Trajectory of Challenges

The 2000s

Maintaining Spirited Independence
in the Face of Fierce Headwinds

“The Power of Dreams” was established as Honda’s global brand slogan
to guide all its activities in the 21st century.
The slogan clearly states the company’s will of spirited independence
in an era of mergers and acquisitions. During this period,
Honda launched advanced creations worthy of its brand in the new century,
such as the Fit with a center tank layout and FCX Clarity fuel cell vehicle.

Japan in the 2000s

Japan in the 2000s

The economy bottomed out and corporate performance began to recover. However, real economic growth was still less than 1%, a “recovery without the satisfaction,” and consumer spending was sluggish. This gradual economic expansion continued for 73 months, the longest period in the postwar period, but the global financial crisis in 2008 dragged Japan’s economy back into a major recession. As the economies of developed countries cooled, China’s GDP became the world’s third largest after the U.S. and Japan.

FCX Clarity (2008)

Pursuing Environmental Performance,
And Enjoyment and Pleasure that FCVs Can Provide

FCX Clarity (2008)

Honda has been evolving fuel cell vehicles since the FCX was introduced in 2002, and the FCX Clarity was a further breakthrough. Honda built a revolutionary platform by downsizing the power plant, including the fuel cell system, drive motor, and hydrogen tank. In addition to its environmental performance, the FCX Clarity proposed to the world the concept that “a car should always be a dream come true and fun to drive.”

The Power of Dreams (2000)

Seeking and Realizing Dreams
Together with People

The Power of Dreams (2000)

In 2000, Honda created a new global brand slogan, “The Power of Dreams,” as its benchmark for all of its corporate activities in the 21st century, based on its founding philosophy of “seeking and realizing dreams together with people.” The design of product logos, such as the wing mark for motorcycles and the H mark for automobiles, was also renewed for the new century.

ASIMO (2000)

Envisioning a Future to Make People
Happy Through Technology

ASIMO (2000)

ASIMO was created to be with people, to be useful, to improve their quality of life, and to expand their possibilities. In addition to being able to move freely on stairs and slopes, ASIMO was also able to provide specialized movements and audio guidance tailored to the user’s needs.

Fit (2001)

Innovations in Small Cars with
Unique M/M Concept

Fit (2001)

The Fit was designed to be the new benchmark for the world, by rethinking what kind of small car Honda should create. The small car’s global platform was developed to achieve innovative spaciousness in a small size, aiming to be light weight, simple, and rational. The M/M (Man Maximum, Machine Minimum) concept was pursued to create the ideal small car.

500th WGP Victory (2001)

Challenges Etched in the History of
Motorcycle Racing

500th WGP Victory (2001)

Honda’s history of WGP victories began with its win in the opening round of the 1961 Spanish GP. 1966 saw Honda win all five classes of the WGP, but the company suspended its participation after the 1967 season. 1979 saw Honda return to the WGP, but it would be three years before it won again. In 2001, Honda achieved its 500th WGP victory. This was an outstanding achievement, by a company that has continued to race for 40 years, and will not accept defeat.

2000

  • Containers and
    Packaging Recycling
    Law enforced.
  • Child restraints are
    mandated under the
    revised Road Traffic
    Law.

P.T. Astra Honda Motor (AHJ)
established in Indonesia to
consolidate motorcycle production
and sales.

Production of CR-V at Honda of
the UK Manufacturing (HUM)
begins.

Enters F1 as joint project with
British American Racing.

ATV FourTrax Foreman Rubicon
with new Hondamatic (HFT)
transmission introduced.

Details

New generation engine DOHC
i-VTEC introduced and equipped
in the Stream.

Details

Fully revamped Civic and Civic
Ferio (Civic’s 7th generation)
launched.

Honda South America Limitada
(HSA) established in Brazil

Honda Automobile (Thailand)
(HATC) established in Thailand.

Details

CBR929RR Fireblade (SC44)
launched.

ASIMO, a humanoid robot, launched.

ASIMO, a humanoid robot,
launched.

2001

  • 9/11 terrorist attacks
    in the U.S.
  • Bank of Japan
    decides on its first
    quantitative easing
    policy.
  • Universal Studios
    Japan, Tokyo Disney
    Sea open.

Honda Motorcycle Japan (HMJ)
established*22

Details

Honda Manufacturing of Alabama
(HMA) starts operations and
begins production of Odyssey.

Sundiro Honda Motorcycle Co., Ltd.
established in China.

Details

Gold Wing, with a horizontally
opposed 6-cylinder 1800 cc engine, launched.

Details

Civic Hybrid launched.

BF225 and BF200, the world’s
largest class 4-stroke outboard
engines, launched.

Details
The revolutionary small Fit launched.

The revolutionary small Fit
launched.

Production of outboard engines
begins at Hamamatsu Factory’s
Hosoe Plant.

India Honda Motorcycle and
Scooter India (HMSI) launched its
first scooter model, the ACTIVA.

WGP500 Valentino Rossi wins 11 races to secure riders’ and manufacturers’ titles. Honda achieves 500th WGP victory at Japan GP.

WGP500 Valentino Rossi
wins 11 races to secure
riders’ and manufacturers’
titles.
Honda achieves 500th
WGP victory at Japan GP.

2002

  • Keidanren and
    Nikkeiren merge to
    form Nippon
    Keidanren (Japan
    Business Federation).
  • Euro, the EU’s unified
    currency, begins
    circulating.
  • Revised Vehicle Law
    was enacted,
    tightening regulations
    on recalls.

“Dream” motorcycle dealers
network system introduced in
Japan*23

Honda Motorcycle R&D China Co.,
Ltd. (HRCh) in Shanghai, China

Production of general-purpose
engines at Jialing-Honda Motor
Co., Ltd. begins.

Details

WGP500 renamed to MotoGP,
RC211V MotoGP debuts.
Valentino Rossi wins riders’ and
manufacturers’ titles

Details

World’s lightest 4-stroke engine,
the GX25, with a 360° free-tilt,
ultra-compact design, launched.

Honda Wave α, a high-quality,
low-priced Cub-type motorcycle,
launched in Vietnam.

Exports to Japan of the Today
scooter manufactured by Sundiro
Honda Motorcycle Co., Ltd. begin.

Quality Innovation Center opened
in Tochigi.

Details
FCX, the world's first fuel cell vehicle, receives U.S. government certification.

FCX, the world's first fuel cell
vehicle, receives U.S. government
certification.

ASIMO rings the bell at the
New York Stock Exchange to
begin trading.

2003

  • Japan Post
    established.
  • The number of ETC
    on-board units
    exceeds 1 million
    units.

Hiroyuki Yoshino retires, and
Takeo Fukui becomes Honda’s
sixth president.

Details

Dongfeng Honda Automobile
(WDHAC) and Honda Automobile
(China)(CHAC) established.

Details

MotoGP RC211V rider Valentino
Rossi wins manufacturers’ title.

CB400 Super Four equipped with
VTEC SPEC III engine launched.

2nd generation BF150 and BF135
outboard engines equipped with
DOHC VTEC launched.

Inspire with newly-developed V6
3.0L i-VTEC engine with variable
cylinder system launched in Japan.

Regional Operations (China) is
established, creating a six-region
operations structure.

Voluntary beach cleaner
development and beach cleanup
activities are recognized as
official company initiatives.

CB1300 Super Four launched

CB1300 Super Four launched

Successful first flight of HondaJet
concept (equipped with HF118
engine).

Details

2004

  • Revised Worker
    Dispatch Law lifts ban
    on dispatching
    workers to
    manufacturing
    operations.
  • Revision of the Road
    Traffic Law, including
    revision of the
    two-seat limit for
    motorcycles on
    expressways, is
    announced.

Honda and GE establish GE Honda
Aero Engines, a joint venture
company for sales and customer
support of light jet engines.

Details

Fit production begins at
Guangzhou Honda Automobile Co.,
Ltd. (GHAC).

CBR1000RR Fireblade (SC57) launched.

CBR1000RR Fireblade (SC57)
launched.

Accord Hybrid (cylinder
deactivation + IMA) launched in
the U.S.

CR-V production begins at
Dongfeng Honda Automobile
(Wuhan) Co., Ltd. (WDHAC).

Capital investment in Honda F1
team B-A-R.

Honda’s first in-house inverter
generator rolls off the line at
Honda Engineering (EG-T).

EM/EB series, the world's first
sine-wave inverter-equipped
generators capable of
simultaneous 100V and 200V
output, launched.

2005

  • Kyoto Protocol takes
    effect.
  • Personal Information
    Protection Law
    enacted.
  • Automobile Recycling
    Law enacted.

World's first FCX fuel cell vehicle
capable of starting in sub-zero
temperatures is leased to private
customers.

Honda Motor (China) Co., Ltd.
(CHAC) begins to ship the Jazz
(Japanese name: Fit) to Europe.

Acquires all shares of F1 B-A-R
Honda Ltd.

iGX440, the world’s first
next-generation general-purpose
engine with electronic control
technology, introduced.

Develops the 1.8L i-VTEC engine
that achieves both powerful
running and low fuel consumption
by controlling valve timing.

Production of diesel engines
begins at HUM in the U.K.

Jialing-Honda Motors Co., Ltd.
discontinues production of
motorcycles and focuses on the
power products business.

Cumulative global production of
the Super Cub series reaches
50 million units.

HondaJet exhibited at the
Oshkosh Air Show in the U.S.

Details

2006

  • Economic expansion
    exceeds the Izanagi
    economic boom and
    becomes the longest
    in the postwar period.
  • Digital terrestrial
    broadcasting and
    one-segment
    terrestrial
    broadcasting begin.
  • Japan Post Holdings
    Co., Ltd. established.

Establishes Honda Cars dealer
system*24

Details

Production of Civic begins at
Dongfeng Honda Automobile
(Wuhan) Co., Ltd. (WDHAC).

Jenson Button wins the 13th round of the F1 World Championship in Hungary

Jenson Button wins the 13th
round of the F1 World
Championship in Hungary

Details

Honda Aircraft Company (HACI)
established to develop,
manufacture, and market
HondaJet aircraft.

Details
Beach Cleanup Project launched.

Beach Cleanup Project launched.

Details

Flex-fuel vehicles in Brazil.
Civic FFV and Fit FFV launched.

MotoGP RC211V Nicky Hayden
wins riders’, rookies’ and
manufacturers’ titles.

Suzuka Circuit Land and
Twin Ring Motegi merge to form
Mobilityland Corporation.

Details

Thai Honda (TH) and Vietnam
Honda (HVN) produce and launch
their first AT scooter, the Click.

Honda Motorcycle Riding Trainer
for safe motorcycle riding
education launched in Japan.

2007

  • Japan Post
    privatization begins.
  • “2007 problem” -
    significant number of
    baby boomers leave
    the workforce.
  • U.S. subprime loan
    problem surfaces.

Three-wheeled motorcycle taxi
manufacturing and sales begin at
Honda Selva Del Peru S.A.(HSP)
in Itoquiz, Peru.

New MotoGP RC212V (800cc, V4) debuts.

New MotoGP RC212V (800 cc, V4)
debuts.

Guangzhou Honda Automobile
Research & Development Co., Ltd.
(GHRD), an automobile research
company, established by
Guangzhou Honda.

Air Blade, Honda Vietnam’s second
automatic transmission scooter,
is developed and launched.

Indonesia's first Cub-type model,
the REVO debuts.

Gold Wing (airbag), equipped with the world’s first motorcycle airbag system, launched.

Gold Wing (airbag), equipped with
the world’s first motorcycle airbag
system, launched.

Completely revamped Fit launched.

2008

  • Medical care system
    for the elderly begins
    in the latter half of
    the year
  • Lehman Brothers, a
    major investment
    bank in the U.S.,
    collapses.

Super Cub series celebrates the
50th anniversary and cumulative
production of 60 million units.

New City produced at Honda
Automobile (Thailand) Co., Ltd.
(HATC) Ayutthaya Plant launched.

革新のオートマチック機構HFTを搭載したDN-01を発売

DN-01 equipped with the
innovative automatic mechanism
HFT*25 launched.

Announces withdrawal from F1
racing activities.

FCX Clarity, launched for lease in Japan and the U.S.

FCX Clarity, launched for
lease in Japan and the U.S.

Fully revamped CBR1000RR
Fireblade (SC59 early model)
launched.

Develops the world’s first
electronically controlled combined
ABS, a new brake system for
supersports models.

2009

  • The yen hits 84 yen
    against the dollar,
    the strongest in 14
    years.
  • Tax breaks for
    eco-friendly cars
    begin.

Takeo Fukui retires, and new
Takanobu Ito becomes Honda’s
seventh president.

Details

CG150 TITAN MIX, an FFM
motorcycle with flexible fuel
selection, and City, an FFV
four-wheeler, launched in Brazil

New 125 cc scooter PCX, produced
and launched by Honda Thailand
(TH) for global market.

Tama Tech closes.

Civic Type R Euro introduced.

World's first braking system,
electronically controlled combined
ABS for supersport models,
equipped on CBR1000RR Fireblade
launched.

New hybrid car, Insight, launched.

New hybrid car, Insight, launched.

Details

Saitama Factory’s Ogawa engine
plant begins operations.

Super Cub 110 (new engine and
frame) launched.

Pianta FV200 gas-powered tiller that uses cassette gas fuel, launched.

Pianta FV200 gas-powered tiller
that uses cassette gas fuel,
launched.

  • 22A comprehensive sales company consolidating motorcycle sales functions in Japan to meet diversifying customer expectations in the motorcycle business and to develop efficient sales activities with a high degree of satisfaction. HMJ engages in a variety of activities to improve customer satisfaction, including product planning, marketing, motor sports, and advertising activities.
  • 23Dream Dealers are “prestige dealers” created to meet the increasing demands of customers.
    While the goal has always been to satisfy a large number of customers, the Dream Dealers aim to satisfy all customers everyone who ride Honda motorcycles. Dream Dealers were introduced as a venue that not only sells the latest models, but also offers all the “fun” of motorcycling, including various events and safe riding lessons, and that directly communicate Honda’s passion to its customers.
  • 24Going back to the customer-first perspective, Honda integrated its sales channels into Honda Cars in March 2006. The purpose was to strengthen its sales network by rebuilding an optimal sales network suitable for a one-channel system, increasing the size of dealerships in major cities, and opening dealerships that incorporate the new Honda Cars concept.
  • 25DN-01 was developed based on the concept of a comfortable sports cruiser, aiming to create new value and propose a new motorcycle lifestyle. A new transmission was adopted: the HFT (Human Fitting Transmission), a hydraulic-mechanical continuously variable transmission, and in addition to two types of fully automatic modes, it was equipped with a 6-speed manual mode that allows gear shifting at the touch of a button. The HFT also featured the world’s first lock-up mechanism as a hydraulic continuously variable transmission, which enables smooth riding without shift shock, making riding easier and more comfortable than on previous sports models. HFT continued to evolve from the Juno M85’s HRD in 1962, and was equipped on a large two-wheeled sports model for the first time.
Honda Motor Co., Ltd.75 Years of History 1948-2023