History of Toyota in pictures

June 4, 2013 3:36 PM

In 1929, Sakichi Toyoda sold the textile loom he invented for $150,000 and reinvested that money in an automobile venture that would build cars in Japan and compete with Ford and General Motors' local presence. Though he died a year later, his son Kiichiro carried on the plans and the first Toyota car, modeled after Chrysler's of the time, went into production in 1936.

Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A. was established in 1958 and solid 288 vehicles in America that year. By 1966, that figure rose to more than 20,000 units and in 1975 Toyota became the top-selling import brand in the country. In 1986 the first Toyota built on American soil, a white Corolla, rolled off the production plant.

By 2008, Toyota surpassed General Motors as the top-selling automaker in the world.