Toyota Motor Corporation is the world's second largest automaker, behind General Motors. Due to a comparatively more effective business strategy, Toyota is the automotive world leader in net worth, revenue and profit. Based on a strategy of matching consumer’s financial abilities without sacrificing quality, Toyota has developed the world’s best selling cars.
Marks of Success
According to the Global Fortune 500, Toyota is the eighth largest company in the world. Toyota's Camry has been the best selling car in the US since 2003; the Toyota Corolla is the international best selling car in history. Toyota is publicly traded on several Japanese stock exchanges, as well as on the London and New York stock exchanges. Toyota's goal is to sell 10.4 million automobiles in 2008, making it the first automaker to sell more than 10 million vehicles in a year.
History and Holdings
Founded in 1937 by Kiichiro Toyoda, Toyota has grown to include brands such as Lexus and Scion, gain majority shareholding in Daihatsu Motors, as well as minority shareholdings in Fuji Heavy Industries, Isuzu Motors, and Yamaha Motors. Toyota also has diverse product lines that include automatic textile looms and electric sewing machines.
International Presence
Toyota had made remarkable progress before 1973, but once the international oil crisis occurred, the company's market expanded greatly. Toyota has a major market share in the United States, market leadership in Australia, and an important presence in Africa and Southeast Asia. Toyota factories cover international locations too numerous to mention.
Innovation
Moving beyond its original compact car lineup, Toyota has branched out by developing many larger and more upscale vehicles. The Toyota stable includes full sized pickups, several types of SUVs and vans, sports cars, the luxury Lexus name, and the Scion brand - affordable, sporty cars aimed specifically at young adults.
In addition to the ideas behind best sellers such as the Corolla and Camry, Toyota has continuously introduced new technologies. It has been a major force behind hybrid vehicles, and has integrated this concept into vehicles such as the Prius, Camry, Lexus, and Highlander; Toyota has sold over 1 million hybrid vehicles. Other innovations include the Advanced Parking Guidance System (automatic parking), and eight-speed automatic transmission. Toyota also has an impressive line of concept vehicles, ranging from alternative fuel models to luxury sedans to personal mobility vehicles that have a definite sci-fi accent. Toyota completes its participation in every facet of car engineering through intense participation in virtually all forms of motor sports.
