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Our Story

Our Story

The Power of Dreams

The joy of moving you is what moves us. So, whether it involves wheels, wings, water, or even walking, everything we do is centred around you. Maintaining a global viewpoint, we are dedicated to supplying products of the highest quality, yet at a reasonable price for worldwide customer satisfaction.

We are a company built on dreams. And these dreams inspire us to create innovative products that enhance human mobility and benefit society. We see "The Power of Dreams" as a way of thinking that guides us and inspires us to move forward. The strength of our company comes from this philosophy—based on the visionary principles of our founder, Soichiro Honda.

Honda’s success in the global marketplace is the result of our continued investment in each of the markets in which we participate. Since its inception in June 2000 as a wholly owned subsidiary of the Honda Motor Company, Honda has become a major player in South Africa, meeting our customer’s needs with a range of Automobiles, Motorcycles and Power Products. Initially concentrating on the local South African market, the company is now responsible for a significant part of the African Continent, with offices in South Africa, Kenya as well as a dealer network stretching throughout the SADC region.

Environment

From our development of a super-clean diesel engine, to the production of our hydrogen powered cars, right down to the plastic cups we recycle in the staff canteen, Honda has long been at the forefront of the automobile industry’s efforts to improve fuel efficiency and reduce vehicle emissions.

Today, Honda is accelerating its efforts to reduce CO² emissions that contribute to global climate change through a dedicated approach to new technology development that includes more fuel-efficient gasoline engines, gas-electric hybrids, natural gas and battery electric vehicles, plug-in hybrids and fuel cell electric vehicles.

Honda South Africa

Mobility

At Honda, we’ve never stopped dreaming of a future where the joy of mobility is accessible to everyone. Where, no matter what the circumstances, you’re able to explore the world around you with complete freedom. Projects like Walking Assist and the HondaJet get us even closer to that dream.

Innovation

At Honda, The Power of Dreams is what drives us to create intelligent products that drive innovation, enhance mobility and increase the joy in people’s lives. We continue to draw inspiration from the visionary ideas of our namesake, Soichiro Honda. He saw incredible power in the freedom of mobility and used his imagination to change the world, and this is what guides us to help move people forward and enhance the future we all share.

Safety

Creating a world where collisions no longer happen is one of our most monumental dreams yet, and we’re already working toward making it come true with advanced suites of collision-avoidance and driver-assist technologies called HondaSensing®. Through these and future innovations, we are working toward our vision of a collision-free society.

Honda South Africa

Honda’s History

View the most important dates throughout Honda’s rich global history here.

Honda South Africa

1946 - Yamashita-Cho

Soichiro Honda establishes Honda Technical Research Institute in Yamashita-cho, Hamamatsu-city, Shizuoka Prefecture, to research and produce manufacturing equipment and internal combustion engines

1947 - Production of 2-stroke 50cc

Yamashita Plant begins production of 2-stroke 50cc A-Type auxiliary bicycle engines, including die-casting of multiple engine components.

1948 - Honda Motor Co. Ltd. is established

Sept – As successor to Honda Technical Research Institute, Honda Motor Co., Ltd. is established on September 24 in Hamamatsu-city, Shizuoka Prefecture, with 1 million yen in capital and 34 associates

Honda South Africa

1952 - Cub F-Type motorcycle

June – Honda begins exporting products, shipping Cub F-Type motorcycles to Taiwan and other countries

1952 - Manufacturing power products

October – Export of the Dream to Okinawa and the Philippines begins December – Honda begins manufacturing power products, its first general-purpose engine, the Type H.

1954 - Honda's first participation in an overseas motor sports

February – In Honda's first participation in an overseas motor sports event, Mikio Omura finishes 13th in a motorcycle race held in Sao Paulo to celebrate the city's 400th anniversary.

1958 - The Super Cub

July – The Super Cub is introduced

1959 - Honda wins the 125cc class Manufacturers

June – In its first participation in Isle of Man TT, Honda wins the 125cc class Manufacturers' Team Award.

1959 - American Honda Motor Co

June – American Honda Motor Co., Inc., is established in Los Angeles, U.S. (Honda's first overseas subsidiary)

Honda South Africa

1961 - Clean sweep in Isle of Man TT

June – Honda sweeps first through fifth places in 125cc and 250cc classes of the isle of Man TT

1961 - 1 millionth Super Cub

June – Honda produces 1 millionth Super Cub

1962 - Honda wins manufacturers Championship

September – Honda wins Manufacturer's Championship title in the 125cc, 250cc, and 350cc classes of the World Grand Prix.

1963 - C310

October – Honda starts production of the C310, a new moped produced at Belgium Honda Motor.

1964 - Formula One Debut

August – Honda enters its first race car in Formula One, the RA271 in the German Grand Prix.

1964 - GB30 Launch

December – Honda launches its first outboard engine, GB30.

1965 - Honda launches its first generator

January – Honda launches its first generator, E300.

1965 - Honda wins its first Formula One race

October – Honda wins its first Formula One race in the Mexico Grand Prix with driver Richie Ginther.

1966 - Championship Wins

September - Honda becomes the first company to win the Manufacturer's Championship in all five classes of Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix.

1967 - Honda launches its first mini passenger automobile

March – Honda launches its first mini passenger automobile, the N360

1968 - First fully automatic transmission for Mini-vehicles

March – Honda announces the first fully automatic transmission for Mini-vehicles, the Hondamatic.

1969 - Launch of the H1300

May – The H1300, world-class super sedan is introduced.

1969 - Honda launches the CB750 Four

July – Honda launches the CB750 Four, which gives birth to the popular category in Japan, 'Nanahan' - 750cc class.

Honda South Africa

1970 - Driving Safety Promotion Centre

October – Driving Safety Promotion Centre is established.

1971 - CVCC engine is introduced

February – Low-pollution, high-efficiency CVCC engine is introduced.

1972 - Honda launches the Civic

July – Honda launches the Civic, which evolves into the world's standard.

1974 - The Gold Wing GL1000

October – The Gold Wing GL1000 motorcycle is introduced in the U.S.

1976 - Zandvoort 600 km Production Race Win

April – Honda wins Zandvoort 600 km Production Race, its first motorcycle endurance race.

1976 - Honda launches the Accord

May – Honda launches the Accord, Honda's second global model.

1977 - Honda launches ME engine series

June – Honda launches ME engine series, million-selling engines which laid the foundation of power product business.

1978 - Launch of the HR21

August – Honda launches HR21, its first walk-behind lawn mower.

Honda South Africa

1981 - Franz System foot-operated driving system

May – Honda's first automobile (Civic) equipped with the Franz System foot-operated driving system for people with leg and arm disabilities, is launched in Japan.

1981 - Electro Gyrocator

August – Honda announces the Electro Gyrocator, the world's first car navigation system.

1984 - Honda wins its first Formula One race

July – After ending its hiatus, Honda wins its first Formula One race, the ninth Dallas Grand Prix, with driver Keke Rosberg.

1986 - Team Williams Honda wins Formula One Constructors' Championship

September – Team Williams Honda wins Formula One Constructors' Championship.

1986 - Announces world's first steering angle-sensing four-wheel steering system

October – Honda announces world's first steering angle-sensing four-wheel steering system (First available on all-new Prelude in 1987).

1987 - Honda announces world's first antilock braking system

October – Honda announces world's first antilock braking system (ABS) for motorcycles.

1987 - First Formula One Japan Grand Prix

November – The first Formula One Japan Grand Prix is held at Suzuka Circuit.

1987 - Team Williams Honda wins Formula One Constructors' Championship

November – Team Williams Honda wins Formula One Constructors' Championship for second consecutive year, with team member Nelson Piquet winning Driver's Championship.

1988 - Honda Variable Valve Timing and Lift Electronic Control (VTEC)

October – Honda introduces two new technologies for enhanced engine efficiency: Honda Variable Valve Timing and Lift Electronic Control (VTEC) and Honda variable wing turbo system.

1988 - Honda Marlboro McLaren wins Formula One Constructors' Championship

October – Honda Marlboro McLaren wins Formula One Constructors' Championship, with Honda engines winning 15 of 16 races (team wins again in 1989) and Ayrton Senna wins Formula One Driver's Championship with Honda power.

1989 - World's first traction control system

January – Honda introduces world's first traction control system for front-wheel drive automobiles.

Honda South Africa

1990 - First Japanese company to develop seat belt pretensioner

June – Honda becomes first Japanese company to develop seat belt pretensioner and front passenger SRS airbag.

1991 - 60 Formula One races are won with Honda engines

March – 60 Formula One races are won with Honda engines, at the Brazil Grand Prix.

1991 - Steering angle-linked automobile steering control system

June - Steering angle-linked automobile steering control system.

1992 - Honda attains milestone of 20 million Super Cub motorcycles

March – Honda attains milestone of 20 million Super Cub motorcycles produced (highest among motorcycle brands worldwide).

1993 - Honda's oval piston engine technology

May – Honda's oval piston engine technology is introduced.

1993 - Real-time dual-pump 4WD system

June – Honda develops real-time dual-pump 4WD system.

1993 - Honda wins the World Solar Challenge '93

November – Honda wins the World Solar Challenge '93 with the new Dream, setting a new record.

1994 - Honda wins Riders' Championship

August – Michael Doohan wins Riders' Championship in 500cc class of World Motorcycle Grand Prix (And again in 1995 and 1996).

1995 - Honda Multimatic continuously variable transmission (CVT

July – Honda develops three-stage Honda Multimatic continuously variable transmission (CVT) for use with VTEC engine.

1995 - First victory in the Indy Car World Series

August – Andre Ribeiro brings Honda its first victory in the Indy Car World Series (15th race of season).

1996 - First Riding Simulator

March - Honda launches world's first Riding Simulator.

1996 - World's first Direct Yaw Control System

May – Honda develops world's first Direct Yaw Control System (right/left wheel drive force distribution system).

1996 - Walking humanoid robot (P2)

December – Prototype of walking humanoid robot (P2) introduced via video at president's year-end press conference.

1997 - Navigation System

August – Honda announces, “Navigation System".

1997 - Jet Plane MH02

September – Honda develops 6-Passenger Experimental Jet Plane MH02.

1998 - 2-cycle engine exhaust emissions reduction system

January – Honda introduces a 2-cycle engine exhaust emissions reduction system that complies with Motorcycle Exhaust Emissions Regulations.

1999 - New technologies used in the new S2000

February – Honda announces two new technologies used in the new S2000: high-performance Eco-Engine and open car body structure.

Honda South Africa

2000 - World's first indoor vehicle-to-vehicle crash test facility

March – Automobile R&D Centre completes world's first indoor vehicle-to-vehicle crash test facility, which begins operating in April.

2000 - First fuel cell electric vehicle

September – Honda unveils its first fuel cell electric vehicle, the FCX-V3.

2001 - All-new Automobile Driving Simulator

April – Honda introduces all-new Automobile Driving Simulator and Motorcycle Riding Simulator with advanced technologies.

2002 - Development of thin-film solar cells

April – Honda Engineering Co., Ltd. develops next-generation thin-film solar cells, as well as technology to produce them commercially.

2003 - Develops RN01 mountain bike

February - Honda develops RN01 mountain bike for downhill competition, enters Japan Series and World Cup.

2004 - First Super Handling All-Wheel Drive

April - Honda announces world's first Super Handling All-Wheel Drive (SH-AWD) system

2005 - World's first airbag system for commercial production motorcycles

September - Honda develops world's first airbag system for commercial production motorcycles (first offered on Gold Wing Airbag in 2006)

Honda South Africa

2011 - HondaJet reaches maximum operating altitude

April – FAA-conforming HondaJet reaches maximum operating altitude of 43,000 ft.

2012 - UNI-CUB personal mobility device debuts

May – UNI-CUB personal mobility device debuts in Japan.

2017 - Most-delivered Jet in its Category

August – HondaJet ranks as most-delivered Jet in its Category During First Half of 2017.

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