Honda today announced that the company has reached the 100 million-unit milestone in cumulative global vehicle production!
Honda began its vehicle production in 1963 with the production of the T360 mini-truck, the company’s first mass-production model, at Saitama Factory. In the same year, Honda began production of the S500 sports car at Hamamatsu Factory in Shizuoka Prefecture. In 1964, in order to move forward with full-scale automobile production, Honda employed all of the company’s production technologies and know-how and constructed the first Honda plant dedicated to vehicle production, Sayama Factory in Sayama City, Saitama Prefecture. The new plant began production of a further model, the iconic S600 roadster.
Since the company’s foundation, Honda has always conducted its business with an awareness of the global nature of its operations. In 1969, Honda began production of the N600 small-sized passenger car and TN360 mini-truck in Taiwan by signing a technical collaboration agreement with a local company, which became Honda’s first vehicle production outside Japan. Moreover, in order to increase international competitiveness, Honda entered overseas markets on its own and began production of Accord in Ohio, in the U.S. in 1982, which became Honda’s first vehicle production by its own local subsidiary outside of Japan. This Accord became the first passenger car produced in the U.S. by a Japanese automaker. Today, Honda has 34 vehicle production facilities in 18 countries and territories.
The 100 million-unit production milestone was reached in September 2016, the 54th year since the company started its vehicle production. Motorcycle and power products production will also add to more than 560 million-unit in cumulative for Honda’s worldwide production.
Takahiro Hachigo, President and CEO of Honda Motor, commented, “Thanks to the support from our customers around the world, Honda was able to deliver 100 million automobiles. The passion of our company founder who wanted to help people in their daily lives and pursue the joy of driving has been inherited by Honda associates as the original starting point of Honda automobile manufacturing. Striving to meet the next 100 million customers, Honda will continue delivering increasingly attractive products.”
Honda’s current line-up in the Malaysia consist of the Jazz hatchback, the Odyssey MPV, the City, the Civic and the Accord sedan. These cars are supplemented by the HR-V and CR-V SUVs, both global best-sellers in their respective segments.
As the brand focuses on SUVs, in January 2017, Honda Malaysia is set to introduce the BR-V, a new entry in its compact SUV segment. We’ve tested the BR-V last month, click here to read all about it.
