Toyota Diecast Model Cars

Success in Any Language

Toyota has its roots in a 1929 visit to the U.S. by Kiichiro Toyoda, the son of Toyoda Automatic Loom Works founder Sakichi Toyoda. It was his job to look at American car manufacturing and gasoline engines with an eye toward providing Japan with similar domestic vehicles.

By 1934 the automotive division of the Aichi-based company had its first engine and its Model A1 passenger car was ready in 1935. Production was started the next year with the vehicles looking much like Chevrolets and the Dodge Power Wagon. In 1937 the Toyoda auto division was made a separate company and renamed Toyota.

During the war years, the company turned its attention to providing machines and vehicles to the national military cause. It is interesting to n ...more

Success in Any Language

Toyota has its roots in a 1929 visit to the U.S. by Kiichiro Toyoda, the son of Toyoda Automatic Loom Works founder Sakichi Toyoda. It was his job to look at American car manufacturing and gasoline engines with an eye toward providing Japan with similar domestic vehicles.

By 1934 the automotive division of the Aichi-based company had its first engine and its Model A1 passenger car was ready in 1935. Production was started the next year with the vehicles looking much like Chevrolets and the Dodge Power Wagon. In 1937 the Toyoda auto division was made a separate company and renamed Toyota.

During the war years, the company turned its attention to providing machines and vehicles to the national military cause. It is interesting to note that the Allies had plans to bomb the Toyota plant in Aichi but dropped the bomb that ended the war just before carrying out that mission.

Toyota continued to manufacture cars for domestic use but increasing looked for new markets for its small and compact cars. In 1957 it exported its first vehicle to the U.S. - the Toyota Crown. But it was the era of big cars in America and buyers in the U.S. viewed small cars as entry-level, inexpensive and not very comfortable. These first small Toyota exports are sought after by die cast model collectors everywhere. ...less