The Rebel Behind the Brand

Soichiro Honda was an unconventional figure whose approach to industry felt more aligned with the spirit of the American Wild West than the rigid traditions of 20th-century Japan. Born in 1906, the son of a blacksmith, he developed an early obsession with mechanics. After leaving home at 15 to apprentice at an auto-repair shop, he eventually began designing and racing his own vehicles. Though his early racing career was interrupted by a near-fatal accident and the pressures of wartime production, his ambition remained set on vehicle manufacturing.


In the post-war era, Honda transformed his business by mounting surplus engines onto bicycles. By 1954, he had built Honda into Japan’s leading motorcycle manufacturer. However, his rise was not welcomed by the Japanese industrial establishment, which often excluded him due to his lack of formal education and non-conformist management style.


A Motorcycle Mindset Applied to Four Wheels

When the Japanese government threatened to limit automotive manufacturing to established giants, Honda moved quickly to introduce his own cars. In 1962, the company debuted its first models at the Tokyo Motor Show. Unlike his contemporaries, who often copied existing Western sedans, Honda approached automotive design with the philosophy of a motorcycle engineer.


The resulting S500 and its successors featured an incredibly advanced inline-four engine. This aluminum power plant included:

  • Dual overhead cams driven by roller chains
  • Hemispherical cross-flow heads
  • Four Keihin side-draft carburetors
  • A needle-roller bearing crankshaft capable of safely exceeding 11,000 rpm

This engine architecture was effectively Formula 1 technology brought to a passenger vehicle, reflecting Honda’s concurrent entry into F1 racing in 1963.


Unique Chassis and Drivetrain

The S-series featured a novel independent rear suspension utilizing chain-drive units that doubled as trailing arms. The vehicles were agile and distinct, feeling more like a Lotus Elan than a typical entry-level car. Because the engine was designed to rev high, the driving experience required frequent gear shifts to maintain power, producing a unique, baritone exhaust note that remains a hallmark of the brand’s engineering prowess.


«The tiny shifter moves through its wide H-pattern with a delightful mechanical precision,» notes the historical review of the S600. The car demanded a disciplined driving style, but it rewarded the operator with a level of engagement and technical sophistication rarely seen in the 1960s economy market.


A Legacy of Innovation

While the S-series faced hurdles, including restrictive Japanese tax regulations and international emission standards that kept them out of the U.S. market, they proved that Honda had successfully transitioned into the automotive business. The S600 and S800 models sold over 25,000 units between 1963 and 1970, cementing a foundation of reliability and quirky, high-revving performance.


Even today, the spirit of Soichiro Honda lives on. The high-revving nature of vehicles like the S2000 and the company's continuous push into new frontiers demonstrate that the rebel streak of its founder remains a core component of the Honda identity.