Honda may not be the first to INOVATE variable timming, but I believe Honda was the first to mass-produce it in the 1989 NSX, then the 1992 Prelude Si. Car companies have technology laying around for 20 years before they do anything with it. With Honda, if they have an inovation, they get it into their production cars as soon as possible. Makes them more appealing, shows their ability to put ideas into motion, and just plain kicks anyone else in R/D and engineering. Honda and BMW are still the only engine manufacturers with variable timming in every engine they produce. IMO, that makes Honda a far more superior performance comany than Toyota.