Throughout the brief history of the development of many official sports brands, almost every one obtained technology and experience from racing cars, and finally converted high-performance parts into mass-produced cars and developed fine modified parts of some models. What I want to talk about this time is Honda's official sports high-performance brand-Mugen (unlimited).
First, continue Honda's development purpose.
I believe that everyone has seen the sticker with the words "infinite wood roots" more or less. This is the official modified brand MUGEN of Honda. It was founded by Honda Bojun, the eldest son of the founder of Honda brand, because the stubborn Honda Zongichiro once said that he would not pass on the enterprise to the next generation. But Honda Bojun wanted to carry forward his father's beloved racing car, so he got the brand of Honda MUGEN.
Honda Unlimited literally means "unlimited", and its brand symbolizes the infinite pursuit of vehicle modification and high-performance racing, breaking through all restrictions. Honda was originally a motorcycle manufacturer. Its founder, Zong Ichiro, watched the world-famous motorcycle race held in TT Isle of Man during a trip to Europe. After that, this exciting race ignited the struggle in Honda's heart, and he was ready to start this world-class motorcycle race.
You know, in the early 1950s, Honda just successfully mass-produced small-displacement motorcycles for home use. Facing such a world-class game, it is as difficult as climbing to heaven. However, Honda Tsuichiro, who worked hard since he was a child, was full of fighting spirit and vowed to participate in the TT motorcycle race in the Isle of Man. In this way, he began to form a team to make racing cars. At first, he participated in domestic competitions in Japan to accumulate experience, but several competitions ended in failure. However, in this case, the team is still not discouraged.
Honda's first performance in the Isle of Man TT competition was not at the bottom, which showed the strength of this Asian brand to the world and greatly increased the confidence of Honda. After the team returned to Japan, it did not stop there and continued to study the core technology of the car. In the Isle of Man TT race of 196 1, due to the retirement of a powerful Italian team and Honda's carefully upgraded new racing car, Honda unexpectedly won the championship this time, which shocked the whole industry.
Such a proud race result makes Honda by going up one flight of stairs in the motorcycle industry. However, these can not meet the development of Honda, and they began to attack the automobile field. In Japan in the late 1950s and early 1960s, it was not an easy task to produce cars. The government strictly controls the number of manufacturers. At this time, Honda needs to make achievements as soon as possible to prove its strength, so as to obtain the qualification to produce cars. However, their solution seems to be similar to upgrading motorcycle technology. This time, Shoichiro Honda aimed at the more difficult F 1 event.
After setting an unattainable goal, Honda's outstanding engineers actually designed the V 12 engine in less than a year. Compared with the 4-cylinder engine used in Honda's production car at that time, it looked like a dream in every way. At the same time, another engineer in the team designed a cigar-shaped body with this V 12 engine. However, the first car that came out of the "catch-up" didn't have any surprises, but ended in the first race of F 1964.
Perhaps Honda has experienced too many failures, but almost every time it has achieved success through unremitting efforts. Therefore, after F 1 failed in the first battle, the team did not fear and solved the vehicle problem in time, but then participated in two races, and the result ended in failure. The Honda team in a hurry almost came to the brink of collapse. Finally, the chief engineer in charge of engine design found the fatal problem and immediately rectified the engine design.
1965, Honda team came to F 1 Mexico station to challenge the race for the fourth time. This time, the team's efforts were not in vain. Honda RA272 car performed well on the track, and there was no previous failure at the exciting critical moment, which shocked the world again. This Japanese manufacturer, which only produced small-displacement family cars at first, actually won the championship in this competition.
The above two things are Honda's endless spirit of pursuing technology. Fukuichiro Honda, the leader of the enterprise, was persistent in the development of the enterprise because of his stubborn personality since childhood, and this powerful gene was undoubtedly passed on to the next generation of Mr. Honda. Honda Bojun, the eldest son of Honda Tomichiro, was born in 1942. Like many brand founders, he has been in contact since childhood, and what he saw and heard in his life is closely related to his father's car-making career.
Although he can't inherit his father's career, it doesn't affect Honda Bojun's love and persistence in his own career. From Honda motorcycle's participation in TT Isle of Man to the first challenge of F 1, the soul figure, Tomichiro Honda, has a very strong interest in racing and endless pursuit. In order to let Honda by going up one flight of stairs and Honda Bojun join hands 1973, several engineers in the enterprise jointly built the Mugen brand.
When the brand of Honda MUGEN was first established, they introduced a high-performance engine for Honda racing cars. Fans who are familiar with Honda should know that Honda engines are famous for their high speed. This racing engine is based on the EB series engine of the first generation Civic. Mugen turned the 1.2L engine with a maximum power of 60 HP to 8000 rpm, which can output 135 HP, and its strength should not be underestimated.
Second, carry forward the "infinite" spirit.
After the engine code-named MF 3 18 was successfully launched, Mugen used it in Honda's Formula FJ 1300 series racing cars and won the first race (Suzuka Grand Prix in Japan). For many years, Honda has been taking this engine as the main force. Honda Bojun inherited his father's fighting spirit. He created an independent production plant for MUGEN and subdivided the manufacturing workshops for developing different components, all in order to give full play to the role of technology.
Mugen company has developed rapidly. In the 1980s, the factory moved to a larger workshop in the original field headquarters and updated the equipment for developing and assembling parts. On the one hand, in order to expand technology, on the other hand, because of the increase in output and the continuous introduction of new products, they began to produce V6 and V8 racing engines with higher performance.
As we all know, Japan's postwar economy recovered very quickly, and its social development was quite prosperous in the 1980s. Therefore, while vigorously developing the automobile industry, Japan is also rapidly expanding the racing market, and all kinds of competitions, large and small, are booming in Japan. At this time, Honda Mugen introduced a V-type 8-cylinder naturally aspirated engine code-named MF308, with a displacement of 3.0L, double overhead camshafts and a maximum power of more than 460 HP. If founder Shoichiro Honda is the spiritual pillar of Honda brand, then the wooden root founded by Honda Bojun is the icing on the cake of Honda.
Not only that, in the Japanese auto market in the 1980s, every manufacturer began to build models that emphasized performance first, and Honda, which has always pursued performance, certainly won't lag behind. For Mulgan, this situation just poked their excitement. 1984, Mugen built Honda CR-X Pro and the second generation Civic sports car. These two cars have been replaced with different degrees of body kits, sports shock absorbers and enhanced upgrades of power units.
In addition, while "upgrading" production cars, Mugen is still making cars and motorcycle racing cars and participating in various competitions. They participated in the 8-hour motorcycle endurance race in Suzuka, Japan, and all the touring car championships in Japan achieved excellent results, especially in the 1988 touring car race, Honda Mugen Civic won the team championship. Looking back, I found that Honda at that time was much purer than it is now, and Mugen always brought Honda's technology to the extreme.
In the 1990s, Honda Mugen developed steadily. With the hot performance car market in Japan, Mugen began to "unscrupulously" manufacture high-performance cars of civil and competition levels for Honda. To everyone's excitement, Honda launched the "Japan Ferrari" NSX national treasure sports car at 1990. You know, in the research and development process of this "ultimate sports car", a lot of MUGEN technical support has been incorporated.
What's more worth mentioning is that Infinitely built a 3.5L V 10 engine code-named MF35 1HC for F 1 racing car, and competed with V 12 engines from other car manufacturers. However, in the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix, two great drivers were killed in the accident, and then the official organization of F 1 event announced that the displacement of the car was reduced to reduce the engine power. At this time, Mulgan changed the engine to 3.0L displacement. 1996, French ligil team cooperated with mugen and won the race championship in Monaco with their 3.0L V 10 engine.
These achievements we have seen can be said to be just the tip of the iceberg of Honda's wooden root development. Compared with the research and development of high-performance production cars, MUGEN is more about developing racing technology. After 2000, Honda NSX became the key target of Mugen, and Super GT, Japan's highest-level touring car race, became their main battlefield in Japan. In addition, Mugen racing cars can also be seen in various competitions around the world.
With the progress of the times, Mugen has always insisted on creating new technologies and propping up another sky for Honda. What fans still remember is that in 2007, "Infinite" built a limited number of 300 Civic MUGEN RR high-performance cars based on the eighth generation Honda Civic Type-R model. When this car was sold in Japan, it was robbed in an instant in only 10 minutes, which shows the weight of wooden roots in the hearts of fans.
Although this MUGEN RR equipped with the first-generation famous machine K20A is only 15 more horsepower than the Type-R version, it has many high-performance components such as carbon fiber body kit, forged rims produced by Japanese manufacturer RAYS, and full-face exhaust of MUGEN, all of which are in the upper body. Every part in the car is an exclusive accessory, and you need to show your "vehicle ID" to prove your identity when replacing any part.
This paper only lists a few special cases in the development of wood roots. In fact, from the ultimate sports car NSX to the small car Fit, Mugen was built one by one without exception. In addition to developing advanced competitive fields, we have also developed products with both performance, appearance and practicality for mass-produced civilian cars, serving "real" Honda fans. However, no matter how good the enterprise is, it will not be smooth sailing. In 2003, the founder Honda Bojun was accused of misappropriating public funds. After this incident, Mugen Company was reorganized and renamed as "M-TEC". The new company retains the MUGEN trademark and continues to use and develop all the technologies and products of this brand.
Conclusion: I believe that every fan who likes and loves Honda Mugen brand has taken a fancy to its excellent and fine workmanship. The brand has always pursued the concept of performance first, which is displayed in every Mugen product. Only compared with the previous development period, Honda and Mugen seem to have compromised the market too much. Fans still prefer the era of pursuing the ultimate performance. I hope that "Honda Unlimited" can maintain its original enthusiasm in the future.