01 — History
- Founded
- 1948
- Incorporated 24 September 1948 (English Wikipedia infobox and Japanese Wikipedia). Soichiro Honda founded the Honda Technical Research Institute in October 1946. English Wikipedia prose says the institute was liquidated in 1949 to incorporate Honda Motor Co. — conflicts with the 1948 date.
- Headquarters
- Toranomon, Minato, Tokyo, Japan
- Founder
- Soichiro Honda
An engine company first — from high-revving S-series roadsters to VTEC and Formula One.
- 1946
Soichiro Honda founded the Honda Technical Research Institute.
Source: Honda — Wikipedia (English) - 1949
The D-Type, the first complete Honda motorcycle and first 'Dream', appeared.
Source: Honda — Wikipedia (English) - 1963
Honda's first production automobile, the T360 kei truck, went on sale in August, followed by the S500 in October.
Source: Honda — Wikipedia (English) - 1986
Honda launched Acura, the first dedicated luxury brand from a Japanese automaker.
Source: Honda — Wikipedia (English) - 1990
The NSX, with an all-aluminium monocoque, went on sale.
Source: Honda NSX (first generation) — Wikipedia (English)
02 — Timeline
Timeline.
- 1946Soichiro Honda founded the Honda Technical Research Institute.
- 1949The D-Type, the first complete Honda motorcycle and first 'Dream', appeared.
- 1963Honda's first production automobile, the T360 kei truck, went on sale in August, followed by the S500 in October.
- 1963Honda S500 S500 (1963–1964)
- 1966Honda S800 S800 (1966–1970)
- 1967Honda N360 N360 (1967–1972)
- 1972Honda Civic (first generation) SB1
- 1986Honda launched Acura, the first dedicated luxury brand from a Japanese automaker.
- 1990The NSX, with an all-aluminium monocoque, went on sale.
- 1990Honda NSX (first generation) NA1
- 1991Honda Beat PP1
- 1995Honda Integra Type R (DC2) DC2
- 1999Honda S2000 AP1
03 — Machines in the archive
Iconiccars.
Honda
S500
S500 (1963–1964) · 1963–1964 · Sports car
Honda
S800
S800 (1966–1970) · 1966–1970 · Sports car
Honda
N360
N360 (1967–1972) · 1967–1972 · Kei car
Honda
Civic (first generation)
SB1 · 1972–1979 · Hatchback
Honda
NSX (first generation)
NA1 · 1990–2005 · Supercar
Honda
Beat
PP1 · 1991–1996 · Kei car
Honda
Integra Type R (DC2)
DC2 · 1995–2001 · Sports car
Honda
S2000
AP1 · 1999–2009 · Sports car
04 — Technology
05 — Motorsport
At the 1968 12 Hours of Suzuka, the No. 25 S800 of Racing Service Center finished 3rd overall and 1st in the GT-1 class.
Source: Honda S800 — Wikipedia (English)The NSX GT1 and GT2 cars raced at the 24 Hours of Le Mans were built from factory NSX-R shells.
Source: Honda NSX (first generation) — Wikipedia (English)A limited NSX-R GT road version was approved to support homologation of the NSX race car in the JGTC/Super GT series.
Source: Honda NSX (first generation) — Wikipedia (English)
06 — Design & gallery
07 — Sources
- 01Honda – WikipediaWikipedia · reference · accessed 2026-09-26
- 02本田技研工業 – Wikipedia (ja)Wikipedia · reference · accessed 2026-09-26
- 03Honda NSX (first generation)Wikipedia (English) · reference · accessed 2026-09-26
08 — Photo credits
Honda S500
Red 1964 Honda S500 roadster on museum display (Toyota Automobile Museum).
ByTTTNIS
Honda S800
Yellow 1966 Honda S800 with roof closed, in front of a dark traditional Japanese wooden building.
ByTTTNIS
Honda N360
Silver 1969 Honda N360 Touring kei car, front three-quarter view.
ByTTTNIS
Honda Civic (first generation)
Orange first-generation Honda Civic 1200RS (SB1), front three-quarter view.
ByTTTNIS
Honda NSX (first generation)
Black 1991 Acura/Honda NSX (NA1) with gold wheels on a dark show stand, Essen Motor Show 2022.
ByCharles from Port Chester, New York
Honda Beat
Yellow Honda Beat (PP1) kei roadster, rear three-quarter view against a white wall.
ByGuyon from Richmond, VA, United States of America
Honda Integra Type R (DC2)
White Honda Integra Type R (DC2, 1996 spec) on a rural road beside rice paddies and mountains in Japan.
By先従隗始
Honda S2000
Red 2007 Honda S2000 roadster, top down, front three-quarter view on grass.
ByCalreyn88