Zenshi

Mizuho Bank, Ltd. (2.11%)

Hornet

**Zenshi Automotive Japan** (Japanese: ゼンシ・ジドシャゲイネン Hepburn: *Zenshi Jidōshageinen*), commonly referred to as simply **Zenshi** (zen-SHEE), is a Japanese multinational automaker based in Naka-ku, Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, Japan. Well known for pushing the curves of car design and technology, as well as designing cars that are heavily focused on the driver, Zenshi is one of the largest automobile manufacturers in the world.

Zenshi was founded in 1955 by Ryoma Gokuhara and Mafuyu Takahashi originally as a plan to make a name for themselves in the city of Nagoya, which progressively expanded into a multinational auto company. The company sells its cars through the Zenshi name as well as provide in-house tuning products labelled ZMD. As of October 2017, Zenshi acquired South Korean automaker Hornet Automotive Company to save it from the brink of bankruptcy.

Zenshi has also involved itself in joint ventures with other companies such as Contendiente and Cavallera, creating vehicles such as the Dasher and Seiryu.

## History

### **1955-1960s**

In March 1955, Nihon Fukushi University graduates Ryoma Gokuhara, Mafuyu Takahashi, Ryota Sakurai, and Sou Takao decided to challenge each other to see who can make a bigger name for themselves. Gokuhara and Takahashi teamed up and went on to open a small workhouse using the savings they had built up in the 16th, naming themselves Nihon Senshi Jidōsha Kankain (Japan Zenshi Automobile Workhouse). They specifically chose the name "Zenshi" because they wanted to simply *"make history together."*

A few months later, the duo created their first car, the ZM1, a considerably cheap low-powered car. After taking it around town, unbeknownst to them, a few people took interest in the ZM1, and asked where they got the car from. After being told that the two built it themselves, a select few asked if they could have their own. Over the few months, more and more people came to the workhouse to get their own ZM1.

Knowing of the ever increasing demand of cars to be built from them, Gokuhara took some of what they earned, and managed to shape an abandoned small factory to an efficient (at the time) automobile production facility, with the help of some friends. He and Takahashi then recruited a few people from the city to help them build their cars. From there, they went on to build other cars than the ZM1, such as the SF1000, ZM2, and Luris. The company saw progressive success, and the small factory began to grow.

The 1960s became one of the highest turning points for Nihon Senshi, as some of their top-tier legacy vehicles made their debut, such as the Grandea, GT, and Axia. Around this time, Nihon Senshi began poking around the world of motorsports, and soon began participating in various racing events in Japan. From there, Gokuhara and Takahashi saw their old friends Sakurai and Takao, who moved to Suzuka and established the Suzuka Automobile Company. They too poked their heads around Japanese motorsports, and eventually the two companies rivaled one another in both the track and the streets.

#### **Formation of ZMD**

*Main Article: ZMD*

In 1967, as a way of separating their general car division from the high performance aspect of cars, as well as establish a racing team, Nihon Senshi established **ZMD**, also known as **Z**enshi **M**otorsports **D**ivision. Noticing that they have been lacking behind in the competition, Nihon Senshi dismissed the Luris Axia RC and appointed ZMD to find a way to make a formidable racing machine. ZMD suggested using the Grandea, and though reluctant, Takahashi approved of the suggestion. This led to the creation of the Grandea GT-R.

The Grandea GT-R soon became a major player in the motorsports industry in Japan, consistently racking wins in the races it participated in.

### **1970s**

When the 1970s came, Gokuhara made Nihon Senshi's priority to be the pinnacle of technology in the world of automobiles. While Takahashi wanted the company's priority to be pure driving excitement instead. The two agreed to look over their own automobile development plans, and created two different dealerships to aid in this purpose: the ***Goku Store*** and the ***Taka Store***. The Goku store focused on technologically advanced cars and upper-class cruising vehicles such as the Luris, Axia, and Seishin, while the Taka store focused on the more dynamic and speedster-type cars such as the Grandea, GT, SF2000. The original Nihon Senshi store instead sold the more general vehicles such as the Nimessa and Pike.

This eventually led into a conflict between the two friends in 1975, as the decisions among working over specific vehicles began to overlap each other. Eventually, the conflict heated up enough to cause Gokuhara to leave the company, creating a falling-out.

Takahashi, not sure as to how exactly manage Nihon Senshi correctly, tried to search for his friend during his summer days off. He eventually found out that Gokuhara had began develping his own company, **GAM**, or **G**okuhara **A**uto **M**otor. Extremely concerned about how this could potentially impact Nihon Senshi, Takahashi returned to blindly lead the company around and about.

### **1977**

Nihon Senshi, while still gaining considerable success, still ended up hitting a slump as to what exactly the company itself should be focusing on. Upon hearing that GAM has filed for bankruptcy, Takahashi went to seek out his old friend. After finding Gokuhara, Takahashi went on to remind him that the two of them were supposed to *"make history together."* The two made amends, and returned to Nihon Senshi together, where they planned a grand reformation of the company, beginning with the name. At this time, Nihon Senshi soon became ***Zenshi***.