今日、どの程度多くの人々は日野コンテッサと言うクルマを知っているだろうか？日野自動車が第二次世界大戦以前から大衆車製造を語り、その後フランスのルノー社と提携し、ルノー4CVの国産化、第二回日本GP（1964年）に国産初のフォーミュラカーで参戦、そして社運を賭け、精魂を尽くし、自社技術の日野コンテッサ1300を世に出しました。他社に先駆け世界に輸出をし、欧州でのコンクール・デ・エレガンスで毎年大賞を得、米国ではセダンレースを仕掛けたていたことを知られているでしょうか？おそらくそんなものがあった、そんなことがあった、と言う程度でもあればまだよいほうでしょう。
歴史とは単に語り継がれるだけでは、特定の部分が強調されたり、歪みを持って継承され易い。メディアのプロジェクト何とかの世界では、得てして我ら日本人は、ことの一部をまつりあげて涙の物語に浮かれやすいものです。そんなことでは真実は伝わらないでしょう。最善の方法は、現物を持って、当時の現実を理解し、更にそれに今もって磨きを掛ける努力をしている連中（プロジェクト、モータースポーツ）が忠実に、起源、歴史、現状を夢を持って語り、検証することです。
本サイトはそんなことを目論み、ここの歴史のセクション、更にサイト全体の内容はそんな目的にあります。ビジネス面、産業面から見れば非常にマイナーな日野コンテッサについて、長期に渡り、共に生活する身から、一人のエンスーの目として、クールに様々なことを明らかにし、日野の当時の努力を理解し、そしてオーナーの尽力による現存する当時以上に現代の技術で磨きのかかったクルマ達のステータスを上げ、日本の工業立国のための生まれた日野コンテッサの歴史を次の世代に正しく伝えることが出来れば幸いです。
永年に渡り情報整理に多大なご協力をいただいた日野自動車＆関係者並びに情報提供いただいた友人たちに感謝いたします。（江澤：サイトオーナー、(以下、SE)）
【日野の当時の雑誌広告：モーターファン1967年2月号より】 日野コンテッサ1300の発売の時代、まだ高校生であった当時（サイトオーナー）、街で見たボデーライン（特にフロント）が低く見える流れるようなスタイルのコンテッサを、将来何時か自分のものにするのだ夢に見ていた。そんな中、このような広告を目にし、日野コンテッサ1300に対するイメージを変えてしまった。ヤワなクルマでなく、実はハードなクルマなのだと。サーキットの中でいかにも飛び出しそうなアングルに心が惹かれたのだった。本当にこのようなクルマを手にしたいと決意した広告であった。尚、ここにあるリバーサイドの写真には秘密が隠されていることを、25年を経て判明した。マーケティングの魔力は恐ろしいものだと思った。（別途記述）(SE)
Greeting: Introduction and Purpose
Today, how many people know a car to call Hino Contessa ? Hino Motors has been told public car production from the World War II past. After WW II, they cooperated with French Renault company and became domestic production of Renault 4CV. Hino Motors participated in the second Japan GP (1964) with the domestic first formula car called "Del Contessa", and they bet the future of the company and exerted energy and gave Hino Contessa 1300 of own company technology to the worldwide.
A specific part is merely emphasized only by telling the history, and it being inherited. Then, it is easy to be succeeded with a distortion. In the world of the mass media such as "Project-x", Japanese sometimes enshrine one part then it is easy to be isolated in a story of tears. The truth cannot become known in such a thing. The best method is to understand reality of those days with real goods, namely exisiting Hino Cars. Furthermore, a party making an effort whom it holds it in it now (projects and motorsports), and and still working for improving HIno Contessa redardless of countries discuss the origin, the history, the present conditions faithfully, then it should be validated.
This site is aimed for such contents, and a section of the history of here, contents of the site whole assume with such a purpose. Judging from business side, an industrial aspect, Hino contessa is minor very much. I owned it for a long term and lived together. If I have insight as one of enthusiast and can make clear aboutI various matter, I am happy for the efforts of Hino people at those days and extending a status of existing Hino cars improved with latest technology by the efforts of 24/7/365 base of the owner, and I am great If I can correctly hand down the history of the Hino Contessa that was born for an industrial founding a state of Japan to the next generation.
I want to be thankful to HINO MOTORS which obtained great cooperation in information arrangement over many years, and its persons concerned as well as my friends supported on this site. (Satoshi Ezawa, Site Owner, hereafter SE)
A magazine advertisement of those days by HIno : Motor Fan (February of 1967) - The times of releasing the market of Hino Contessa 1300, I was still a high school student. Contessa 1300 was a flowing style a shape, especially a front look low. It was seeing in the dream making into one's thing Contessa seen in the town in the future. Meanwhile, I saw an advertisement in the above and have changed an image for Hino Contessa 1300. In fact, not a neat and clean woman car, it was a car of an active guy. A heart was attracted by the angle that seemed to really jump out in a circuit track. It was the advertisement that was to make up its mind when I wanted to really have such a car in my hand.
In addition, it was recognized that a photograph of Riverside race Track in here could pass in a secret being hidden by after 25 years. When a magical power of marketing was terrible, I felt that a magical power of marketing is terrific. (It will be clear in other page) (SE)
Explanation of an above advertisement
HIno Contessa won the championship magnificently
Times Grand Prix, Sedan Race, Class C, 9th L.A. Times GP, California, U.S.A.
Ability of the Contessa coupe which exceeded a higher class
HIno Contessa Coupe showed an overwhelming strength in Times Grand Prix sedan race of West Coast biggest race in Riverside of Los Angeles on October 30, and temples won the championship at C (1000cc - 1300cc). Contessa Coupe got over a car of a higher class including Mustang, Dodge, andCortina GT, and recorded splendid results. As for the contessa coupe, the superior high efficiency, the durability, the cornering were exposed to great admiration of many spectators more than 80,000.
TEAM SAMURAI
It is a team name of Hino playing an active part in Hino Contessa Coupe for west coast race in U.S.A. Peter Brock, a chief driver well known as the new star designer who designed AC COBRA named it. The Team Samurai with the Japanese flag, and fight in one place after another is a popular mark at a destination.
Notice: The text in this page is not interpreted by professional translator.
Please allow us some incorrect word or grammar.
Any your comments would be appreciated. (Site Owner)
本ページへのコメント＆意見はこちら迄 (実名表記にて) 。
Any Comments to here would be appreciated (Please Use your one name)