History of Toyota
The AA Sedan
Koromo Plant
(currently Honsha Plant)
Older building of
Toyota Head Office
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1867 | Birth of Sakichi Toyoda |
1924 | Sakichi Toyoda invents Toyoda Model G Automatic Loom |
1929 | Automatic-loom patent is sold to a British company |
1930 | Kiichiro Toyoda begins research on small gasoline-powered engine |
1933 | Automobile Department is established at Toyoda Automatic Loom Works, Ltd. |
1935 | The Toyoda precepts are compiled |
1936 | The AA Sedan is completed |
1937 | Toyota Motor Co., Ltd. is established |
1938 | Honsha Plant begins production |
1950 | Company faces a financial crisis; Toyota Motor Sales Co., Ltd. is established |
1951 | Suggestion System is begun |
1955 | The Toyopet Crown, Toyopet Master and Crown Deluxe are launched |
1957 | The first prototypes of the Crown are exported to the USA Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A., Inc. is established |
1959 | Motomachi Plant begins production |
1962 | Joint Declaration of Labor and Management is signed |
1965 | Toyota wins the Deming Application Prize for quality control |
1966 | The Corolla is launched Business tie-up with Hino Motors Ltd. begins |
1967 | Business tie-up with Daihatsu Motor Co., Ltd. begins |
1974 | Toyota Foundation is established |
1975 | The prefabricated housing business begins |
1982 | Toyota Motor Co., Ltd. and Toyota Motor Sales Co., Ltd. are merged into Toyota Motor Corporation |
1984 | Joint venture with GM (NUMMI) begins production in the USA |
1988 | Toyota Motor Manufacturing, USA, Inc. (present TMMK) begins production |
1989 | The Lexus brand is launched in the USA |
1992 | Toyota Motor Manufacturing (UK) Ltd. begins production |
1997 | The Prius is launched as the world first mass-produced hybrid car |
1999 | Cumulative domestic production reaches 100 million vehicles |
2000 | Sichuan Toyota Motor Co., Ltd. begins production in China |
2001 | Toyota Motor Manufacturing France S.A.S. begins production in France |
2002 | Toyota enters Formula One World Championship Tianjin Toyota Motor Co., Ltd. begins production in China |
2004 | The Toyota Partner Robot is publicly unveiled |
2005 | The Lexus brand is introduced in Japan |
2008 | Worldwide Prius sales top 1-million mark |