Passionate about cars from an early age, the mechanic and racing enthusiast Soichiro Honda formed The Honda Motor Company with Takeo Fujisawa in 1948. Fifty years later, Honda was the eighth largest automobile manufacturer in the world and the second largest one from Japan. Since then, Honda has become a household name, known for producing quality automobiles that consumers love to drive--as well as motorcycles, garden equipment, personal watercraft, power generators, and engines! Since 1959, Honda has maintained the title of the world’s largest motorcycle manufacturer and recently earned the twenty-fourth spot on Forbes ‘World’s Most Valuable Brands’ list.