How Honda and Toyota took over the U.S. market.
In the past fifty years, the US auto market has declined tremendously. With the recent bankruptcy and unsteady industry forecasts, Americans feel uneasy giving their hard earned money to a faltering establishment. As a result, foreign auto makers like Honda and Toyota are capitalizing on the prospect, raking in all of the U.S. auto business. In addition, Honda and Toyota continue to break the barrier of new technologies which astound the industry time and time again.
Honda has enjoyed much success in the U.S. auto markets. With the introduction of the Civic in 1975, Honda’s popularity rose with each passing year. The new, lighter Honda Civic rivaled its U.S. competition with its low weight and small exterior. Furthermore, the EPA, in order to reduce emissions, required the addition of expensive catalytic converters in all cars manufactured for the United States auto industry. As a result, sticker prices rose while consumer demand plummeted.
As American auto makers rebuilt their exhaust systems, Honda busied themselves with the creation of the new CVCC stratified charge engine. Cars built with these new engines passed the required emissions tests without the need for expensive catalytic converters. This charge engine technology burst onto the scene with the 1975 Honda Civic, a car met with extreme consumer demand. With the rising costs of gas and auto insurance, Americans turned their focus to the Japanese auto maker to save money.
IEDEI 