History of Toyota

Look back at the history of Toyota, starting with the birth of founder
Sakichi Toyoda. It traces the company's development through 1937 from
when Toyota Motor Corporation was established to when the 2 millionth
Prius hybrid was sold.


The AA Sedan


Koromo Plant
(currently Honsha Plant)


Older building of
Toyota Head Office

* Detailed information can be found by selecting the topics listed in the side menu.

186
Birth of Sakichi Toyoda.
7

192
Sakichi Toyoda invents Toyoda Model G Automatic Loom.
4

192
Automatic-loom patent is sold to a British company.
9
193
Kiichiro Toyoda begins research on small gasoline-powered engine.
0

193
Automobile Department is established at Toyoda Automatic Loom Works, Ltd.
3

193
The Toyoda precepts are compiled.
5

193
The AA Sedan is completed.
6

193
Toyota Motor Co., Ltd. is established.
7

193
Honsha Plant begins production
8

195
Company faces a financial crisis; Toyota Motor Sales Co., Ltd. is established.
0

195
Suggestion System begins.
1

195
The Toyopet Crown, Toyopet Master and Crown Deluxe are launched.
5

195 The first prototypes of the Crown are exported to the United States; Toyota Motor
7 Sales U.S.A., Inc. is established.
195
Motomachi Plant begins production.
9

196
Joint Declaration of Labor and Management is signed.
2

196
Toyota wins the Deming Application Prize for quality control.
5

196
The Corolla is launched; business partnership with Hino Motors Ltd. begins.
6

196
Business partnership with Daihatsu Motor Co., Ltd. begins.
7

197
Toyota Foundation is established.
4

197
The prefabricated housing business begins.
5

198 Toyota Motor Co., Ltd. and Toyota Motor Sales Co., Ltd. are merged into Toyota
2 Motor Corporation.

198 Joint venture with General Motors (New United Motor Manufacturing, Inc.) begins
4 production in the USA.

198
Toyota Motor Manufacturing, USA, Inc. (present TMMK) begins production.
8
198
The Lexus brand is launched in the USA.
9

199
Toyota Motor Manufacturing (United Kingdom) Ltd. begins production.
2

199
The Prius is launched as the world's first mass-produced hybrid car.
7

199
Cumulative domestic production reaches 100 million vehicles.
9

200
Sichuan Toyota Motor Co., Ltd. begins production in China.
0

200
Toyota Motor Manufacturing France S.A.S. begins production in France.
1

200 Toyota enters Formula One World Championship; Tianjin Toyota Motor Co., Ltd.
2 begins production in China.

200
The Toyota Partner Robot is publicly unveiled.
4

200
The Lexus brand is introduced in Japan.
5

200
Worldwide Prius sales top 1 million mark.
8
201 Worldwide Prius sales top 2 million mark; Toyota and Tesla Motors agree on joint EV
0 development