‘‘Saminda Motor Company headquarters in Minato, Japan’’
Saminda Motor Company (Japanese: サミンダ自動車株式会社, pronounced SA-MIN-DA) is a Japanese multinational engine and automotive manufacturer founded in 1950.
Originally established as a small workshop specializing in engine design and repair, Saminda quickly gained a reputation for building durable, efficient, and affordable engines. Throughout the 1950s, the company supplied powerplants for motorcycles, marine vessels, and industrial machinery. By 1954, Saminda began producing its first experimental automobiles, leveraging its expertise in engine innovation to enter the growing Japanese car market.
Today, Saminda is recognized as one of the world’s leading automotive groups. While its cars are popular globally, the company continues to be defined by its engineering excellence in powertrains, from marine engines and aircraft auxiliary units to high-efficiency generators and robotics systems.
Saminda’s philosophy has always been about providing value and reliability, producing cars and machines that meet the needs of everyday people while pushing the limits of technology. Core models such as the C5, C3, and CR3 embody this spirit and have become international successes.
To target the luxury segment, Saminda established its premium division Auxuras, offering vehicles with advanced styling, comfort, and cutting-edge fuel efficiency technologies.
Overview
Founded : Minato Japan , January 20 1950
Founder : Kuro Saminda , Arata Daisuke
Toda Akira (President and CEO)
Yuko Ono (Chairman)
Number of Employees : 241,611, Including Auxuras Motor Co. (As of November 2024)
Division : Auxuras Motor Co.
History
Almost everyone has heard of Saminda vehicles. They can be found everywhere across the roads no matter where you are from, but not everyone know about the man attributed for being the brains behind the company, it was Kuro Saminda.
Kuro Saminda was born as the only son of a tailor named Shinji Saminda. His parents always wanted him to become a doctor or a lawyer when he grew up, but he didn’t do well in school.
One day, Saminda’s life changed. He heard a loud rumble outside his house and saw a man driving down the road in a Ford Model T. He was so amazed at how the car managed to move by itself that he left his house and ran after the car for about a mile before returning home. His father beat him for leaving the house without permission. It was at that moment that he decided he wanted to learn about vehicles.
By the time he was 22, Saminda was working at the Shuri-Ten shop, a vehicle repair shop. Although his work was not directly related to engines, he was only a cleaner at the shop but his talent did not go unnoticed, and the owner of the garage eventually recognized his potential.
Six years later, he was managing the Shuri-Ten branch at the Shiga workshop. Initially, he believed his garage was the only one in town, but soon he realized he was not alone. New competitors emerged, but Saminda had a plan to stay ahead. First, he took over a repair shop that had been rejected by others, and he focused on working as quickly as possible so that customers wouldn’t have to wait long.
However, Kuro Saminda was not the type of person to be satisfied with just one success. He had many ideas he wanted to realize. His passion for innovation drove him to return to school at the age of 30 after struggling through various experiments. One of his early projects was a flywheel, but it didn’t meet his expectations. It took him three years to study and improve the design. Eventually, he succeeded in creating his own engine: a 200cc, single-cylinder, gas-powered engine. However, he didn’t have a chassis to test it on, so he came up with the idea of using scrap wood to build one.
Kuro spent all his savings and founded the Saminda Technical Research Institute, where he designed engines and sold them to generator companies. Although successful for three years, World War II forced him to pivot, and he became a supplier to the military industrial complex in order to survive.
After the war ended in 1945, Kuro resumed his business, selling his own-engine designs to generator companies. Five years later, he founded Saminda Motor Co.
Saminda’s first model, the Version A, was released in 1954, but it was not a success. The vehicle was too heavy and consumed too much fuel, which made it unpopular with customers. Instead of giving up, Kuro took a different approach. He stripped the vehicle down and made it smaller, releasing what he called the New Version A. This model became an “overnight success,” earning Saminda the prestigious Emperor’s Award.
In addition to his love for machinery, Kuro Saminda was also passionate about racing. This interest later became a key to his success. The feedback he received from the racing world proved invaluable for product development. Just six years after entering the car production industry in 1954, Saminda shocked their competitors by participating in the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
When Kuro retired in 1975, he handed over control of the company to Tamaasa Yoshitomo, a senior chief engineer at the time. Kuro Saminda passed away in 1993 at the age of 87 due to a stroke, leaving behind his wife, Matsu, a son, and two daughters
Saminda i-VIC Engine Technology System
Saminda’s i-VIC (Intelligent Variable Intake Control), introduced in 1990 by engineer Takao Ikazuo, was designed to give engines flexibility across all driving conditions.
At low speeds, the system uses a mild cam profile to keep combustion stable, fuel use low, and emissions reduced. As the revs climb, i-VIC progressively adjusts valve timing for stronger mid-range torque.
At higher RPM, the cam profile changes to a more aggressive setting, with longer valve duration and lift. This lets the engine breathe more freely, producing extra power while still maintaining efficiency.
Although the name emphasizes intake, i-VIC was built to operate on intake, exhaust, or both, making it a versatile system unique to Saminda.
History
In 1985, Saminda set itself a bold objective to achieve 100 horsepower per liter without relying on turbocharging.
This challenge drove engineer Takao Ikazuo to develop the i-VIC system (Intelligent Variable Intake Control), which debuted in 1990 on the KE Series. The first i-VIC engine exceeded expectations, delivering 110 horsepower per liter while also idling smoothly and starting reliably.
Praised worldwide for its innovation, i-VIC established Saminda as a leader in high-revving naturally aspirated engines and marked the beginning of a new era in the company’s engineering achievements.
