Honda heritage goes back 65 years in the United States. Last September, the company formally unveiled a Collection Hall in California where it would be able to memorialize and celebrate some of its achievements. Since that time, Honda has been hosting meet-ups every other month on its campus to showcase the space – and educate visitors about its rich history.
Honda’s website says, “The Collection Hall showcases iconic products that highlight the success of Honda in America, beginning in Southern California in 1959. We invite you to immerse yourself in the Honda story through historical, current, and future products, all fueled by the Power of Dreams.”
The Hall is located in the main lobby of American Honda’s headquarters in the Los Angeles area. It is not typically open for visitors on weekends, but exceptions are made for the “Cars, Bikes & Coffee” events. Carl Pulley, who leads the planning and organization efforts, makes each event unique to a specific theme. This month’s program was focused on “design,” so a number of the cars on display were prototypes or concepts from Honda and Acura brand history. Included in the setup was an immersive walk-through exhibit with sketches and renderings of some of the noteworthy vehicles in brand history.
The enthusiasm and energy at the events are paramount. Today, you’ll get a glimpse of my recent visit and a few of the highlights that I took away from it.
California Dreaming
I made the familiar 400-mile drive across the desert from Phoenix in my 1989 Honda Prelude – a car that I hold near and dear in my personal collection due to the high school-era nostalgia it delivers me. Even after 25 years, the look and feel of the driving experience are as rich as I remember them. In characteristic Honda fashion, the car delivered me without incident and I joined a few friends in arriving at the Honda campus on Saturday morning, June 15.
The layout at Cars, Bikes & Coffee is informal, yet organized at the same time. It takes a lot of logistics to keep several hundred people entertained for hours at a time, and Carl and his team successfully delivered “something for everyone.” There was even a coloring book station for the kids, complete with Father’s Day-themed artwork since the event fell on a holiday weekend. A DJ provided audio entertainment, and other attractions included a coffee station, a life graphic-art demonstration from an automotive designer, a merchandise and apparel gift shop, pin and poster giveaways, a number of vendor booths, and a “pride” display staffed by employees from Honda’s LGBT Business Resource Group.
Jonathan Rivers, who was one of the key figures in the development and launch of Acura hot-hatch Integra Type S a couple of years ago, said it best, “It’s always about the people.” And the best things about Cars, Bikes & Coffee aren’t the cars, the bikes, or the coffee: It’s the support and camaraderie of Honda’s personnel who are out there meeting and greeting the enthusiasts. It is not uncommon to see senior leaders out there kicking the tires with drivers who brought their prized CRX, Prelude, or del Sol.
Standout Showpieces
In attendance throughout the course of the day were some particularly unique and noteworthy Honda and Acura vehicles, but the neat thing about the event is that it is open to any make or model. I chatted with the respective proud owners of a Lexus LS400, a Chevrolet El Camino, and a Ford Mustang.
Below were four of the display cars from inside the lobby that stood out to me.
2016 Precision Concept
This car conveyed the shape and style of Acura models to come. Designers wanted to emphasize what they referred to as “muscular, organic sculpting,” along with a wide stance and a long dash-to-axle ratio. Subsequent production models of the TLX sedan took clear cues from this concept.
2008 FC Sport Concept
This funky three-seater was shown at the 2008 Los Angeles Auto Show and showcased Honda’s “V-flow” fuel cell technology. It was hydrogen-powered and achieved optimal weight and balance because of the placement of its drivetrain.
1997 GRX Concept
The hybrid-electric Insight, which officially came out in model year 2000, took inspiration from this concept car that was created by Honda Research & Development in the mid-1990s. It used a 1,500cc horizontally-opposed six-cylinder that was originally used in motorcycle applications.
1995 CL-X Concept
Known for its “neo-classic” design theme, the CL-X concept was crafted as a predecessor to the first-generation Acura CL luxury coupe (which launched in 1997). It had a specially-engineered center console, wrap-around instrumentation, and composite carbon fiber and aluminum wheels.
Join the Fun
If you have ever wanted to connect with automotive enthusiasts in a relaxed atmosphere that offers much more than just a parking space to sit and chat cars, Honda’s CB&C event is right up your alley. The next Cars, Bikes & Coffee will be held on Saturday, August 17 from 9:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m.
Honda’s campus is located at:
1919 Torrance Blvd Torrance, CA 90505
