Since 2008, the Toyota Motor Corporation has been the world's largest auto manufacturer, finally beating General Motors out of first place. The company is headquartered in its own industrial city east of Nagoya, Japan - Toyota City.
The brand's success is due - in part - to the principles of its founder, Sakichi Toyoda:
In 1933 Toyoda Kiichiro founded what later became the Toyota Motor Corporation as a division of the Toyoda Automatic Loom Works, a manufacturing concern founded by his father, Toyoda Sakichi.
The first Toyota production car was the Model AA sedan, released in 1936. The following year the division was incorporated as the Toyota Motor Company, Ltd., headed by Kiichiro. During the Second World War, the company suspended production of cars to focus on trucks. After the war, the company did not resume making passenger cars until 1947 (with the Model SA) because the facilities had been destroyed.
The Toyota Camry is renowned as one of the most reliable and cost-effective sedans in history. In 1997, it became the first Toyota ever to become the best-selling car in America, knocking the ever-popular Ford Taurus off that spot. Since then, it remained America's favourite car until 2018.
The Toyota Corolla tops the list of the best-selling cars of all time. It is not just in South Africa that the car is a favourite for families, ride-share drivers and companies, the car has sold over 43 million units worldwide since its launch in 1966.
Locally, Toyota South Africa Motors (TSAM) has been the best-selling car brand for 42 of their 61 years in the South African market. South Africans are hopelessly devoted to their Toyotas - from the ever-popular Hilux Bakkie, to the ubiquitous Hi-Ace taxis and omnipresent Corolla, the brand's latest triumph is the Toyota Corolla Cross - now SA's top-selling new car.
The company believes that its success depends on maintaining the trust of dealers and customers, and it goes to extreme lengths to create lasting relationships with them. From the top down, Toyota employees are constantly reminded that it is not the company, but rather the customers that pay their salaries.
The brand continues to innovate, delivering quality vehicles time and time again.