PLANO, Texas, Oct. 31, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- When Toyota
launched its North American headquarters in a Hollywood, Calif., dealership on October 31, 1957, it was, no doubt, a frightening
affair.
Halloween notwithstanding, a
Japanese car company making a foray into the U.S. market was a bold
move 60 years ago. And its first vehicle, the Toyopet Crown, didn't
turn out to be a screaming success either.
But since those humble beginnings in a 3,000-square-foot,
one-time Rambler dealership, Toyota has woven itself into the
cultural fabric of America. Sixty years in, it encompasses a
presence in every state, including 10 manufacturing facilities (14
in North America), nearly 1,500
Toyota and Lexus dealerships and 136,000 direct, dealer and
supplier U.S. employees. And, the company recently unified
operations by bringing together its quality engineering, sales,
marketing, financial services and corporate functions in one
location at a new North America
headquarters campus in Plano,
Texas.
"Celebrating our anniversary isn't just about the products we've
sold the past 60 years," said Toyota Motor North America CEO
Jim Lentz. "It's also about
celebrating Toyota's thousands of employees who will help the
company embark on the next leg of its American journey and
continuing to improve our products and services for our
customers."
To commemorate its 60th anniversary, Toyota
rededicated a 50th anniversary time capsule originally
dedicated at its former Torrance,
Calif., headquarters in 2007. The capsule—which includes
items like a 2000 GT die cast matchbox edition model car, an
original key for a 1977 Toyota Hilux truck and a Toyota Formula One
racer scale model—will be re-opened on the 100th
anniversary in 2057. Plano Mayor
Harry LaRosiliere, who attended the
ceremony, said the capsule marks a new chapter for Toyota.
"As Toyota moved their North American corporate offices to
Plano over the last three years,
the entire region has experienced the positive impact of their team
members unique character and culture. The entire organization
exhibits a sense of purpose, innovation, and family. We are proud
they call Plano home, and we are
honored to be part of today's anniversary celebration," LaRosiliere
said. "We look forward to the next 60 years with Toyota in the
City of Plano."
The Metal
Toyota's American journey has been fueled by the cars it makes.
In the 1950s that meant the Toyopet Crown and the now-legendary
Land Cruiser. Introduced in the '60s, the Corolla would go on to
become the bestselling nameplate in the world.
The '70s got sporty with the Celica and the beloved Supra,
while the '80s introduced the American public to Camry and 4Runner,
among others.
In 1989, Toyota launched its luxury vehicle division, Lexus, in
the U.S. with two models, the LS 400 and ES 250.
In the '90s, Toyota filled out its lineup with models like the
Tacoma, RAV4, Avalon and Sienna, and from Lexus, the GS, LX and
RX.
In 2003, Toyota launched Scion to bring in younger customers and
to test out revolutionary processes and products. As a result, the
xB became an icon for a new millennium.
And, Toyota changed the world by pushing hybrid technology into
the American mainstream with the Prius, which surfaced in 1997 and
launched in the U.S. in 2000. More than a decade later, the iconic
Prius was followed by another alternative fuel vehicle, the
hydrogen fuel cell powered Mirai.
Manufacturing, Engineering and Captive Finance
The '70s were critical to operations. Toyota marked its first
U.S. production, signing Atlas Fabricators of Long Beach (later changed to TABC) to make
truck beds. Toyota Technical Center, which just celebrated its
40th anniversary in May, opened its first U.S. R&D
facility and Calty Design Research opened its doors in Southern California.
Growth continued into the '80s with the launch of manufacturing
facilities in California and
Kentucky. In addition, Toyota
Motor Credit Corporation (now known as Toyota Financial Services),
began operations in the U.S. in October
1982.
In the '90s and '00s, Toyota added vehicle and parts plants in
Indiana, West Virginia, Alabama, Tennessee, Texas, Missouri and Mississippi. To support the rapid growth,
Toyota consolidated its R&D and manufacturing operations under
a single company in 2006.
The Future
Over the years, Toyota Motor North America has transformed from
just a sales company into a mobility company.
In 2016, the Toyota Research Institute launched, leading the way
to autonomous vehicles, robotics, vehicle safety and materials
science. In the same year, Toyota Connected was created to
use data to personalize the customer driving experience.
What started as a single store in Southern California has evolved into an
American institution that continues to bring jobs, mobility and
technology to its communities.
About Toyota
Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in the
U.S. and North America for 60
years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation
mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands. During that
time, Toyota has created a tremendous value chain as our teams have
contributed to world-class design, engineering, and assembly of
more than 33 million cars and trucks in North America, where we operate 14
manufacturing plants (10 in the U.S.) and directly employ more than
46,000 people (more than 36,000 in the U.S.). Our 1,800 North
American dealerships (nearly 1,500 in the U.S.) sold almost 2.7
million cars and trucks (2.45 million in the U.S.) in 2016 – and
about 85 percent of all Toyota vehicles sold over the past 15 years
are still on the road today.
Toyota partners with community, civic, academic, and
governmental organizations to address our society's most pressing
mobility challenges. We share company resources and extensive
know-how to support non-profits to help expand their ability to
assist more people move more places. For more information about
Toyota, visit www.toyotanewsroom.com.
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SOURCE Toyota Motor North America