Toyota
Toyota Motor Company was registered in 1937 having built an engine and later a motor car in 1936, although production concentrated on trucks. Post war, the company initially built only trucks in an effort to rebuild the country, but soon as the Cold War started properly after the realisation of the USSR's expansionist and anti West doctrine, Japan became a key target for American remilitarisation. And Toyota (and other Japanese companies) were allowed to resume passenger car as well as truck production. Toyota executives were also sent to the Ford plants in the USA, and many other car manufacturing plants there to observe the latest production methods.
By the 1960's Toyota had built their Corolla which became the worlds top selling model. For the USA market Toyota developed the more powerful Corona, and as the energy crisis of the 1970's came cars like the Toyota were perfectly placed with their compact and efficient cars, compared to what auto makers in the USA were making. By 1986 the first US built Toyota rolled off the lines in California in a joint venture with GM.
