the representation in Germany - Honda Deutchland GmbH opens. In 1962 Honda has created factory on release of own industrial equipment; for this company creation of own equipment has basic value. This factory became subsequently company Honda Engineering Co basis., Ltd.

Then the representation in Belgium - for assemblage and sale of motorcycles in Europe has opened; sports complex Suzuka Circuit has been constructed; the advertising campaign under a slogan «the Best people has been started go on Honde» («You Meet the Nicest People on a Honda»). This campaign cost 5 million Its original ideas in design and marketing were the catalyst which has changed image of a motorcycle from attribute of people in ’ black leather jackets ’, cultivated ’ a Harley ’, to «cheerful family means of transportation for middle class».

Having strengthened the positions in the market of motorcycles, Honda has entered on the market of cars, having presented in 1963 the first car - small sports model S500. Thus Soichiro Honda has once again shown the well-known rebellious character, having ignored statements of the Japanese ministry of international trade and the industry that one more motor-car manufacturer is not necessary to Japan. Except S500, Honda has let out also easy lorry T360. At factory Honda Benelux N V. in Belgium manufacture of motorcycles begins.

In 1964 Honda for the first time has declared the plans of participation in races Formula 1; its command has acted in a class 1500 cubic sm on races in Germany the same year. Then the representation in France (Honda France S has opened. A.), and S500 has won on 600-kilometre races a Nurnburgring.

Following, 1965, became year of first victory Honda in Ôîðìóëå-1 - in Mexico City, in a class 1500 cubic sm Honda wins Grand prix. In London opens velikobritanskoe representation Honda; the new model - S600 which, as well as S500, wins race in a Nurnburgring starts to be exported; there is the most compact and powerful generator in the world - Honda E300. In 1966 the new model - compact N360 debuted, sales and export of model S800 have begun, and also the world record has been established - Honda 11 times has successively won in Ôîðìóëå-2. In 1967 Honda has gained one more victory in Ôîðìóëå-1 - in a class 3000 cubic sm on Grand prix of Italy. 1968 became to a certain extent anniversary - in the USA million motorcycle Honda has been let out; in French Grand prix Ôîðìóëû-1 Honda has taken the second place; the contract with which help Honda intended has been signed to take root into the motorcycle market of Spain and Mexico. In 1969 representations in Canada and Australia open, in the USA release of motorcycle Dream CB-750 Four begins, and next year the centre of development of traffic safety and the centre on carrying out of measures against pollution have opened.

In 1971 Honda has presented engine CVCC (Compound Vortex Controlled Combustion), the first of corresponding to the Certificate about pure air of 1975, and also has begun sale of car Life with water cooling of the engine. The representation in Brazil has opened and manufacture of motorcycles in Mexico has begun. But as year of arrival of present glory Honda consider 1972 - year of release of model Civic. From now on Honda has started to win a recognition as the manufacturer of compact inexpensive qualitative cars. In 1973 Technology CVCC is passed Isuzu Motors and Chrysler Corporation according to signed with Honda Motor to the contract. The licence agreement with Ford Motor concerning the same technology also subscribes.

In 1974 when oil crisis has fallen upon Japan and motor-car manufacturers have decided to reduce manufacture volumes, Honda has arrived absolutely on the contrary - has doubled manufacture and has reduced the prices. It has appeared the rights - unlike Toyota and Nissan which have received 40 percent decrease in sales, Honda has increased sales by 76 percent. Soichiro Honda in the same 1974 has received honourable doctor's degree in Michigan. In 1975 it is started «Honda Credit System» - sale system on credit; in 1976 leaves new model - Accord, and general release Civic has surpassed one million copies.

In 1978 debuted model Prelude, in 1979 the proving ground Tochigi has opened, and in 1980 Honda has entered into a three of the largest Japanese motor-car manufacturers. In manufacture new and new models were started: in 1980 - Ballade, in 1981 - Vigor and City. In 1981 the quantity of units of let out power production has reached a 5-million point, and actions Honda have started to be quoted at the London stock exchange. In 1982 at factory in Ohio, the USA, manufacture of cars Accord has begun. Motorcycle Honda XL500R wins the same year on rally Paris-Dakar, and in a year Honda comes back in Ôîðìóëó-1 - after a 15-year-old break.

In 1986 system engineering 4WS has begun (4-wheel management), in Canada has begun manufacture Accord, Honda has taken three first places in rally Paris-Dakar. The system 4WS in 1987 has started to be established on cars Prelude, Honda became the most fast-growing company in the world and declared system engineering of pillows of safety (SRS). Has been made 5-million Civic. In 1988 to Japan have started to import collected in USA Accord Coupe and motorcycle Gold Wing Touring; in the rating of the most popular cars made by magazine Motor Trend the three first positions have occupied CRX, Civic and Prelude. Magazine Car and Driver has named Accord one of 10 most popular cars in the USA. There was model Concerto. Decade 1980 has come to the end with remarkable event - Soichiro Honda became the first Asian placed in the Hall of automobile glory in the USA. During same time Accord became the most sold model in the USA, systems VTEC and TCS have been presented.

Decade 1990 has begun with a debut of model NSX equipped with last technical novelties - a direct call to the sports cars Ferrari, confidently fixed Honda in the market of cars of a class gran turismo. NSX at once has started to be on sale in the USA. At the same time Honda moved ahead in a direction of harmless workings out - its car on solar batteries under name Dream has taken the second place in race World Solar Challenge. The quantity of motorcycles let out in month in 1990 reached 3 million. In 1991 the founder of company Soichiro Honda has died.

In 1996 there are such models as Logo and Stepwgn, system ATTS (automatic system of distribution of the twisting moment) is presented, and also the prototype of the humanoid robot is announced.

In 2000 Honda has presented to public of robot Asimo. The purpose of its creation - occurrence of the functional assistant on the house in the near future. In 2001 there was a new model - compact car Fit; Accord once again became the most sold car in the USA. Now Honda - dynamically developing company which is letting out cars and motorcycles, a special equipment, engines, power production. Technological innovations which the company constantly develops and puts into operation, concern not only cars is both navigating systems, and building of ecologically pure factories, and researches in many other things spheres, and participation in different kinds of automobile sports.

Now the company has 119 industrial enterprises in 33 countries of the world that allows it to let out annually production in millions units. On manufacture of motorcycles Honda wins first place in the world and enters into first ten world manufacturers of cars.