|BE: Establishing the Production Preparation System Honda
debuted its new CVCC engine in February 1971, using an
innovative low emissions technology as a springboard into the
global spotlight. In those days, growing public concern with
regard to safety and air pollution had forced automobile
manufacturers to look beyond high performance and quality. To
survive, it would be essential to provide a diverse line of cars
designed to meet the needs of individual consumers. Amid all
this, Sayama Factory implemented an organizational change in
September of the same year. The factorys Second Plant (the
former Third Plant renamed after the Honda Manufacturing
Machinery spin-off) transferred to the First Plant its mass-
production functions for plastics work such as stamping, molding
and casting. It then integrated its pre-production
functionsprimarily molding, design, and die productionwith PG
(which had successfully completed the Life launch) and restarted
it as the Body Engineering Plant, or BE (Body Engineering). BEs