Performance Car Reviews, News and Parts for the Car Enthusiast

Honda’s beginning started with a motorcycle called the Honda Cub. By’64 Honda Motor Company was the largest producer of motorcycles. The T360 mini pickup truck was the first automobile produced by Honda. The S500 sports car was the first car produced by the company. Dealerships such as Lodi Honda would start to sprout up around the country.

Honda Motor Company was created by Soichiro Honda who had developed a curiosity in vehicles at an early age. Honda was a self educated man who eventually put himself through college by using his wife’s jewelry as collateral. After entering into a contract with Toyota, a factory was built to manufacture pistons. Unfortunately an earthquake destroyed it.

Fuel shortages that occurred with World War II made driving his car impossible. In response to this problem, Honda took his bicycle and added a little motor to it. This motorized bike gained so much attention that Honda created the Honda Technical Research Institute to develop and manufacture 2-cycle bicycle engines. The profits were high enough to enable the first motorcycle, the Honda Cub, to be built.

Honda started exporting motorcycles to the United States during the 60′s. Debates have persisted over the years regarding Honda’s profitable entry into the competitive U. S. Motorcycle market. A variety of explanations have been given to explain Honda’s successful strategic entry into the market.

A report on how Honda over took the British motorcycle industry was ordered in’75. The report concluded that Honda’s success was due to manufacturing enough motorcycles to meet the needs of several economies. In return, the British industry was blamed for not investing enough of their profits to do the same thing.

In’84, a second explanation was given. It was discovered that Honda’s successful entry into the US market was because of their ability to adapt and work hard. Initially, Honda had planned on entering the US to compete in large motorcycles. By sheer accident, the scooters that were used by the team around their business in San Francisco gained a lot of attention. It was then that they came up with the idea of the Supercub.

As a result of Honda’s successful venture with the U. S. Market, the strategy is often taught to those who attend business colleges worldwide.

Honda was the first to develop a Japanese luxury car and motorcycle with an airbag as well as the first middle sized pickup truck with an independent rear suspension.

The Honda Corporation understands that different areas of the world have different needs. As a result, cars are available in some countries that cannot be found in others. The Acura TL and the Ridgeline are some examples. As part of the line available worldwide, the CR-V, S2000, Insight, Civic, Accord and Fit are included.

During the 2008 economy meltdown in the United States, Honda experienced an increase in their sales. The high price of fuel and a weakening economy caused the increased. The Big Three and Toyota saw closures and job losses in the double digits during this time. Honda’s sales went up, during the last year by approximately twenty percent.

If you are searching for great value cars watch the following videos from Lodi Honda: Fairfield Honda Fit and Honda Fairfield.