HONDA HAS BUILT a reputation by keeping its feet on the ground. Even when it ventures into the water to add outboard motors to its collection of cars, trucks, lawn mowers, and motorcycles, Honda’s known for efficient, economical, and reliable machines.
But the company is reaching into the stratosphere (or something near it) with the the $4.9 million HondaJet. The business jet (basically a less lavish private plane) entered service in earnest this year after two decades of fastidious, often-delayed development. Honda’s pristine new assembly line in Greensboro, North Carolina is steadily approaching full capacity, when it will build up to eight jets a month.
