Honda vs Porsche: Founders, CEOs and History
Honda was founded in 1948 by Soichiro Honda, Takeo Fujisawa and is led by Toshihiro Mibe. Porsche was founded in 1931 by Ferdinand Porsche, Ferry Porsche and is led by Michael Leiters.
Company facts
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.
Porsche
Ferdinand Porsche
Ferdinand Porsche (1875-1951) founded Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche GmbH in Stuttgart in 1931 as a design consultancy. The office designed the Auto Union Grand Prix cars and the Volkswagen Beetle.
Ferry Porsche
Ferry Porsche (1909-1998) built the 356, the first car sold under the Porsche name, in 1948 and led the company as it became a sports-car manufacturer, overseeing the launch of the 911 in 1963.
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
Porsche
- Ferry Porsche1944–1972
Chief Executive Officer
Ferry Porsche served as chief executive of Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG from 1944 to 1972.
Source - Ernst Fuhrmann1972–1980
Chief Executive Officer
Ernst Fuhrmann served as chief executive of Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG from 1972 to 1980.
Source - Peter Schutz1981–1987
Chief Executive Officer
Peter Schutz served as chief executive of Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG from 1981 to 1987.
Source - Heinz Branitzki1988–1990
Chief Executive Officer
Heinz Branitzki served as chief executive of Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG from 1988 to 1990.
Source - Arno Bohn1990–1992
Chief Executive Officer
Arno Bohn served as chief executive of Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG from 1990 to 1992.
Source - Wendelin Wiedeking1993–2009
Chairman of the Executive Board
He made Porsche highly profitable, then led a failed attempt to take over Volkswagen and left in July 2009.
Source - Michael Macht2009–2010
Chief Executive Officer
Michael Macht served as chief executive of Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG from 2009 to 2010.
Source - Matthias Muller2010–2015
Chairman of the Executive Board
Porsche sales passed 200,000 cars a year under him. He left in September 2015 to lead Volkswagen Group and Oliver Blume succeeded him.
Source - Dr. Oliver Blume2015–2025
Chairman of the Executive Board (CEO)
Blume's tenure covered record results in 2022-2023, the Taycan launch and the 2022 IPO. The EV-heavy plan set under him proved costly, and the 2025 reversal left his successor a turnaround.
Source - Dr. Jochen Breckner2025–present
Member of the Executive Board for Finance and IT (CFO)
Oversees cost reduction and cash flow during the 2026 reset; H1 2026 automotive net cash flow was about $1.15 billion (EUR1.02 billion).
Source - Dr. Michael Leiters2026–present
Chairman of the Executive Board (CEO)
He took over after 2025 operating profit fell to ~$467 million (EUR413 million). In 2026 he has pursued a 'value over volume' plan, a 'Future Package' with about $2.37 billion (EUR2.1 billion) of site investment through 2035 and roughly 5,000 job reductions by…
Source
Timeline: Honda and Porsche side by side
1931Porsche
Porsche Engineering Office Founded
Ferdinand Porsche founded the engineering consultancy in Stuttgart.
1948Honda
Honda Motor Founded
Soichiro Honda establishes Honda Motor Co., Ltd. in Japan.
1948Porsche
Porsche 356 Built
Ferry Porsche led production of the first Porsche-branded sports car, using the rear-engine, air-cooled layout that would define the brand.
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.
1963Porsche
911 Introduced
Porsche introduced the 911, the model that became the brand's central sports-car icon and remains its defining product line today.
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.
1996Porsche
Boxster Launched
Porsche launched the Boxster in 1996.
2000Honda
ASIMO Unveiled
Honda unveiled the ASIMO humanoid robot in 2000.
2002Porsche
Cayenne Launch
The Cayenne SUV created a new profit engine and broadened Porsche's customer base beyond sports-car buyers.
2012Porsche
Volkswagen Completes Takeover
Volkswagen completed its purchase of Porsche AG in August 2012.
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.
2019Porsche
Taycan Launch
Porsche launched the Taycan as its first dedicated battery-electric vehicle.
2021Honda
Toshihiro Mibe Becomes CEO
Mibe becomes CEO as Honda increases focus on electrification, software, and new mobility.
2021Porsche
Acquired Bugatti Rimac (joint venture stake)
Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche acquired Bugatti Rimac (joint venture stake).
2022Porsche
Porsche AG IPO
Porsche AG listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange under CEO Oliver Blume, who simultaneously ran parent Volkswagen Group.
2025Porsche
Profit Collapses on EV Writedown
Porsche reworked its EV-first product plan; full-year operating profit fell to ~$467 million (EUR413 million) on revenue of ~$41 billion (EUR36.27 billion), with China deliveries down 26%.
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.
2026Porsche
Michael Leiters Becomes CEO
Dr. Michael Leiters became Chairman of the Executive Board effective January 1, 2026, ending Oliver Blume's dual role running both Porsche and Volkswagen Group.
2026Porsche
H1 2026 Profit Recovery and Future Package
First-half operating profit rose 34% to ~$1.53 billion (EUR1.35 billion); Porsche outlined about $2.37 billion (EUR2.1 billion) of site investment and around 5,000 job reductions by the mid-2030s.
Acquisitions
Honda
- Astemo, Ltd.2026Undisclosed
- Keihin Corporation2020Undisclosed
- Showa Corporation2020Undisclosed
- Nissin Kogyo Co., Ltd.2020Undisclosed
- Montesa1986Undisclosed
Porsche
- Fazua2022Undisclosed
- Bugatti Rimac (joint venture stake)2021Undisclosed
Questions about Honda vs Porsche
Who is the CEO of Honda Motor Co., Ltd. and Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG?
Honda Motor Co., Ltd. is led by Toshihiro Mibe and Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG is led by Michael Leiters. Both serve as the top executive responsible for the company's strategy, operations, and financial performance.
When was Honda Motor Co., Ltd. founded vs Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG?
Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG was founded in 1931 — 17 years before Honda Motor Co., Ltd., which was founded in 1948. Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG's longer operating history gives it a deeper track record but also potentially more institutional inertia compared to the younger Honda Motor Co., Ltd..
How many employees does Honda Motor Co., Ltd. have compared to Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG?
Honda Motor Co., Ltd. employs approximately 195,109 people, while Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG employs approximately 41,780. Honda Motor Co., Ltd. has the larger workforce at 195,109 employees, compared to Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG's 41,780. A higher headcount does not necessarily imply greater efficiency — it often reflects differences in business model (e.g., manufacturing vs. software).
Where are Honda Motor Co., Ltd. and Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG headquartered?
Honda Motor Co., Ltd. is headquartered in Japan and Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG is headquartered in Germany. Their different home markets mean they may face different regulatory frameworks, tax regimes, and currency exposure.
Who founded Honda Motor Co., Ltd. and Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG?
Honda Motor Co., Ltd. was founded by Soichiro Honda, Takeo Fujisawa. Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG was founded by Ferdinand Porsche, Ferry Porsche.
Which company has a longer operating history — Honda Motor Co., Ltd. or Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG?
Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG has been operating for approximately 95 years, making it the more established of the two companies. Honda Motor Co., Ltd. has been in operation for around 78 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 Porsche overview