88 Years Ago, the World’s First Automobile Manufacturer Was Established
This page is translated from the original post "Il y a 88 ans le premier constructeur mondial voyait le jour" in French.
- 18/08/2025 9:58
On August 18, 1937, Japan witnesses the birth of a manufacturer destined to dominate the world: Toyota Motor Company.
The company is not yet synonymous with the Toyota Corolla, the best-selling car in the world, or Prius. At the time, the Toyoda family (with a D) is mainly known for its automatic looms, but Kiichiro Toyoda, the son of founder Sakichi, senses that the automobile will transform the Japanese economy.
As early as 1933, an automobile division is created within Toyoda Automatic Loom Works. Two years later, the first prototypes are on the road: sedans and trucks heavily inspired by American models. Japan, which aims to develop a national industry to reduce imports, strongly encourages the project. In light of the success of the tests, Kiichiro decides to take the plunge and founds an independent company: Toyota Motor Company.
The choice of the name Toyota rather than Toyoda is not merely aesthetic. Written in katakana script, “Toyota” requires eight brush strokes, a number considered lucky in Japan. And its softer pronunciation seems better suited for a brand intended to travel internationally.
Toyota survives the war
The first models produced are mainly light trucks, intended for the military and administration. Sedans, like the Toyota AA, remain very close to foreign cars, but the manufacturer is already investing in designing its own engines and chassis. These efforts lay the groundwork for a genuine Japanese automobile industry.
World War II interrupts civilian production, but paradoxically strengthens the technical skills of the young company. After 1945, Toyota starts back up slowly in a devastated country. Nevertheless, Kiichiro Toyoda retains a clear vision: to offer affordable, reliable cars suited to Japanese roads.
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This strategy will lead to the launch of iconic models such as the Toyopet Crown (1955) and especially the Corolla (1966), which will become the best-selling car in the world. Even today, Toyota reaps the rewards of this vision: by 2025, the manufacturer remains the world number one with over ten million vehicles sold per year and a market share of about 12%, outpacing rivals Volkswagen and Hyundai.
It all started on August 18, 1937, with the bold decision of a family of weavers to venture into an uncertain sector. Eight decades later, Toyota is a global giant, a pioneer in hybrids and a benchmark in innovation.
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