Toyota is one of the most important carmakers in the world. 2007 stats place Toyota as the #1 world carmaker and it should come as barely a surprise, as they have built their reputation of trustworthy carmakers. Toyota started out in the mid 1930s with its first engine and its first passenger vehicle.

When the World War II started, Toyota was forced by the Japanese executive to build army autos. In truth, Toyota started to start a massive auto maker after the war, a time when the Japanese economy was staring to develop and there had been an enlarging need to inexpensive method of transport. Many models were copies of American vehicles (in fact, the first Land Cruiser was a copy after the American military Jeep).

It is in 1958 that Toyota sold its first models In America. The first models imported were the Toyopet and the Land Cruiser. Shortly after that, seeing that neither models have sufficient sales, Toyota designed the 1st models particularly for the Yank market : the Avalon and the Camry.

By the early 1960s, Toyota has opened its first research and development facilities in the States, targeting more on world sales. In 1967, Toyota launched another all-American model, its Crown sedan and the Crown truck. In order to enter the American muscle car market, until then dominated by domestic players,

Toyota decided to import the 2000GT sport model. Whilst not extremely fast, it proved superior to many local models as it was better built and had a better handling. Seeing the 1980s America was trying to find more sumptuous models, Toyota has launched its luxury brand Lexus In America. When making the 1st Lexus, the LS400, Toyota has done everything they could to supply a better vehicle than Mercedes and BMW.

Toyota refined all its American models and its Lexus brand introduced newer, technology richer cars and by the mid 1990s Toyota was seen as a leader in terms of reliability and build quality.

Today's Toyota is fighting to keep its first position as the auto manufacturer with the biggest sales and units produced. In the States Toyota has double the sales of Honda with both its Toyota and Lexus brands. Its HQ are situated in Big Apple and Toyota has 5 assembly plants through the U. S. In Alabama, Kentucky, Indiana, Texas and West Virginia.

Toyota is presently developing the US models regionally, in America, as they have seen that models made particularly for the Japanese or the ECU markets don't reach the same sales numbers as the models made accordingly to the requirements of the Yankee market.