Happy 43rd birthday, the Honda Accord. There's one more birthday too.
Honda Accord
The
Honda Accord (Japanese: ホンダ・アコード Honda Akōdo) /əˈkɔːrd/ is a series of automobiles manufactured by Honda since 1976, best known for its four-door sedan variant, which has been one of the best-selling cars in the United States since 1989. The Accord nameplate has been applied to a variety of vehicles worldwide, including coupes, wagons, hatchbacks, and a crossover.
....
First generation (19761981)
....
The first generation Honda Accord was launched on 7 May 1976 as a three-door hatchback with 68 hp (51 kW), a 93.7-inch (2,380.0 mm) wheelbase, and a weight of about 2,000 pounds. Japanese market cars claimed 80 PS (59 kW) JIS (similar to SAE Gross), while European and other export markets received a model without emissions control equipment; it claimed 80 PS as well but according to the stricter DIN norm. It was a platform expansion of the earlier Honda Civic at 4,125 mm (162 in) long. To comply with recently enacted emission regulations enacted in Japan, the engine was fitted with Honda's CVCC technology. The Accord sold well due to its moderate size and great fuel economy. It was one of the first Japanese sedans with features like cloth seats, a tachometer, intermittent wipers, and an AM/FM radio as standard equipment. In 1978 an LX version of the hatchback was added which came with air conditioning, a digital clock, and power steering. Until the Accord, and the closely related Prelude, power steering had not been available to cars under two liters. Japanese buyers were liable for slightly more annual road tax over the smaller Civic, which had a smaller engine.
To mark the occasion, what better than a song from that year, written by this birthday boy?
Hat tip, This Day in Rock: