Soichiro Honda

Date of Birth: November 17, 1906

Zodiac Sign: Scorpio

Date of Death: August 5, 1991

Biography

Soichiro Honda was a pioneering Japanese engineer and industrialist, best known as the founder of Honda Motor Co., Ltd. Born into a modest family, Honda displayed an early interest in mechanics and engineering, which would shape his future career. Starting from a small workshop, he built a global automotive empire that revolutionized the motorcycle and automobile industries. Honda’s dedication to innovation, quality, and customer satisfaction made the Honda brand synonymous with reliability and performance. Despite facing numerous challenges, including the devastation of World War II, Soichiro Honda’s relentless pursuit of excellence led to the creation of one of the most successful and recognizable automotive brands in the world.

5 Interesting Facts about Soichiro Honda

1. Soichiro Honda initially started his career by working as a mechanic at Art Shokai, where he tuned cars and entered them in races.

2. During World War II, Honda’s first company, Tokai Seiki, was bombed twice, and a major earthquake destroyed his factory in 1945.

3. In 1948, he founded Honda Motor Co., Ltd., which initially produced motorized bicycles before expanding into motorcycles and eventually automobiles.

4. Honda was awarded the Order of the Rising Sun, First Class, by the Japanese government in 1971 for his contributions to the country’s industry.

5. By the 1980s, Honda had become the largest manufacturer of motorcycles in the world, a position it still holds today.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Soichiro Honda

1. “Success represents the 1% of your work which results from the 99% that is called failure.”

2. “The value of life can be measured by how many times your soul has been deeply stirred.”

3. “I just wouldn’t give in, no way. I was determined to make the next move, and the next.”

4. “To me, success can be achieved only through repeated failure and introspection.”

5. “Instead of being afraid of the challenge and failure, be afraid of avoiding the challenge and doing nothing.”

Highest Net Worth Achieved

Soichiro Honda’s highest net worth was estimated to be around $1 billion at the time of his death in 1991.

Children

Soichiro Honda had two children: a son named Hirotoshi Honda, who is the founder of Mugen Motorsports, a company specializing in aftermarket parts for Honda vehicles, and a daughter named Mika Honda.