Filed under: Etc., Japan, Honda
Automobile names Takeo Fukui MOTY
Honda is one of the few automakers that's demonstrated studied restraint during the recent SUV boom. There is the Pilot, which is a big ol' thing, but it's also as efficient as something that size can be, with unit-body construction, and an engine that shuts off three of its six cylinders whenever possible. The company also has a long history of making small cars that aren't penalty boxes, and amazingly clever engineering. It should be little surprise, then, that the man at the helm is an engineer by trade, deftly maneuvering the automaker into whatever endeavors hold promise, popular fashion be damned. Takeo Fukui worked on the company's CVCC engines early on in his tenure, and his respect for the vision of Soichiro Honda has netted him the title of Man Of The Year from Automobile magazine. The new focus on fuel efficiency (though today, oil is under $50/barrel for the first time in three years) has made Honda seem oddly prescient for its steadfast manner. Cheers!
[Source: Automobile]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Shyam 11:10AM (11/22/2008)
wagoner and nardelli couldn't hold takeo's jockstrap.
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ken_aisin 11:10AM (11/22/2008)
Honda's done everything right.... except hiring the wrong designers who are responsible for the new Acuras.
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JDMlover 11:27AM (11/22/2008)
"Honda's done everything right"
Bold statement...what does Honda have that other or even Toyota does not? If anything Toyota does more and has more then Honda.
ken_aisin 11:48AM (11/22/2008)
"If anything Toyota does more and has more then Honda."
That's not surprising when Toyota is almost three times larger than Honda in terms of assets.
Mobius_1 11:50AM (11/22/2008)
Another thing they did wrong: not building a new NSX (as in proper, mid-engined, 6cyl (possibly turbos))
P.V. 12:07PM (11/22/2008)
@JDMLover:
Please, stop trolling for Toyota.
Honda decided not to focus on SUVs (it has never built a ladder-frame SUV of its own (the Passport was Isuzu's)) and decided instead to focus on its core models: the Fit, Civic, and Accord. As a result, it is not as badly off as the other automakers.
Toyota, on the other hand, decided to jump on the SUV/CUV bandwagon repeatedly by saturating the market with every SUV/CUV/combo possible. As a result, it is losing money quickly.
Also, Honda has its engine technology, jets, boats, lawnmowers, motorcycles, and humanoid robots to fall back upon when it can't push cars off the lots. Toyota essentially only builds cars, so when its cars don't sell, it does terribly as a company.
Honda has invested in multiple alternative fuels including hybrids, diesels, CNG, and hydrogen cars, so it is taking advantage of a variety of alternative fuel markets. Toyota, only focusing on hybrids (its diesels are only sold in Europe (no plans to bring them here, last time I checked, unlike Honda) and its CNG and hydrogen vehicles are still prototypes (unlike the Honda FCX and Civic GX)), hasn't taken advantage of other fuels, so Honda can make more money off of green cars from multiple angles.
QED Honda HAS really done everything right.
(Oh yeah, and Honda has better residual value than Toyota (same goes for Acura vs. Lexus). I was reading the paper the other day and I saw that a 2005 Accord was going for $1000 more than a 2006 Camry (and the Camry looked to be in near-mint condition).)
ken_aisin 12:15PM (11/22/2008)
"Another thing they did wrong: not building a new NSX (as in proper, mid-engined, 6cyl (possibly turbos))"
Honda hasn't given the front-V10 coupe a name. But if it's named NSXmkII, it's a huge huge mistake.
As a previous NSX owner, I hope Honda will put the same V10 engine into the Honda HSC concept, give it SH-AWD and a dual clutch transmission, and call it the new NSX. I'll break my piggy bank for one.
Jim 1:01PM (11/22/2008)
Honda did make a few mistakes along the way. Remember the Passport aka Isuzu Rodeo? The Isuzu version got higher reliability than the rebadged counterpart. That is not to say Honda did not learn from its mistake. I guess that is the difference between it and other car makers.
Sid 11:16AM (11/22/2008)
Apart from the lack of design...Honda is able to achieve fuel economy at the cost of torque. I think torque is very important. I'm not talking about 450lb-feet, I'm saying if you have a 140HP engine, give us 135lb-feet torque. Not 197HP engines with 130lb-feet.
Apart from that, yes there is a lot to admire about Honda.
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Lostintime 11:55AM (11/22/2008)
Torque wins races, horsepower sells cars
ken_aisin 12:07PM (11/22/2008)
Hi Sid: I'm not an engineer, but I believe hp = torque x rpm / 5250. I think there's only so much torque that Honda can squeeze out of those tiny engines. The high hp number is probably due to the fact that Honda is capable of making those tiny engines high revving, yet reliable.
I'm not sure if this is true, but I was told by an engineer friend that it takes 10x more effort to raise the redline by every 1000 rpm. This means it's on a log scale in terms of engineering resources.
Steve Bennet 4:47PM (11/22/2008)
If you compare the torque output from other engines of the same size you will see honda isnt lacking any torque.
ken_aisin 11:17AM (11/22/2008)
Honda is a great example that every car company should be led by an engineer who runs motor oil in his blood vessels, while assisted by beancounters.
When you have a beancounter leading a car company, you're just asking for turmoil.
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cxv 11:28AM (11/22/2008)
Well deserved. Now go to Italy and hire some designers working for FIAT and develop a long term design strategy for Acura.
Also, maybe he should teach the Big 3 CEO's how to run a car company!
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Mobius_1 11:42AM (11/22/2008)
I read somewhere Honda have tooled their factories long ago to be flexible to respond to changes in demand for different types of vehicles and all vehicles in general. That is the kind of foresight companies like Ford, GM and even Toyota etc to some extent lack.
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Sid 11:47AM (11/22/2008)
I agree however GM, Ford etc are much much older and larger companies and are mired in older factories, more spread and beaurocracy. Honda was able to manage itself efficiently right from the start.
Lostintime 11:55AM (11/22/2008)
A lot of newer factories for other companies are the same way.
Toyota for example, upon canceling the solara line is now building a crossover on the same assembly line.
I know nissan and hyundai have that as well I believe
homunculus 12:00PM (11/22/2008)
the man is an engineer, not an mba like wagoner or nardelli.
there's a message in there.
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Mobius_1 12:47PM (11/22/2008)
Common sense > MBA?
or
Intelligence > MBA?
redcars 11:25PM (11/22/2008)
I have serious doubts about American MBAs - no matter what company they work for - US or foreign. They're smug and arrogant that they are smarter than everybody else - move debt and liabilities off the balance sheet, make your own financials look good, cash in. What's the real concrete and productive thing do they for society? I hope we all learn to reject the BS taught in business schools and carried out in the CEO suites across America.