2002年09月30日 月曜日
Honda Makes A Chanpon Car
by Justin Hall
Technology
Cars can be integral to national identity. Many countries have their own auto-manufacturers. When a foreign-national auto-maker begins selling cars, or even making notable inroads into domestic markets, it's often cast as a sort of "invasion" in the news. Witness the 1980s in America when movies like "Gung Ho" depicted the Japanese as automaton industrial invaders.
"Humble beginnings: The 1976 Accord, top. Forever changes: The '85 Accord, middle, and the 2003 Accord, bottom. The Accord has undergone no fewer than seven wholesale redesigns, most of them visible only to mechanics."
Photo and caption from the New York Times, Toward a More Perfect Accord. |
That jingoistic time has largely passed, it seems, and Detroit has ceeded at least one segment of the market to Japanese automakers - the family sedan. The Big Three American auto-makers have instead focused on the cash-cow cars - SUVs and pick-up trucks. While money came pouring in, they shied away from refining the basic design and instead plied a steady stream of larger truck-car-things on the buying public.
Meanwhile, fierce competition within East Asia and dedication to a "Honda Way" slowly propelled Honda to an exemplary place in the world of American cars, selling excellently-engineered cars, with expensive parts, for wildly cheap prices. They've become a Chanpon success story - the Accord, in particular, was designed for America, influenced by American consumers, and built in America. Now the Accord project is being run by an American, a first for a Japanese auto-maker.
All this according to a recent New York Times article, Toward a More Perfect Accord (registration required). Sort of a loving ode to Honda as a patient, hard-working and wise maker of cars for the American market, a history of efforts by Japanese companies to break into American cars, and an indictment of lazy, greedy American car makers.
Posted by Justin Hall at 2002年09月30日 10:18
Comments
Honda has been designing almost exclusively for the North American market for years. Besides the name, it has long ceased to be a "Japanese auto-maker".
Yes, I guess times have changed if Honda is not strongly marked as Japanese/un-American. Has there been a return to US cars post 9-11? I remember growing up outside Detroit at the height of the auto trade-wars, there were bumper stickers that said "UNEMPLOYMENT: MADE IN JAPAN." My (Japanese) uncle insisted on driving a Celica but our family had all-American cars and felt somewhat safer from vandalism..
It's funny to think of how American Honda is now; besides from a manufacturing point of view, Honda (and Nissan and Toyota) have fueled what seems to be a rebirth of "car culture" in the United States - modifying and souping-up cars and then racing them around. If you watch old movies (or plays, like <i>Grease</i>), there's a great sense of nostalgia in the United States for fixing up cars and then cruising in them or drag racing with them. Still you have some folks (mostly in California, Southern California especially) who "trick-out" old Chevy Impalas and the like, but most of the revival of car culture these days seems to be centered around Japanese cars. Here's a recent NYTimes piece about that: "<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2002/10/23/automobiles/23KREB.html">Shining the Laser Lights on Tuned-Up Eye Candy</a>"
<blockquote> Whereas their parents raced Chevy, Ford and Mercury hot rods in the 50's or muscle cars like the Camaro, Mustang and GTO in the 60's, this generation is enamored of Japanese imports — Hondas, Toyotas and Nissans — cars they most likely rode in as toddlers in the back seat. Among America's current best sellers, these used imports fill car lots and classified ads, making them affordable to younger buyers, who spend $10,000 to $15,000 to purchase them and thousands more to spruce them up.</blockquote>
I heard in the news that the honda accord had more north american parts than any of the big three.
Is this info true if so where can i fing it?
Recent NYTimes coverage of new youth-oriented cars being pioneered by Japanese manufacturers, Toyota and Honda.
<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2003/01/16/automobiles/16YOUT.html">Carmakers Design for Generation Y</a>:<blockquote>The Honda Element looks like a sport utility vehicle that married a Brink's truck, with as much headroom as a Greyhound bus. Inside, Honda calls it a dormitory room on wheels, with seats that can be turned around, pulled out, folded flat, stacked with gear and hosed off.</blockquote>
My name is Jim, my friends call me Jimmy and I work in the car rental profession. I am searching for "car" blogs as I like to see what is new in cars. I found your blog and it does mention cars and automobiles but it is not as in depth discussion as I was led to believe. I was told car blogs actually discuss in depth about cars. I work at a Halifax car rental company and I enjoy all types of cars. At the car rental company where I work, I get to drive the different cars, and to me that is so cool. I will be a week from sunday checking out all the links on this page, yippeeeee.
Thank you
bye for now
Jimmy K., a <a href="http://www.a-purfectdream-expression.com/jimmycar.html">Halifax Car Rental Employee</a>