Honda Motor Company has been called a racing company that just happens to build production automobiles. Founded in 1948 by Soichiro Honda, it was at first a small engine manufacturing company that built engines and then attached them to bicycles as an easy and cheap mode of transportation for the citizens of war-torn Japan. By the 1960's, Honda was manufacturing a small roadster and a truck. Although Honda is still the world's leading motorcycle manufacturer, Honda has also become one of the world's most successful car manufacturers, having the best selling cars in both Japan (2002 Fit/Jazz) and in the U.S. (2001 Accord) in recent years. For a small company starting out in a devastated country, Honda has seen unbelievable success in the world of automobiles.
