How Honda Changed the Car World | Inside 38 Years of Car Design with Dave Marek

After 38.5 years at Honda and Acura, legendary designer Dave Marek finally retires — and joins us to reflect on one of the most influential careers in modern automotive history.

From the golden era of Japanese performance to the birth of Acura… from the original NSX to the Element and Ridgeline… from the HondaJet to EV collaborations with GM — Dave was there for all of it.

We dive into:

- What it was like during Japan’s luxury takeover of the ’90s

- Designing icons like the Acura CL, Element, and Ridgeline

- The Honda philosophy that shaped an entire company

- Why so many modern cars share the same “face”

- The story behind the HondaJet

- Collaborating with GM on EVs

- And what retirement looks like for someone who can’t stop designing

This is a masterclass in automotive design, leadership, and the “Honda Way.”

If you love car design history, Japanese performance, or behind-the-scenes industry stories — this episode is for you.

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0:00 – Welcome to The Inevitable
1:05 – Introducing Dave Marek: 38.5 Years at Honda
2:34 – First Days of Retirement (Is It Weird?)
4:28 – Starting at Honda in 1987
5:26 – ArtCenter, Internships & Early Career
6:47 – Honda’s New Logo & HRC Racing Changes
8:04 – What Dave Was Working on Before Retiring
9:08 – When Will His Final Designs Debut?
11:06 – Why Do All New Cars Have the Same “Face”?
16:50 – Designing the 1997 Acura CL
18:58 – The NSX Era & Japan’s Luxury Revolution
20:17 – How Dave Discovered Car Design
25:47 – The 1994 Accord Wagon
27:39 – The Honda Element Story (From Napkin Sketch to Icon)
32:38 – Ridgeline: The First Unibody Pickup
39:59 – Collaborating with GM on the Prologue EV
47:13 – Becoming Acura’s Global Creative Director
48:29 – Inside the HondaJet
50:29 – The Honda Philosophy & Engineering Culture
56:06 – What Dave Is Doing in Retirement
59:04 – His Retirement Hot Rod

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