e2japan
EN JA
← Japanese companies

Cars and motorcycles

Toyota トヨタ自動車

Born in a loom factory

Toyota grew out of Toyoda Automatic Loom Works, the textile machinery company of the inventor Sakichi Toyoda. His son Kiichirō started a car department there, which became Toyota Motor in 1937. Its production system changed car making around the world.

Founded
1937
Shōwa 12
Founder
Kiichirō Toyoda
Started in
Aichi
Status
Still trading
Age 89 years

Timeline

  1. 1926 (Taishō 15 / Shōwa 1)

    Sakichi Toyoda founds Toyoda Automatic Loom Works.

  2. 1936 (Shōwa 11)

    Kiichirō Toyoda's team finishes the Model AA passenger car.

  3. 1937 (Shōwa 12)

    Toyota Motor Co. is founded.

  4. 1966 (Shōwa 41)

    Launches the Corolla, later the best-selling car name in history.

  5. 1997 (Heisei 9)

    Launches the Prius, the first mass-produced hybrid car.

Years in brackets are the Japanese era year. Japanese era converter →

Did you know?

The name changed from Toyoda to Toyota partly because it takes eight strokes to write in katakana, a lucky number.

More Cars and motorcycles companies

Dates follow the companies' own published histories where available. Trademarks belong to their owners; this page is not affiliated with any company listed.