Ducati-history

Ducati Motor Holding, SpA
Type	Public (Borsa Italiana:DMH)
Founded	1926
Founder	Bruno Cavalieri Ducati Adriano Ducati Marcello Ducati
Headquarters	Bologna, Italy
Key people	Giampiero Paoli (Chairman) Gabriele Del Torchio (CEO)
Industry	motorcycle manufacturer
Products	motorcycles
Revenue	€304,794,000 (2006)
Operating income	€34,715,000 (2006)
Net income	-€8,523,000 (2006)
Employees	1,134 (2006)
Subsidiaries	Ducati Corse SpA (SuperBike and MotoGP racing)
Website	Ducati.com

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Ducati Motor Holding, SpA
Type	Public (Borsa Italiana:DMH)
Founded	1926
Founder	Bruno Cavalieri Ducati Adriano Ducati Marcello Ducati
Headquarters	Bologna, Italy
Key people	Giampiero Paoli (Chairman) Gabriele Del Torchio (CEO)
Industry	motorcycle manufacturer
Products	motorcycles
Revenue	€304,794,000 (2006)
Operating income	€34,715,000 (2006)
Net income	-€8,523,000 (2006)
Employees	1,134 (2006)
Subsidiaries	Ducati Corse SpA (SuperBike and MotoGP racing)
Website	Ducati.com

Ducati Motor Holding (Borsa Italiana:DMH) is an Italian motorcycle manufacturer located in Bologna, Italy.

From their first post-Second World War bicycle-like low-displacement motorbikes Ducati has gained prominence in motorcycle racing and in the motorcycle industry.

Ducati Mach 1

In the 1960s, Ducati earned its place in motorcycling history by producing the then fastest 250 cc road bike available, the Mach 1.^{[1][2] [3]} In the 1970s Ducati began producing large-displacement L-twin (i.e. a 90° V-twin) motorcycles and in 1973 released an L-twin with the trademarked desmodromic valve design. In 1985, Cagiva bought Ducati and planned to rebadge Ducati motorcycles with the lesser-known Cagiva name (at least outside of Italy). By the time the purchase was completed, Cagiva kept the "Ducati" name on its motorcycles. In 1996, Texas Pacific Group bought for US$325 million a 51% stake in the company and in 1998, bought the remaining 49% and became the sole owner of Ducati. In 1999, TPG issued an IPO of Ducati stock and renamed the company Ducati Motor Holding SpA. TPG sold over 65% of its shares in Ducati. In December 2005 Ducati returned to Italian ownership with the sale of Texas Pacific's stake (minus one share) to Investindustrial Holdings, the investment fund of Carlo and Andrea

Company history

[edit] Ownership

• (1950 - 1967) Government IRI management years (In 1953 split into Ducati Meccanica, and Ducati Elettronica, now called Ducati Energia SpA)
• (1967 - 78) Government EFIM management (control over day-to-day factory operations)

(1967 - 73) Headed By Montano

(1973 - 78) Headed by De Eccher

• (1978 - 85) Subsidiary of state-subsidized VM Group
• (1985 - 1996) Cagiva Group ownership
• (1996 - 2005) Texas-Pacific Group ownership and going public

Headed by Federico Minoli, 1996-2001 and returning in 2003

• (2006 - present) Investindustrial: Back in Italian Hands

[edit] Beginnings

In 1926, three brothers Adriano, Marcello and Bruno Ducati founded Societa Scientifica Radio Brevetti Ducati in Bologna. The company produced tubes, condensers and other radio components. The cornerstone of a new factory in Borgo Panigale was laid in 1935. During the war, the factory was a target for Allied bombing. Although badly hit more than once, production was maintained. About this time Aldo Farinelli began working with the small Turinese firm SIATA (Societa Italiana per Applicazioni Tecniche Auto-Aviatorie) with the idea of developing a small engine that could be mounted on a bicycle. The noise of the engine's short stubby exhaust inspired the name "Cucciolo" (Italian: "little puppy"). Barely one month after the official liberation of Italy, SIATA announced their intention to sell Cucciolo engines to the public; it was the first new automotive design to appear in postwar Europe. The first Cucciolos were available only as a motor to be attached by the owner to a normal bicycle. Some businessmen bought the little engines in quantity, installed them in frames and offered these complete units for sale.

By 1950, with 200,000 Cucciolos already sold, Ducati finally offered its own complete motorcycle based on the successful little pushrod engine. The collaboration with SIATA resulted in a well designed little 60 cc bike. This first Ducati motorcycle weighed 98 pounds and had a top speed of 40 mph (64 km/h). Its 15 mm carburetor gave a little under 200 mpg (85 km/L). In the 1950s, Ducati officially dropped the "Cucciolo" name, replacing it with "55M" or "65TL".

The market was moving towards bigger motorcycles though, and Ducati's IRI management felt diversification was the only answer. Ducati made an impression at the early 1952 Milan Show, introducing the Ducati 65 TS cycle and the Cruiser, a four-stroke motor scooter. Despite being described as the most interesting new machine at the 1952 show, the Cruiser was not a great success. A couple thousand were made over a two year period before being withdrawn from production.

In 1953, management decided to split the operation into two separate entities, Ducati Meccanica SpA, and Ducati Elettronica, under separate management. (Ducati Elettronica became Ducati Energia SpA in the eighties.)

Dr. Giuseppe Montano took over as head of Ducati Meccanica SpA and the old Borgo Panigale factory was modernized with government assistance. By 1954, Ducati Meccanica SpA was producing 120 bikes a day, but cheap cars were entering the market, and sales for many motorcycle manufacturers would decline.

From the 1960s to the 1990s the Spanish company MotoTrans licensed Ducati engines and produced motorcycles that were recognizably Ducati derived, although incorporating many subtle differences. MotoTrans' most notable machine was the 250 cc 24 Horas (Spanish: 24 hours), a 285 cc version that won the Barcelona twenty-four hour race at the Montjuic circuit for three consecutive years, 1956 to 1958.

[edit] Motorcycle designs

2006 Ducati Paul Smart 1000LE

Ducati is best known for high performance motorcycles characterized by trellis-style frames and large capacity four-stroke, 90-degree L-twin^[4] engines featuring a desmodromic valve design.^[5] Modern Ducatis remain among the dominant performance motorcycles available today partly because of the Desmodromic valve design, which is nearing its 50th year of use. Desmodromic valves are closed with a separate, dedicated cam lobe and lifter instead of the conventional valve springs used in most internal combustion engines. This allows the cams to have a more radical profile, thus opening and closing the valves more quickly without the risk of valve-float which is likely when using a "passive" closing mechanisms under the same conditions.

While most other manufacturers utilize wet-clutches (with the spinning parts bathed in oil)^[6] Ducati uses multiplate dry clutches in many of their current motorcycles. The dry clutch eliminates the power loss from oil viscosity drag on the engine even though the engagement may not be as smooth as the oil bath versions, and the clutch plates can wear more rapidly.

[edit] Product history

The chief designer of Ducati motorcycles from the 1950s was the late Fabio Taglioni (1920-2001). He designed most Ducatis during this period, ranging from the small single cylinder machines that were successful in the Italian 'street races' up to the large capacity twins of the 80s. Ducati introduced the Pantah in 1979; its engine was updated in the 1990s in the Ducati SuperSport (SS) series. All modern Ducati engines are derivatives of the Pantah, which uses a toothed belt to actuate the engine's valves. Taglioni used the prancing horse (identified with the Ferrari brand) on his Ducati motorbikes, Taglioni chose this emblem of courage and daring as a sign of respect and admiration for Francesco Baracca, a heroic World War I fighter pilot that died during an air raid in 1918^{[7] [8]}

[edit] 1950s

Main article: Ducati Singles

[edit] 1960s

Main article: Ducati Apollo

[edit] 1970s

Main article: Ducati V-twin motorcycles

In 1973, Ducati also commemorated its 1972 win at the Imola 200 with the production model green frame Ducati 750 SuperSport.

(In 2006 the retro styled Ducati PaulSmart1000LE, which shares styling cues with the 1973 750 SuperSport (itself a production replica of Paul Smart's 1972 race winning 750 Imola Desmo ) was released, as one of a SportClassic series representing the 750 GT, 750 Sport, and 750 SuperSport Ducati motorcycles.)

[edit] 1980s

Main article: Ducati Quattrovalvole motorcycles

Ducati's liquid-cooled multi-valve V twins made from 1985 on are known as Quattrovalvole ("four-valve"). These include the 916 and 996, 999 and a few predecessors and derivatives.

[edit] 1990s

In 1993, Miguel Angel Galuzzi introduced the Ducati Monster^[9] , a naked bike with exposed trellis and engine. Today the Monster accounts for almost half of the company's worldwide sales. The Monster, which has been out since 1994, has undergone the most changes of any motorcycle that Ducati has ever produced. After more than a decade of manufacturing, Ducati continues to create innovative changes to this classic motorcycle.

In 1995, the company introduced the Ducati 916 model designed by Massimo Tamburini, a water-cooled version that allowed for higher output levels and a striking new bodywork that featured aggressive lines, underseat exhausts, and a single-sided swingarm. Ducati has since ceased production of what many called the bike of the 1990s, supplanting it with the 749 and 999.

[edit] Current lineup

2007 Ducati Hypermotard

For the 2007 model year, Ducati introduces several new bikes including the 1098, Monster 695, S4R, and Hypermotard.

Monster

• 695
• S2R 800
• S2R 1000
• S4R Testastretta
• S4R S Testastretta

Multistrada

• 1100
• 1100 S

2007 Ducati 1098 S Tricolore

SportClassic

• GT 1000
• Sport 1000 monoposto
• Sport 1000 biposto
• Sport 1000 S biposto

Sporttouring

• ST3
• ST3 S ABS

Superbike

• 1098
• 1098 S
• 1098 S Tricolore

2007 Ducati Desmosedici RR

Other

• Hypermotard
• Desmosedici RR

Motors used in 2006

• Desmodue: Desmo two valve air cooled, 40° included valve angle, (800SS, Multistrada 620, Monster 620 695 803 992)
• Desmodue Double Spark: Desmo two valve , air cooled, 40° included valve angle, (1000DS, Multistrada 1000DS)
• Desmotre Double Spark: Desmo three valve, liquid cooled, 40° included valve angle, (ST3)
• Desmoquattro Testastretta: Desmo four valve, liquid cooled, 25° included valve angle, (999, 749, Monster S4RS)

Motors introduced for 2007

• Testastretta Evoluzione: Desmo four valve, liquid cooled, 25° included valve angle, (1098)

[edit] Future

Ducati had completed testing the Desmosedici GP7, Ducati's 2007 MotoGP race bike. The GP7 complies with new regulations requiring a maximum of 800 cc (as compared with the 989 cc of the GP6). The GP7 is currently known to be the most powerful 800 cc MotoGP race bike, as illustrated in the 2007 Qatar GP, where the four Ducatis produced, by a considerable margin, the highest top speeds of the entire MotoGP grid.

[edit] Motorcycle design history

2007 Ducati Monster S4Rs Testastretta

Ducati (in its various incarnations) has produced several styles of motorcycle engines, including varying the number of cylinders, type of valve actuation and fuel delivery. Ducati is best known for its "L-Twin" motor which is the powerplant in the majority of Ducati-marqued motorcycles. Ducati has also manufactured engines with one, two, three or four cylinders; operated by pull rod valves and push rod valves; single, double and triple overhead camshafts; two stroke and even at one stage manufactured a stationary diesel engine, many of which were used as emergency pumps (eg for fire fighting). Currently, Ducati makes no other engines except for its motorcycles.

On current Ducati motors, the valves are actuated by a standard valve cam shaft which is rotated by a timing belt driven by the motor directly. The teeth on the belt keep the camshaft drive pulleys indexed. On older Ducati motors, prior to 1981, drive was by solid shaft that transferred to the camshaft through bevel-cut gears. This method of valve actuation was used on many of Ducati's older single cylinder motorcycles - the shaft tube is visible on the outside of the cylinder.

Ducati is also famous for using the desmodromic valve system championed by engineer and designer Fabio Taglioni though they have also used engines that use valve springs to close their valves. In the early days, Ducati reserved the desmodromic valve heads for its higher performance bikes and its race bikes. These valves do not suffer from valve float at high engine speeds, thus a desmodromic engine is capable of far higher revolutions than a similarly configured engine with traditional spring-valve heads.

In the 1960s and -70s Ducati produced a wide range of small two-stroke bikes, mainly sub-100 cc capacities. Large quantities of some models were exported to the U.S.

Ducati has produced the following engine types:

• Single cylinder,
  • bevel actuated, spring valved: 98 cc, 160 cc, 175 cc, 200 cc, 250 cc, 350 cc, 450 cc
  • bevel actuated, desmodromic valved: 250 cc, 350 cc and 450 cc
• Two cylinder,
  • bevel actuated, spring valved (L-Twin): 750 cc, 860 cc
  • bevel actuated, desmo valved (L-Twin): 750 cc, 860 cc
  • chain actuated, spring valved (parallel twin): 350 cc, 500 cc (GTL)
  • chain actuated, desmo valved (parallel twin): 500 cc (500SD)
  • belt actuated, desmo valved (L-Twin): Almost all motors since 1986.
• Four cylinder,
  • gear actuated, desmo valved (L-quattro): (Desmosedici)
  • bevel actuated, spring valved (L-4): Prototype Apollo, only two made.

[edit] Ducati products other than motorcycles

Ducati Meccanica (as the company was previously known) has its marque on non-motorcycle products as well. In the 1930s and 40s, Ducati manufactured radios, cameras, and electrical products such as a razor. The Ducati Sogno was a half-frame Leica-like camera which is now a very rare collectors' item.

Currently, there are four Ducati companies: Ducati Motor Holding (the subject of this article), Ducati Corse (which runs the Ducati racing program), Ducati Energia, a designer and manufacturer of electrical and electronic components and systems and Ducati Sistemi, a subsidiary of Ducati Energia. All are located in Borgo Panigale in Bologna, Italy.

Ducati Motor Holding often uses electrical components and subsystems from Ducati Energia.

[edit] Racing History

2006 Ducati 999R Xerox

2006 Ducati 999R Xerox

[edit] MotoGP

Ducati rejoined Grand Prix motorcycle racing in 2003, after a 30 year absence.^[10] Loris Capirossi has been with the team since its current inception in 2003 and Casey Stoner joined him as a teammate for the 2007 season riding the Desmosedici GP7. On September 23, 2007 Casey Stoner clinched his and Ducati's first Grand Prix World Championship.

When Ducati re-joined MotoGP in 2003, MotoGP had changed its rules to allow four-stroke 900cc engines to race. At the time Ducati was the fastest bike. In 2007, MotoGP reduced the engine size to 800cc, yet Ducati continued to be the fastest bike. Ducati continued that trend in 2007 with a bike that was markedly faster than its rivals as was displayed by Casey Stoner on tracks with long straights.

Ducati also supplies bikes to the Pramac d'Antín team, who are running the Desmosedici GP7.

For the 2008 MotoGP season, Ducati will campaign their Desmosedici GP8 with Casey Stoner and Marco Melandri.^[11] On 16 August 2007, Suzuki announced that Capirossi would ride with them in 2008, alongside Australian Chris Vermeulen.^[12]

Year	Country	Champion	Bike
2007	Australia	Casey Stoner	Ducati GP7

[edit] World Superbike Rider Championships

Ducati currently campaigns their 999F07 in the series, which is a homologated racing version of the 999R. For the 2008 season, Ducati will race a homologated version of their current 1098. The reason for this is that currently, the FIM, the sanctioning body for the Superbike World Championship, limits the maximum displacement for a 2 cylinder motor (which is the type of engine Ducati uses in their 999 and 1098 bikes) to 1,000 cc. For 2008, the FIM has raised the displacement limit for a 2 cylinder motor to 1,200cc.^[13]

The company has enjoyed twelve Superbike World Championships since the series' inception in 1988.

Year	Country	Champion	Bike
1990	France	Raymond Roche	Ducati 851
1991	United States	Doug Polen	Ducati 888
1992	United States	Doug Polen	Ducati 888
1994	United Kingdom	Carl Fogarty	Ducati 916
1995	United Kingdom	Carl Fogarty	Ducati 916
1996	Australia	Troy Corser	Ducati 916
1998	United Kingdom	Carl Fogarty	Ducati 996
1999	United Kingdom	Carl Fogarty	Ducati 996
2001	Australia	Troy Bayliss	Ducati 996
2003	United Kingdom	Neil Hodgson	Ducati 999
2004	United Kingdom	James Toseland	Ducati 999
2006	Australia	Troy Bayliss	Ducati 999

Ducati has also won thirteen WSBK Manufacturer Championships for years 1991–1996, 1998, 1999, 2001–2004, and 2006.

[edit] AMA Superbike

In the AMA Superbike series, Ducati has had its share of success, with Doug Polen winning the title in 1993 and Troy Corser the following year in 1994. Ducati has entered a bike in every AMA Superbike season since 1986, but withdrew from the series after the 2006 season.^[14][15][16]

[edit] British Superbike

The British Superbike series has been won by Ducati riders on seven occasions: 1995 Steve Hislop, Scotland; 1999 Troy Bayliss, Australia; 2000 Neil Hodgson, England; 2001 John Reynolds, England; 2002 Steve Hislop, Scotland; 2003 Shane Byrne, England; 2005 Gregorio Lavilla, Spain

[edit]

Honda-history

Honda Motor Company, Limited Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki-gaisha 本田技研工業株式会社
Type	Public TYO: 7267
Founded	September 24, 1948
Headquarters	Tokyo, Japan
Key people	Soichiro Honda, Founder Takeo Fukui, CEO
Industry	Automobile & Truck manufacturer & Motorcycle
Products	automobiles, trucks, motorcycles, scooters, ATVs, electrical generators, robotics, marine equipment, jets and jet engines, and lawn and garden equipment. Honda and Acura brands.
Revenue	$93 billion[1] USD (2006)
Net income	$5.0 billion[1] USD (2006)
Employees	167,231
Slogan	"The Power of Dreams"
Website	Honda.com, World.Honda.com, Autos.Honda.com

Honda Motor Company, Limited (本田技研工業株式会社 Honda Giken Kōgyō Kabushiki-gaisha, Honda Technology Research Institute Company, Limited^?) listen (help·info) (TYO: 7267, NYSE: HMC), or simply called Honda, is a Japanese multinational corporation, engine manufacturer and engineering corporation. The company manufactures automobiles and motorcycles, and has passed Nissan to become the second largest seller of autos in Japan^[2][3].^{[verification needed]} Honda also produces a long list of other products: trucks, scooters, robots, jets and jet engines, ATV, water craft, electrical generators, marine engines, lawn and garden equipment, and aeronautical and other mobile technologies. Honda's line of luxury cars are branded Acura in North America and China. More recently they have ventured into mountain bikes.

Honda is the largest engine-maker in the world, producing more than 14 million internal combustion engines built each year.

Honda is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. Their shares trade on the Tokyo Stock Exchange and the New York Stock Exchange, as well as exchanges in Osaka, Nagoya, Sapporo, Kyoto, Fukuoka, London, Paris and Switzerland. American Honda Motor Co. is based in Torrance, California. Honda Canada Inc. is headquartered in the Scarborough, Ontario district of Toronto, Ontario, and is building new corporate headquarters in Richmond Hill, Ontario, scheduled to relocate in 2008. Honda of Canada Manufacturing is based in Alliston, Ontario. Honda has also created joint ventures around the world, such as Honda Siel Cars India Ltd , Hero Honda Motorcycles India Ltd, Dongfeng Honda Automobile Company in China and Honda Atlas Cars Pakistan

Company History

Company founder Soichiro Honda was a mechanic who, after working at Art Shokai, developed his own design for piston rings in 1938 . He attempted to sell them to Toyota.^{[citation needed]} He constructed a new facility to supply Toyota, but soon after, during World War II, the Honda piston manufacturing facilities were almost completely destroyed.

Soichiro Honda created a new company with what he had left. The Japanese market was decimated by World War II; his country was starved of money and fuel, but was still in need of basic transportation. Honda, utilizing his manufacturing facilities, attached an engine to a bicycle which created a cheap and efficient method of transport. He gave his company the name Honda Giken Kōgyō Kabushiki Kaisha which translates to Honda Research Institute Company Ltd. Despite its grandiose name, the first facility bearing that name was a simple wooden shack where Mr. Honda and his associates would fit the engines to bicycles. The official Japanese name for Honda Motor Company Ltd. remains the same in honor of Soichiro Honda's efforts. On 24 September 1948 the Honda Motor Co. was officially founded in Japan.

Honda began to produce a range of scooters and motorcycles and Soichiro Honda quickly recovered from the losses incurred during the war. Honda's first motorcycle to be put on sale was the 1947 A-Type (one year before the company was officially founded). However, Honda's first full-fledged motorcycle on the market was the 1949 Dream D-Type. It was equipped with a 98cc engine producing around 3 horsepower. This was followed by other highly popular scooters throughout the 1950s.

Honda Super Cub C50

In 1958, the American Honda Company was founded and one year later, Honda introduced its first model in the United States, the 1959 Honda C100 Super Cub. The Honda Cub holds the title of being the best-selling vehicle in history, with around 50 million units sold around the world.^[4] By the 1970s, Honda became the largest producer of motorcycles in the world, and remains so as of 2007.^{[citation needed]}

In the United States during the 1960s, large motorcycles had the image of being ridden by tough, hardened characters. It was an image fostered by owners of Harley Davidson motorcycles, but Honda countered this public perception with their successful "You meet the nicest people on a Honda" advertising program. Honda introduced their new SOHC inline 4-cylinder 750 in 1969, which was immediately successful and established this configuration as one of the most popular for performance motorcycles.^{[citation needed]}

Honda began developing prototypes for road cars in the early 1960s, mostly intended for the Japanese market. The first production vehicle by Honda was the 1963 T360, a tiny pickup truck featuring 4 different body styles (including a traditional truck bed and a panel van) and a 360cc, 30hp engine. This was followed two months later by Honda's first production automobile, the S500. The S500 was a 2 door roadster featuring a 492cc engine capable of 44 hp with a high 9,500 RPM redline. It was fitted to a 4-speed transmission with the rear wheels being chain driven. Mr. Honda took his extensive knowledge of motorcycles and applied it to making his car, of which the chain drive and high redline are evidence.

At the time, nearly all of the Japanese automakers were associated with the former zaibatsu, or keiretsu--Japanese business conglomerates. These large companies had close ties with the government who urged them to absorb smaller carmakers into large brands that could be marketed internationally. Since the government had extensive control over the industry, it was unheard of for a small, independent company to mass produce vehicles, thus making Honda's success historical in the Japanese economy.

Though participating in international motorsport (see Racing), Honda was having difficulty selling its automobiles in the United States. Built for Japanese buyers, Honda's small cars had failed to gain the interest of American buyers. Honda's first automobile imported to the United States was the N600, sold in Hawaii in 1969. In 1970 , the car was imported to California and beyond, but its tiny 600 cc engine and minuscule dimensions made it very unpopular with the American public.

Honda Civic

Honda finally established a foothold in the American market in 1972 with the introduction of the Civic—larger than their previous models, but still small compared to the typical American car—just as the 1973 energy crisis was impacting worldwide economies. New emissions laws in the US requiring American car makers to add expensive smog pumps and catalytic converters to engines increased car prices. However, Honda introduced an innovative variation on the stratified charge engine, the CVCC (Compound Vortex-Controlled Combustion) in the 1975 Civic, this allowed the Civic to meet emission standards without a smog pump or a catalytic converter. Due to its more complete combustion it also obtained the lowest fuel consumption rating of any vehicle available on the American market for four years during its production.^[5] American companies were slow to begin producing small, fuel efficient cars, which gave the Honda Civic a chance to sell well, as well as prove Honda's reputation for reliability and further expand its customer loyalty.

Honda Accord

In 1976 , the new, larger-than-the-Civic Accord was immediately popular because of its value, economy, and fun-to-drive nature. The Accord has since consistently been one of the best selling cars in the United States, and evolved into a large mid-size for the North American market with V6 and hybrid versions.

Honda began building motorcycles in Marysville, Ohio in 1978 and then made history in 1982, when Honda was the first foreign auto manufacturer to build car plants in the US. The first car made in the US was the Accord. They now have five plants located in Ohio: two in Marysville (the Marysville Auto Plant and the Marysville Motorcycle Plant), one in East Liberty, Ohio, a Honda Transmission plant Russells Point, Ohio and an engine plant in Anna, Ohio. They also have plants in Lincoln, Alabama (Honda Manufacturing of Alabama) and Timmonsville, South Carolina and have recently (2006) opened a new plant in Tallapoosa, Georgia. Honda also has an extensive aftermarket parts operation located in Marysville, Ohio, and a research and development facility in Raymond, Ohio. Honda's North American and U.S. headquarters are located in Torrance, California. Honda's Canadian and many US-market Civics have been manufactured in their plant in Alliston, Ontario since 1986 . On 27 June, 2006, Honda announced that another vehicle assembly facility will be opening in North America, this time in Greensburg, Indiana. Its completion is expected in 2008.

Honda was the first Japanese automaker to introduce a separate luxury line of vehicles. Created in 1986 and known as Acura, the line is made up of modified versions of Honda vehicles usually with more power and sportiness than their Honda counterparts. The very first model was the Acura Legend, with a 2.5 liter engine producing 151 horsepower. European luxury-car manufacturers initially scoffed at the thought of a luxury company from Japan, with criticism coming mostly from Mercedes-Benz.

1987 was an important year for new safety and technology at Honda. The 1987 Honda Prelude was the first passenger vehicle in the world equipped with four-wheel steering (4WS) technology. This also marked the year for the first Japanese car equipped with an SRS airbag, the Honda (Acura) Legend.

In 1989 Honda launched their VTEC variable valve timing system in its production car engines, which gave improved efficiency and performance across a broader range of engine speeds. One of the first of its kind in passenger vehicles. It operates on the premise of using different camshaft profiles (including duration, enganging a third rocker arm) depending on a number of sensors: throttle position, water/oil temperature, RPM. Low-load driving would result in VTEC not being engaged, the camshaft using an efficient-for-low-speed profile. When all sensors permit, the ECU engages the third lobe is engaged, using a different rocker arm, effectively changing the camshaft profile for an efficient-for-high-rpm profile.

In 1999 Honda began selling the Insight which was the first hybrid vehicle on the market. Power is derived from a combination of a 1.0L 3-cylinder gasoline engine, and a large NiMH battery pack providing power-assist during acceleration. This computer-controlled combination provided acceptable performance with exceptionally low fuel consumption and emissions. Honda's hybrid power train is now an available option for the Civic and Accord.

For the 2007 model year, Honda plans to improve the safety of its vehicles by providing front-seat mounted side airbags, side-curtain airbags, and anti-lock brakes as standard equipment in all automobiles available in North America (except the Insight and S2000, which will not have side-curtain airbags). By 2008, Honda plans to have standard traction with vehicle stability control with rollover sensors in all light trucks, which include the CR-V, Odyssey, Pilot, and Acura MDX. Honda also plans to make its vehicles safer for pedestrians, with more safely-designed hoods, hinges, frame constructs, and breakaway wiper pivots.

In 2007, Honda stated it is going to launch low-priced hybrids and advanced diesel technology in the near future. ^[6]

[edit] Leadership

• 1948-1973 — Soichiro Honda
• 1973-1983 — Kiyoshi Kawashima
• 1983-1990 — Tadashi Kume
• 1990-1998 — Nobuhiko Kawamoto
• 1998-2004 — Hiroyuki Yoshino
• 2004-present — Takeo Fukui

[edit] Racing history

[edit] Motorcycle

Main article: Honda Racing Corporation

Honda Racing Corporation logo

Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) was formed in 1954. The company combines participation in motorcycle races throughout the world with the development of high potential racing machines. Its racing activities are an important source for the creation of leading edge technologies used in the development of Honda motorcycles. HRC also contributes to the advancement of motorcycle sports through a range of activities that include sales of production racing motorcycles, support for satellite teams, and rider education programs.

Soichiro Honda, being a race driver himself, could not stay out of international motorsport. In 1959 , Honda entered five motorcycles into the Isle of Man TT race, at that time the most prestigious motorcycle race in the world. While always having powerful engines, it took until 1961 for Honda to tune their chassis well enough to allow Mike Hailwood to claim their first Grand Prix victories in the 125 and 250 cc classes. Hailwood would later pick up their first senior TT wins in 1966 and 1967. Honda's race bikes were known for their 'sleek & stylish design' and exotic engine configurations, such as the 5 cylinder, 22,000 rpm, 125 cc bike and their 6 cylinder 250 cc and 380 cc bikes.

1979 saw Honda return to Grand Prix motorcycle racing with their exotic, monocoque-framed, four-stroke NR500. The NR500 featured elongated cylinders each with 8 valves and with connecting rods in pairs, in an attempt to comply with the FIM rules which limited engines to four cylinders. Honda engineered the elongated cylinders in an effort to provide the valve area of an 8 cylinder engine, hoping their four-stroke bike would be able to compete against the now dominant two-stroke racers. Unfortunately, it seemed Honda tried to accomplish too much at one time and the experiment failed. For the 1982 season, Honda debuted their first two stroke race bike, the NS500 and in 1983, Honda won their first 500 cc Grand Prix World Championship with Freddie Spencer. Since then, Honda has become a dominant marque in motorcycle Grand Prix.

In motocross, Honda has claimed 24 motocross world championships.

[edit] Automobile

See also Honda F1

Honda re-entered Formula One in 2006 after buying the British American Racing team.

Honda entered Formula One as a constructor for the first time in the 1964 season at the German Grand Prix with Ronnie Bucknum at the wheel. 1965 saw the addition of Richie Ginther to the team, who scored Honda's first point at the Belgian Grand Prix, and Honda's first win at the Mexican Grand Prix. 1967 saw their next win at the Italian Grand Prix with John Surtees as their driver. In 1968, Jo Schlesser was killed in a Honda RA302 at the French Grand Prix. This racing tragedy, coupled with their commercial difficulties selling automobiles in the United States, prompted Honda to withdraw from all international motorsport that year.

After a learning year in 1965, Honda-powered Brabhams dominated the 1966 French Formula Two championship in the hands of Jack Brabham and Denny Hulme. As there was no European Championship that season, this was the top F2 championship that year. In the early 1980s Honda returned to F2, supplying engines to Ron Tauranac's Ralt team. Tauranac had designed the Brabham cars for their earlier involvement. They were again extremely successful. In a related exercise, John Judd's Engine Developments company produced a turbo 'Brabham-Honda' engine for use in CART racing. It won only one race, in 1988 for Bobby Rahal at Pocono.

Honda returned to Formula One in 1983, initially with another Formula Two partner, the Spirit team, before switching abruptly to Williams in 1984. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Honda powered cars won six consecutive Formula One Constructors Championships. WilliamsF1 won the crown in 1986 and 1987. Honda switched allegiance again in 1988. New partners Team McLaren won the title in 1988, 1989, 1990 and 1991. Honda withdrew from Formula One at the end of 1992, although the related Mugen-Honda company maintained a presence up to the end of 1999, winning four races with Ligier and Jordan Grand Prix.

Honda debuted in the American CART series as a works supplier in 1994. The engines were far from competitive at first, but after development, the company powered six consecutive drivers championships. In 2003 , Honda transferred its effort to the rival Indy Racing League series. In 2004, Honda-powered cars overwhelmingly dominated IRL, winning 14 of 16 IRL events, including the Indianapolis 500, and claimed the IRL Manufacturers' Championship, Drivers' Championship and Rookie of the Year titles. In 2006, Honda became the sole engine supplier for the IRL, including the Indianapolis 500. In the 2006 Indianapolis 500, for the first time in Indianapolis 500 history, the race was run without a single engine problem [5].

During 1998, Honda considered returning to Formula One with their own team. The project was aborted after the death of its technical director, Harvey Postlethwaite. Honda instead came back as an official engine supplier to British American Racing (BAR) and Jordan Grand Prix. Honda bought a stake in the BAR team in 2004 before buying the team outright at the end of 2005, becoming a constructor for the first time since the 1960s. Honda won the 2006 Hungarian Grand Prix with driver Jenson Button.

[edit] Downhill Mountain Biking

Honda have also built a Downhill racing bike, known as the Honda RN-01. Honda have taken on several people to pilot the bike, among them is Greg Minnaar. The team is known as Team G Cross Honda. The key feature of this bike is the gearbox, which replaces the standard Derailleur found on most bikes.

[edit] Strategy and public image

2006 Honda Accord

During the 1960s, when it was a small manufacturer, Honda broke out of the Japanese motorcycle market and began exporting to the US. Taking Honda’s story as an archetype of the smaller manufacturer entering a new market already occupied by highly dominant competitors, the story of their market entry, and their subsequent huge success in the US and around the world, has been the subject of some academic controversy. Competing explanations have been advanced to explain Honda’s strategy and the reasons for their success.

The first of these explanations was put forward when, in 1975, Boston Consulting Group (BCG) was commissioned by the UK government to write a report explaining why and how the British motorcycle industry had been out-competed by its Japanese competitors. The report concluded that the Japanese firms, including Honda, had sought a very high scale of production (they had made a large number of motorbikes) in order to benefit from economies of scale and learning curve effects. It blamed the decline of the British motorcycle industry on the failure of British managers to invest enough in their businesses to profit from economies of scale and scope.

2004 Honda Super Cub

The second story is told in 1984 by Richard Pascale, who had interviewed the Honda executives responsible for the firm’s entry into the US market. As opposed to the tightly focused strategy of low cost and high scale that BCG accredited to Honda, Pascale found that their entry into the US market was a story of “miscalculation, serendipity, and organizational learning” – in other words, Honda’s success was due to the adaptability (and hard work) of its staff, rather than any long term strategy. For example, Honda’s initial plan on entering the US was to compete in large motorcycles, around 300cc. It was only when the team found that the scooters they were using to get themselves around their US base of San Francisco attracted positive interest from consumers that they came up with the idea of selling the Supercub.

Honda Outboard motor on a pontoon boat

The most recent school of thought on Honda’s strategy was put forward by Gary Hamel and C. K. Prahalad in 1989 . Creating the concept of core competencies with Honda as an example, they argued that Honda’s success was due to its focus on leadership in the technology of internal combustion engines. For example, the high power-to-weight ratio engines Honda produced for its racing bikes provided technology and expertise which was transferable into mopeds.

Honda's entry into the US motorcycle market during the 1960s is used as a case study for teaching introductory strategy at business schools worldwide.

Its first entrance into the pickup segment, the lightduty Ridgeline, won Truck of the Year from Motor Trend magazine in 2006 (also in 2006, the redesigned Civic won Car of the Year from the magazine, giving Honda a rare double win of Motor Trend honors).

[edit] Initiatives

Although a relatively small manufacturer compared to the other Japanese automakers, Honda is the largest engine maker in the world. Honda has a number of firsts in many categories, including the first engine to meet the 1970 US Clean Air Act (1975 CVCC), the first luxury Japanese car (1987 Legend) and motorcycle (2006 Gold Wing bikes) equipped with an airbag, as well as the first mid-size pickup truck with independent rear suspension (2006 Ridgeline).

The 2006 Ridgeline was a reintroduction of the concept of a Uni-Body truck. Earlier examples of this concept are the Subaru Brat, Volkswagen Rabbit pick-up, and Dodge Rampage/Plymouth Scamp.

Honda has also pioneered new technology in its HA-420 HondaJet that allows new levels of reduced drag, increased aerodynamics and fuel efficiency thus reducing operating costs.

Honda's robot ASIMO (see below) as an R&D project brings together expertise to create a robot that walks, dances and navigates steps.

[edit] Marketing

Honda's official slogan is The Power of Dreams however has never used this to sell their products. It was Mr. Honda's belief that well built products will sell themselves. Many of Honda's most remarkable advertising campaigns have been released for the UK market, and have not been broadcast in North America except on the internet.

In 2003, Honda released its Cog advertisement in the UK and on the Internet. To make the ad, the engineers at Honda constructed a Rube Goldberg Machine made entirely out of car parts from the Honda Accord. To the despair of the engineers at Honda, all the parts were taken from 2 of only 6 hand assembled pre-production models of the Accord. The ad depicted a single cog which sets off a chain of events that ends with the Honda Accord moving and Garrison Keillor speaking the tagline, "Isn't it nice when things just... work?" It took 606 takes to get it perfect.^{[citation needed]}

In 2004, they produced the Hate Something advert, which is still shown on British television now, usually immediately followed by a shortened version of the 2005/2006 Impossible Dream advert.

In 2006, Honda released its Choir advertisement, for the UK and the internet. This featured a 60-person choir who sang the car noises as film of the Honda Civic are shown.

In December 2005, Honda released The Impossible Dream a 2 minute panoramic advertisement filmed in New Zealand, Japan and Argentina which illustrates the founder's dream to build performance vehicles. While singing The Impossible Dream (The Quest), a man reaches for his racing helmet, leaves his trailer on a minibike, then rides a succession of vintage Honda vehicles; a motorcycle, then a car, then a powerboat, then goes over a waterfall only to reappear piloting a hot air balloon, with Garrison Keillor saying "I couldn't have put it better myself" as the song ends. The song is from the 1960s musical "Man Of La Mancha", sung by Andy Williams.

In Australia, Honda advertised heavily during most motor racing telecasts, and were the official sponsor of the 2006 FIA Formula 1 telecast on broadcaster channel "Ten". In fact, they were the only manufacturer involved in the 2006 Indy Racing League season. In a series of adverts promoting the history of Honda's racing heritage, Honda claimed they "built" cars that won 72 Formula 1 Grand Prix. Detractors scoffed and called it "false advertising", saying that nearly all those victories were claimed by Honda powered (engined) machines, with the cars themselves designed and built by Lotus F1, Williams F1 and McLaren F1 teams respectively. However, former and current staff of the McLaren F1 team have repeatedly proclaimed that Honda contributed more than just engines and provided various chassis, tooling and aerodynamic parts as well as funding. Ayrton Senna, arguably the greatest F1 driver of all time, repeatedly stated that Honda probably played the most significant role in his 3 World Championships. He had immense respect for founder, Soichiro Honda and had a good relationship with Nobuhiko Kawamoto, the chairman of Honda at that time. Senna once called Honda "the greatest company in the world".

For the last several years, during model close-out sales for the current year before the start of the new model year, Honda's advertising has featured an animated character known simply as Mr. Opportunity, voiced by Rob Paulsen. The casual looking man talks about various deals offered by Honda and ends with the phrase "I'm Mr. Opportunity, and I'm knockin'", followed by him then him 'knocking' on the television screen or 'thumping' the speaker at the end of radio ads. Also, commercials for Honda's international hatchback, the Jazz, are parodies of well-known pop culture images such as Tetris and Thomas The Tank Engine.

As part of their marketing campaign, Honda is an official partner and sponsor of Major League Soccer.

In late 2006 Honda released an ad with ASIMO exploring a museum, looking at the exhibits with almost child-like wonderment (spreading out its arms in the aerospace exhibit, waving hello to an astronaut suit that resembles him, etc.), while Garrison Keillor ruminates on progress. It concludes with the tagline: "More forwards please".

The latest campaign for Honda, released May 2007, focuses on their strengths in racing and the use of the Red H badge - a symbol of what is termed as 'Hondamentalism'. The campaign highlights the lengths that Honda engineers go to in order to get the most out of an engine, whether it's for bikes, cars, powerboats - even lawnmowers. Honda released its Hondamentalism campaign. In the TV spot, Garrison Keillor says, "An engineer once said to build something great is like swimming in honey." while Honda engineers in white suits walk and run towards a great light, battling strong winds and flying debris, holding on to anything that will keep them from being blown away. Finally one of the engineers walks towards a red light, his hand outstretched. A web address is shown for the Hondamentalism website. The digital campaign aims to show how visitors to the site share many of the Hondamentalist characteristics.

[edit] Facilities (partial list)

[edit] Japan

• Suzuka, Mie — cars
• Hamamatsu, Shizuoka — motorcycles (ending 2009)
• Sayama, Saitama — cars, light trucks
• Kikuchi, Kumamoto — motorcycles, ATVs (all Honda motorcycles produced from 2008)
• Utsunomiya, Tochigi — vehicle R&D

[edit] United States

North American Facilities List and description

• Lincoln, Alabama — Odyssey, Pilot, V6 engines
• East Liberty, Ohio — Civic Sedan/Coupe/GX, Element, CR-V
• Marysville, Ohio Auto — Accord Sedan/Coupe, Acura TL, Acura RDX,
• Marysville, Ohio Motorcycle (Gold Wing 1800, Valkyrie Rune, VTX 1300/1800, Shadow 1100), motorcycle engines
• Anna, Ohio — Engines
• Raymond, Ohio — Vehicle R&D
• Indian Lake, Ohio — automatic transmissions
• Torrance, California — Vehicle R&D/design
• Swepsonville, North Carolina — General purpose engines, Walk-behind lawn mowers, Snow blower, String trimmers, Water pumps, nnd Tillers
• Greensburg, Indiana — Civic Sedan (Opening in Fall 2008)
• Timmonsville, South Carolina — ATV's & watercraft(Four Trax Recon, Four Trax Foreman, Four Trax Rancher, Four Trax Rincon, Four Trax Rubicon, Sportrax 400EX/250EX, AquaTrax F-12/12X)]

[edit] Canada

• Alliston, Ontario -- HCM 1 - Civic (Including all Coupes and Civic Si's) and Acura CSX
  HCM 2 - Civic Sedan, Ridgeline and Acura MDX

[edit] Mexico

• Guadalajara, Jalisco — Engines, CR-V SUV (50,000 units a year).

[edit] United Kingdom

• Swindon, England, UK - EP3 - Civic SI (USA), Civic SiR (Canada), Civic Type-R, Type-S and standard (Europe, South Africa and Australia) as well as the Honda C-RV for the same destinations.

[edit] Brazil

• Manaus, Amazonas — motorcycles
• Sumare, São Paulo — cars (Civic and Fit)

[edit] Colombia

• Cali, Valle del Cauca — motorcycles

[edit] Thailand

• Ayutthaya

[edit] Turkey

• Gebze

[edit] Malaysia

• Malacca — Constant Velocity Joints
• Penang Motorcycle under Boon Siew Honda

[edit] Philippines

• Batangas
• Laguna, Parts and Transmission; cars

[edit] Pakistan

• Lahore — Cars
• Karachi — Motorcycles
• Sheikhupura — Motorcycles

[edit] Argentina

• Zárate, Family Cars

[edit] India

• Gurgaon, Haryana — Motorcycles and scooters.
• Noida, Uttar Pradesh — Cars and SUVs

[edit] Vietnam

• Dong Anh, Hanoi — Cars and scooters
• Vinh Phuc — Cars and parts

[edit] Robots

ASIMO at Expo 2005 in Japan

ASIMO is the part of Honda's Research & Development robotics program. It is the eleventh in a line of successive builds starting in 1986 with Honda E0 moving through the ensuing Honda E series and the Honda P series. Weighing 54 kilograms and standing 130 centimeters tall, ASIMO resembles a small astronaut wearing a backpack, and can walk on two feet in a manner resembling human locomotion, at up to 6 km/h. It is the world's only humanoid robot able to ascend and descend stairs independently.^[7] However, human motions such as climbing stairs are difficult to mimic with a machine, which ASIMO has demonstrated by taking two plunges off of a staircase.

• Official website

[edit]