Honda Australia turns a graceful 40

Honda Australia celebrates its 40th anniversary this year, providing a sobering realization of how much the Australian market has changed since the company began as a two-man operation based in the inner Melbourne suburb of South Yarra.

At the time, Honda was known as an innovative and progressive motorcycle manufacturer, but not as a builder of cars.

The first Hondas to arrive in Australia, including the diminutive two-cylinder Scamp and the twin-camshaft, chain-drive S600 sports car, were seen more as novelties from a fledgling car-making country than serious market contenders.

But from the introduction of the first Civic hatchback in 1972, the company showed that its technologically-driven philosophies had the potential to influence car design into the future.

"The release of the Civic cemented the Honda brand in Australia and showcased the innovative technology that people would come to expect from us over the years," said Honda Australia’s current Managing Director and CEO, Mr. Yasuhide Mizuno.

From that first Civic, then to the Accord sedan in 1977, Honda began an expansion that has not faltered since.

Today, the workforce has grown from two to more than 500 people working in Honda’s motor vehicle, motorcycle, power equipment and marine operations.

And Honda has received the odd gong over the year too, including numerous Wheels magazine COTY (Car of The Year) awards, Australia's Best Car awards, Drive Car of the Year awards and Australian Design of the Year awards. COTY awards started with the original Accord in 1977, which was followed by the Prelude in 1987, the NSX in 1991 (a joint award with Nissan's Pulsar) and the Odyssey in 1995. The current Accord Euro (pictured) is the holder of the 2008 Wheels COTY award.

"It is fitting that Honda Australia enters its 40th birthday year winning such a prestigious award. I trust we will have another successful 40 years," Mr. Mizuno said.

Honda presently occupies number five spot in Australian new-car sales -- a dramatic contrast with its status in 1969 when it barely registered a blip on the screen.