Tag Archives: ra272
A rare look at the 1965 Honda RA272 Formula 1 racer as it makes landfall in America
A Mazda PR rep once told us that every car in their museum in replaceable, even the original Chicago Auto Show Miatas, except one: the Le Mans-winning 787B. For Honda, that equivalent must be the 1965 RA272, the first Honda … Continue reading
A first look inside Suzuka Circuit’s Honda Racing Gallery
This year marks the 60th anniversary of Honda’s entry into Formula 1 at the 1964 German Grand Prix. Today, April 5, Honda is using the occasion to open a new museum dedicated to Honda motorsports at Suzuka Circuit, which began … Continue reading
Honda to open motorsports museum at Suzuka Circuit
Add another destination to your next trip to Japan, because Honda will soon open a new museum at Suzuka Circuit dedicated to motorsports. The Honda Racing Gallery’s grand opening this spring will coincide with the company’s 60th anniversary in Formula … Continue reading
Honda celebrates Collection Hall reopening by revving classic race engines
We can’t think of a more Honda way to open a museum than revving the crap out of some classic racing machines. Recently, the Honda Collection Hall in Japan reopened after a months-long remodel, and Honda held an opening ceremony … Continue reading
Honda engines of street and circuit sound off at 75th anniversary event
As part of Honda’s 75th anniversary festivities this year, the Honda Collection Hall in Japan invited guests to listen to the sound of engines. Taking a series of classic motorcycles, cars, and racing machines from the museum, curators fired them … Continue reading
Japan Automotive Hall of Fame honors Lexus founder, Honda F1 engineer, pioneers of four-wheel-steering
The Japan Automotive Hall of Fame has named four individuals to be inducted into their ranks. Each has been chosen for their contributions to Japan’s automotive industry. As with the four cars that were announced this year, there are names … Continue reading
Honda brings out all the classics in new ad, “The Origin of Determination”
Every once in a while Honda will put out an ad that reaches deep into its past and pull out all the classics. Sometimes the results are downright beautiful, sometimes they’re terrible. The latest one, released today, falls somewhere in … Continue reading
Honda is leaving Formula One with a retro livery homage to its first F1 car
Honda is getting ready to leave Formula One by year’s end on somewhat of a bittersweet note. After several years of disastrous results, Honda’s role as an engine supplier finally seemed to be turning the corner. Sadly, it was too … Continue reading
Japan’s Automotive Hall of Fame inductees for 2020 include the Suzuki Jimny, Honda RA272
Each year the Japan Automotive Hall of Fame choose three classic automobiles of historic significance to honor, and they’ve announced their inductees for 2020. More so than in past years, the trio covers extreme opposite ends of the vehicular spectrum. … Continue reading
DESIGN: A modern Honda roadster inspired by the Beat and RA272
Honda has come out with a new electric vehicle, a small, rear-wheel-drive electric hatchback called simply the Honda e. We have to admit the production version, while a good car, was a bit of a visual letdown after the fabulously … Continue reading
Watch all six episodes of Honda’s history as told by manga
Honda has re-released its full six-part cartoon history video series, told with manga panels. The series is based on the m the Shogakukan manga series about company founder Soichiro Honda. Though Honda has released the videos piecemeal before, the old … Continue reading
VIDEO: Honda’s early F1 years, told in manga form
Honda periodically releases videos that tell its history in manga form. The latest is about Honda’s early years competing in Formula One. In 1964, just two years after Honda produced its first cars, it formed an team to take on … Continue reading
Honda’s past and future machines transform and race in this cool animated ad
The Honda Formula One channel has made a dynamic ad showcasing the company’s wide range of machines. The video is animated in a nifty, high-contrast style, and depicts F1 cars racing and transforming into vehicles as wide-ranging as the Super … Continue reading
VIDEO: Yet more cars (and bikes) from the Honda Collection Hall
Will the Honda Collection Hall ever run out of vehicles to demonstrate? It’s positively amazing that not only do they have the cars, but that they are all kept up in running condition, whether they be motorcycles, cars, or racing machines. Often … Continue reading
50 Years Ago: Honda F1 car wins Grand Prix of Mexico
Fifty years ago, on October 24, 1965, the Honda RA272 crossed the finish line at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico City to clinch the company’s first Formula One victory. The effort began in May 1962, and it was said that when Soichiro Honda gave the order … Continue reading
NEWS: Honda’s RA272-inspired “Project 2&4” revealed
Honda has created a mutant offspring of motorcycle and street legal Formula One car from the 1960s. The Honda Project 2&4 has been revealed at the Frankfurt Motor Show.
VIDEO: Honda origin story in manga form
In 1946 Soichiro Honda began strapping surplus WW2 generators to bicycles to create the first Honda motorcycles. In a new series of videos issued by Honda Japan, excerpts of the Honda origin story come to life in videos narrated in English and … Continue reading
Detroit Auto Show: The coolest car there could have been a fake
The Honda RA272 is a legend. It brought Old Man Soichiro his first Formula One trophy in 1965, only three years after his company began building cars. It is such a revered car that the company rarely even shows it in Japan. … Continue reading
VIDEO: The Challenging Spirit of Honda
At the Tokyo Motor Show last November Honda released a short video called “The Challenging Spirit of Honda.” Chock full of 1960s racing footage from Honda’s first foray into Formula 1, it begins with Old Man Soichiro’s world-beating RC motorcycles and … Continue reading
MINICARS: Japanese Nostalgic Legos
Apparently, building JNCs out of Legos is a thing. After stumbling upon a Toyota Celica built by -Kyusha-, we fell down the rabbit hole and discovered an entire subculture of nostalgics made of plastic blocks. Here are some of our favorites.