I have to hand it to Honda. The next new model from the Japanese firm is faster than the NSX and its old Formula 1 cars. It goes at Mach 0·72.

   The simplified version of Honda’s history goes something like this.
   Once upon a time, Mr Honda wanted to make cars. He wasn’t sure how, but he did know how to build a motor-scooter, so he did.
   After a while, he figured out how he could build a motorcycle, so he did.
   After a while, he figured out how he could build a small car, so he did.
   After a while, he figured out how he could build a big car, so he did.
   After a while, he figured out how he could build a luxury car, so he did.
   After a while, he figured out how he could build a sports car, so he did.
   Even after Mr Honda died, his company progressed along the same lines.
   After a while, they figured out how he could build a mid-sized truck, so they did.
   Now, it looks like they’ve figured out how to build a jet plane.
   If you read Soichiro Honda’s biography, even a summary of it, you’ll find that this man had a great sense of adventure about him—something that is now interwoven into the company. When it comes to brands, Honda has done remarkably well—as has Acura.
   As Jeremy Clarkson once put it, the difference between Toyota and Honda is: Mr Toyoda wanted to make money. Mr Honda wanted to make cars.
   The Honda brand can easily extend to aircraft, and it wouldn’t surprise me if this side of the business followed a similar trajectory to earlier Honda ventures.
   It transcended land-based vehicles a long time ago, and it has such goodwill when it comes to engineering excellence and next-generation technology, that the idea of HondaJet should be easy to grasp.