Sep 5, 2013 ... the Toyota "Corolla", the world's most popular car, surpassed 40 .... Corolla
wagon, Corolla FX, Corolla Ceres, Corolla Spacio, Corolla Runx.
Sep. 05, 2013
Toyota Corolla: World's Most Popular Car World Sales Leader with More Than 40 Million Sold Toyota City, Japan, September 5, 2013—Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) announces today that cumulative global sales of the Toyota "Corolla", the world's most popular car, surpassed 40 million in July, reaching 40.01 million units. This milestone marks another historic achievement for the Corolla, Toyota's perennial global car. In November 1966, Toyota opened a new plant in Takaoka, Aichi Prefecture, dedicated solely to Corolla production. Two years later, with an emphasis on providing region-specific vehicles, production began in Australia and Malaysia. From 1965 to 1968, Toyota more than doubled its total annual production from 480,000 to 1.1 million vehicles—a testament to the Corolla's significant contribution to the growth of the company. The Corolla, currently produced at 15 plants worldwide, accounts for one in five vehicles sold in Toyota's 76-year history. Corolla exports to North America began in 1968, and early sales success in this market helped global cumulative sales of the car reach 1 million units just four years after launch. In 1997, the Corolla became the world's best-selling nameplate, with global cumulative sales exceeding 22.65 million units. More than a million units have been sold each year since 2002; last year, a total of 3,180 Corollas were sold every day across more than 150 countries and regions.
From left: 1966 Corolla; Japan, North America, and Europe market 11th generation models
Marking the milestone, Corolla Chief Engineer Shinichi Yasui said: "I feel this car has been nurtured by people all over the world and I am very proud to have contributed to its foundation and grateful to all those who have owned and loved their Corollas. The key to the Corolla's success is the faithful passing down of its original development concept from Tatsuo Hasegawa: that the Corolla must bring happiness and well-being to people around the world." The Corolla was originally designed to meet the changing needs of Japanese commuters in the mid-1960s. Then-Chief Engineer Tatsuo Hasegawa recognized that with Japan's industry expanding, most consumers' daily commuting time was increasing. The need to get around in a personal vehicle was therefore growing and this insight led Hasegawa to conceptualize the first Corolla, with his guiding principles defining the vehicle ever since: always evolving and designed to meet consumer needs in each market. When the first Corolla rolled off the production line, many basic safety features were still optional. Later, to meet the needs
of families, Toyota decided to include many of these features as standard. Toyota's commitment to pursue higher and higher levels of quality and continue adding new standard features to the affordably priced Corolla has helped ensure that families around the world continue to choose it more than any other nameplate. The history of the ever-evolving Corolla, filled with examples of technology and quality improvement, is emblematic of Toyota's efforts to anticipate customer needs and provide ever-better cars. More Corolla history: http://www.toyota-global.com/showroom/vehicle_heritage/corolla/ Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h2Xc1MO_VfY
Reference 1: Current Corolla Production Bases Company name, country
Start of Corolla production
Takaoka Plant (TMC), Japan
November 1966
Toyota Motor Thailand Co., Ltd (TMT), Thailand
August 1972
Toyota South Africa Motor (Pty) Ltd. (TSAM), South Africa
May 1975
Toyota de Venezuela C.A. (TDV), Venezuela
April 1986
Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada Inc. (TMMC), Canada
November 1988
Indus Motor Company Ltd. (IMC), Pakistan
March 1993
Toyota Motor Manufacturing Turkey Inc. (TMMT), Turkey
September 1994
Toyota Motor Vietnam Co. Ltd. (TMV), Vietnam
September 1996
Toyota do Brasil LTDA. (TDB), Brazil
September 1998
Kuozui Motor Ltd., Taiwan
March 2001
Toyota Kirloskar Motor Private Ltd. (TKM), India
February 2003
Tianjin FAW Toyota Motor Co., Ltd. (TFTM) China (two locations)
May 2004
Toyota Motor Manufacturing Mississippi Inc. (TMMMS), United States
October 2011
Miyagi Ohira Plant, Toyota Motor East Japan, Inc, Japan
May 2012
*
*
No Corolla production between January 2007 and June 2013; eleventh generation Corolla production began on June 17, 2013
Reference 2: The History of the Corolla Year
1966
1967
1968
1969
Month
Key milestones
Sept.
Line-off of first Corolla at TMC's Takaoka Plant in Toyota City
Nov.
- Sales of two-door sedan with four-speed floor shift transmission begin in Japan at Toyota Publica dealers; Tokyo prices range from 432,000 yen for standard model to 495,000 yen for deluxe model - Exports to Australia begin
May
Four-door sedan and light van added
Feb.
Overseas production begins at Assembly Services Sdn. Bhd. (ASSB) in Malaysia
Apr.
Exports to U.S. begin
May
Exports to Canada begin
July
Production begins at what is now Toyota Motor Corporation Australia Ltd. (TMCA)
Mar.
Toyota Publica dealer channel changes name to Toyota Corolla
-
Start of 33-year run as best-selling car in Japan
1970
May -
Second generation launched Millionth unit sold
1972
Aug.
Production begins at Toyota Motor Thailand Co., Ltd.
1973
Feb.
Production begins at Toyota Ireland (TI)
1974
Apr.
Third generation launched
1975
May
Production begins at Toyota South Africa Motor (Pty) Ltd.
1976
-
1979
Mar.
Fourth generation launched
1981
Dec.
Production at TI ends
1982
-
10 millionth unit sold
1983
May
Fifth generation launched
Apr.
Production begins at what is now Toyota de Venezuela C.A.
Sept.
Corolla FX production begins at New United Motor Manufacturing, Inc. (NUMMI) in U.S.
1986
5 millionth unit sold
1987
May
Sixth generation launched
1988
Nov.
Production begins at Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada Inc.
Oct.
Production begins at Toyota Motor Philippines Corp.
1989
-
15 millionth unit sold
1991
June
Seventh generation launched
1993
Mar.
Production begins at Indus Motor Company Ltd. in Pakistan
1994
Sept.
- 20 millionth unit sold - Production begins at what is now Toyota Motor Manufacturing Turkey Inc. (TMMT)
1995
May
1996
1998
1999 2000 2001
Eighth generation launched
Sept.
Production begins at Toyota Motor Vietnam Co. Ltd.
Dec.
Production at TMMT ends
Mar.
Production begins at PT. Toyota Motor Manufacturing Indonesia (TMMIN)
Aug.
Production begins at Toyota do Brasil Ltda.'s Indaiatuba Plant
Sept.
Corolla liftback production begins at Toyota Motor Manufacturing (U.K.) Ltd.
July
Production at TMCA ends
Aug.
Ninth generation launched
-
25 millionth unit sold
Mar.
Production begins at Kuozui Motor Ltd. in Taiwan
Jan.
Production begins at Kirloskar Motor Private Ltd. in India
Oct.
Production at TMMIN ends
2004
Feb.
Production begins at Tianjin FAW Toyota Motor Co., Ltd.'s (TFTM's) Xiqing Plant in China
2005
-
2003
2006
2007
30 millionth unit sold
Oct.
Tenth generation launched
Dec.
Production at TMUK ends
May.
Production begins at TFTM's TEDA Plant in China
Aug.
Production at ASSB ends
Dec.
Production at TMP ends
2009
-
2010
Apr.
Production at NUMMI ends
2011
Oct.
Production begins at Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Mississippi Inc. in U.S.
2012
May
- Production begins at what is now Toyota Motor East Japan, Inc.'s Ohira Plant in Miyagi Prefecture - Eleventh generation launched - Production begins at Sichuan FAW Toyota Motor Co., Ltd.'s (SFTM's) Changchun Plant in China
June
Production begins at TMMT
July
- 40 millionth unit sold - Production at SFTM ends
2013
35 millionth unit sold
NOTE: "Corolla" refers to vehicles sold under the Corolla name, as listed below. Models sold currently are listed in bold. Japan: Corolla Axio, Corolla Fielder, Corolla Rumion, Corolla sedan, Corolla van, Corolla coupé, Corolla Levin, Corolla Hardtop, Corolla Liftback, Corolla wagon, Corolla FX, Corolla Ceres, Corolla Spacio, Corolla Runx Outside Japan: Corolla (sedan, wagon, hatchback), Corolla EX, Corolla Altis, Corolla Millenium, Corolla Verso, Corolla Matrix
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