Honda vs McLaren Automotive: Founders, CEOs and History
Honda was founded in 1948 by Soichiro Honda, Takeo Fujisawa and is led by Toshihiro Mibe. McLaren Automotive was founded in 2010 by Bruce McLaren, Ron Dennis and is led by Nick Collins.
Company facts
Honda
- Founded
- 1948
- Headquarters
- Tokyo, Japan
- Current CEO
- Toshihiro Mibe
- Employees
- 195,109
McLaren Automotive
- Founded
- 2010
- Headquarters
- Woking, Surrey, England, United Kingdom
- Current CEO
- Nick Collins
Founders
Honda
Soichiro Honda
Soichiro Honda founded the company in 1946. Originally a mechanic who manufactured piston rings for Toyota, he realized that post-war Japan desperately needed cheap, reliable transportation.
Takeo Fujisawa
Takeo Fujisawa co-founded Honda in 1949, serving as the absolute perfect business counterpart to Soichiro Honda's engineering obsession.
McLaren Automotive
Bruce McLaren
Bruce McLaren founded the company in 1963. As an absolutely brilliant, fiercely competitive racing driver and engineer, he built the company entirely to dominate Formula 1 and Can-Am racing.
Ron Dennis
Ron Dennis took over McLaren in 1980 and completely transformed it. He introduced the absolute game-changing carbon-fiber monocoque chassis to Formula 1.
CEOs and their tenures
Honda
- Takeo Fukui2003–2009
President and Chief Executive Officer
Honda expanded production in North America and Asia under him. Takanobu Ito succeeded him in 2009.
Source - Takanobu Ito2009–2015
President and CEO
He introduced a plan to reorganise Honda global operations and handed the presidency to Takahiro Hachigo in 2015.
Source - Takahiro Hachigo2015–2021
Former President and CEO
Hachigo trimmed excess capacity and refocused Honda on hybrids, motorcycles and its core models, which improved profitability before the EV investment cycle began.
Source - Toshihiro Mibe2021–present
Director, President and Representative Executive Officer (CEO)
Mibe's tenure has been defined by the push into electrification and its costly reset. The EV charges produced Honda's first annual loss since listing, but the shift toward hybrids and motorcycles was followed by a record first-quarter profit in FY2027.
Source
McLaren Automotive
- Michael Leiters2022–2025
Chief Executive Officer
Appointed CEO in 2022, the former Ferrari CTO is tasked with saving the company from catastrophic financial ruin by heavily expanding its lineup and securing massive recapitalization from the Bahrain sovereign wealth fund.
Source - Nick Collins2025–present
Chief Executive Officer, McLaren Group Holdings
Former Ford and JLR engineering executive and CEO of Forseven. Took charge of McLaren in 2025 when owner CYVN Holdings merged McLaren with Forseven to form McLaren Group Holdings; Michael Leiters stepped down and later joined Porsche.
Source
Timeline: Honda and McLaren Automotive side by side
1948Honda
Honda Motor Founded
Soichiro Honda establishes Honda Motor Co., Ltd. in Japan.
1959Honda
American Honda Opens
Honda enters the US market, initially building awareness through motorcycles.
1963Honda
Honda Enters Automobiles
Honda expands from motorcycles and engines into automobile production.
1963McLaren Automotive
Bruce McLaren Motor Racing Founded
Bruce McLaren established the British racing team in Colnbrook, UK.
1972Honda
Civic Launch
The Civic becomes a defining global nameplate for Honda's fuel-efficient automobile strategy.
1986Honda
Acquired Montesa
Honda Motor Co. acquired Montesa. Honda took control of the Spanish motorcycle maker Montesa, creating Montesa Honda to build trial and off-road motorcycles in Europe.
1986Honda
Acura Brand Launched
Honda launched the Acura luxury brand in the United States in 1986.
1992McLaren Automotive
Launch of the Historic McLaren F1
Gordon Murray unveiled the 240.1 mph three-seater carbon-fiber hypercar.
2000Honda
ASIMO Unveiled
Honda unveiled the ASIMO humanoid robot in 2000.
2010McLaren Automotive
McLaren Automotive Relaunched as Standalone Carmaker
Established independent road car manufacturer, unveiling the MP4-12C.
2011McLaren Automotive
MP4-12C Launched
McLaren Automotive began deliveries of the MP4-12C, its first series-production car, in 2011.
2013McLaren Automotive
Launch of the McLaren P1 Hybrid Hypercar
Pioneered the hybrid hypercar era with 903hp and Formula 1 IPAS tech.
2015Honda
Takahiro Hachigo becomes CEO
Takahiro Hachigo became CEO of Honda Motor Co. in 2015. Hachigo trimmed excess capacity and refocused Honda on hybrids, motorcycles and its core models, which improved profitability before the EV investment cycle began.
2015Honda
First HondaJet Delivered
Honda delivered the first HondaJet business aircraft in December 2015.
2017McLaren Automotive
720S Launched
McLaren launched the 720S at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2017.
2018McLaren Automotive
Opening of the Sheffield Composites Centre
Began in-house carbon tub production at MCTC in Sheffield.
2021Honda
Toshihiro Mibe Becomes CEO
Mibe becomes CEO as Honda increases focus on electrification, software, and new mobility.
2021McLaren Automotive
Headquarters Sale and Leaseback
McLaren sold its Woking headquarters to Global Net Lease in 2021 for about 170 million pounds and leased it back.
2022McLaren Automotive
Michael Leiters Appointed CEO
Former Ferrari CTO took over as the Artura hybrid entered production.
2024McLaren Automotive
McLaren W1 Revealed
399-unit hybrid hypercar unveiled in October 2024.
2025McLaren Automotive
Acquired by CYVN Holdings
Abu Dhabi's CYVN bought McLaren Automotive from Mumtalakat and named Nick Collins CEO of McLaren Group Holdings.
2026Honda
FY2026 Loss and EV Reset
Honda reports ~$146 billion (JPY 21.797 trillion) in sales revenue and a ~$2.84 billion (JPY 423.9 billion) loss attributable to owners after EV write-downs, then posts a record ~$3.56 billion (JPY 530.7 billion) Q1 FY2027 operating profit in August.
Acquisitions
Honda
- Astemo, Ltd.2026Undisclosed
- Keihin Corporation2020Undisclosed
- Showa Corporation2020Undisclosed
- Nissin Kogyo Co., Ltd.2020Undisclosed
- Montesa1986Undisclosed
Questions about Honda vs McLaren Automotive
Who is the CEO of Honda Motor Co., Ltd. and McLaren Automotive?
Honda Motor Co., Ltd. is led by Toshihiro Mibe and McLaren Automotive is led by Nick Collins. Both serve as the top executive responsible for the company's strategy, operations, and financial performance.
When was Honda Motor Co., Ltd. founded vs McLaren Automotive?
Honda Motor Co., Ltd. was founded in 1948 — 62 years before McLaren Automotive, which was founded in 2010. Honda Motor Co., Ltd.'s longer operating history gives it a deeper track record but also potentially more institutional inertia compared to the younger McLaren Automotive.
How many employees does Honda Motor Co., Ltd. have compared to McLaren Automotive?
Honda Motor Co., Ltd. employs approximately 195,109 people. A verified employee count for McLaren Automotive is not currently available.
Where are Honda Motor Co., Ltd. and McLaren Automotive headquartered?
Honda Motor Co., Ltd. is headquartered in Japan and McLaren Automotive is headquartered in United Kingdom. Their different home markets mean they may face different regulatory frameworks, tax regimes, and currency exposure.
Who founded Honda Motor Co., Ltd. and McLaren Automotive?
Honda Motor Co., Ltd. was founded by Soichiro Honda, Takeo Fujisawa. McLaren Automotive was founded by Bruce McLaren, Ron Dennis.
Which company has a longer operating history — Honda Motor Co., Ltd. or McLaren Automotive?
Honda Motor Co., Ltd. has been operating for approximately 78 years, making it the more established of the two companies. McLaren Automotive has been in operation for around 16 years. A longer operating history often signals greater institutional resilience and brand recognition, though it can also mean slower adaptation to new market conditions.
Figures come from each company's filings and the sources linked beside them. Amounts reported in another currency are shown in US dollars at an approximate rate and marked with ~. Back to the Honda vs McLaren Automotive overview