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The first generation of Toyota Corolla was introduced in the Japanese market in 1966 with a very ambitious slogan, “The most wanted car by the market \u2014 presented to the world by bringing together the essence of Toyota\u2019s technology<\/em>\u2018.”<\/p>\n Little did Toyota or the world know that it will become world’s best selling sedan that will continue to dominate its segment for decades to come. It was designed to be a people\u2019s car with many then new technologies. It came with a newly designed 1100 cc K pushrod engine.<\/p>\n Available in two distinct body styles (two- and four-door saloon, two-door estate), Corolla displayed great attention to detail and was lavishly equipped with features that were normally only seen on higher grade models. This first generation continued from 1966 to 1970 and was known as E10<\/p>\n It featured a sporty, floor-mounted gear lever that was remarkable at the time. Comfort was provided by separate bucket-type seats with firm padding, while the rear bench offered so much space that it was likened to a living room sofa. Although the car was classed as a compact vehicle, its elevated roof height made the interior feel exceptionally roomy.<\/p>\n The level of interest Corolla received on its debut was phenomenal. No matter which car it was compared to, its innovative features stood out. So much so that whenever one was delivered to its new owner, it drew an admiring crowd. Within three years Corolla became the top-selling vehicle in Japan.<\/p>\n A PEOPLE\u2019S CAR TO BE PROUD OF<\/strong> The Publica was a car that pursued practical utility and economy and focused on a retail price of 360,000 Japanese Yen (the average monthly salary in 1961 was 26,000 Yen). However,\u00a0to achieve this figure meant simplifying the specifications and features which led to stagnant vehicle sales and little support from the general public.<\/p>\n At that time, the purchase of a car was one of the dreams of the general public; and more than being an item of mere utility, they wanted a car to be proud of \u2014 something that portrayed a sense of luxury.<\/p>\n Hasegawa reflected on that period, stating:\u00a0\u201cSince that time, the market has demanded attractive vehicles\u00a0\u2014\u00a0vehicles that don\u2019t seem inferior when compared to others and even\u00a0appear somewhat luxurious. If we consider these types of market needs, the Publica probably looked somewhat cheap.\u201d He soon came to realise that existing components could not hope to meet the increasingly sophisticated demands of this era.<\/p>\n With that in mind, a concept was launched that called for a newly developed vehicle, including the engine and suspension. Full-scale developments started in 1963, though approval for the plan was not easily obtained. The development of a new vehicle required huge expenditure amounting to several billion yen. In addition, Toyota was experiencing rapid growth; each time a new vehicle was developed, equipment investments of several tens of billions of yen were made and new plants were constructed. For that reason alone, failures in new vehicle developments were not allowed, so only a cautious start was approved. At first, this was given for the development of a new engine. Eventually, the new Takaoka Plant was constructed at a cost of 30 billion Yen in order to take on the construction of the Corolla.<\/p>\n ISSUES AND RESOLUTIONS<\/strong><\/p>\n The initial plan established goals for a 1.0-litre engine that had a\u00a0maximum output of 45PS at 5500rpm \u2014 considerable challenges at the time.\u00a0While it was understood that an overhead cam (OHC) layout was an effective method\u00a0in\u00a0creating a high-performance engine, the\u00a0team lacked experience in this area and abandoned the idea. Instead, an overhead valve (OHV) layout was selected, but by configuring the camshaft in the highest possible position within the cylinder block and shortening the push rod as much as possible, a concept was reached that achieved similar results to that of an OHC layout.<\/p>\n During this development period it was noted that 1.0-litre was swiftly becoming the standard engine displacement for family cars. So in order to ensure that Corolla maintained an air of superiority over its competitors the displacement was hastily expanded to 1.1-litre (1077cc). Interestingly, there was some uneasiness within the company about this additional 100cc because it would pitch the car into a higher tax bracket. However, after the vehicle\u2019s release that concern proved unfounded \u2014 the Corolla and its brand new 1.1-litre \u2018K\u2019 engine was well accepted by customers. Indeed, K-series units went on to support Corolla models for the next 20 years.<\/p>\n With Hasegawa\u2019s plan calling for numerous new developments and technologies, there were many opposing voices within the workforce, which brewed some trouble. One particular point of concern was in the positioning of the MacPherson strut front suspension. As this was the first application of this lightweight setup in a Japanese vehicle, the team had no points of reference from which to develop its own configuration.<\/p>\n To give an indication of how difficult new developments were, one prototype vehicle was only able to travel 500 metres before the suspension failed \u2014 a fact that proved difficult for Hasegawa to stomach, as he had the responsibility of encouraging the engineers. Nevertheless, prototypes were improved and tests were repeated time and time again. Two-and-a-half years later, the team had the setup perfected, and it continues to serve as the standard suspension configuration for many vehicles today. Meanwhile, at the rear end, a semi-floating type suspension was adopted that reduced the inherent squeaking noise that comes from leaf springs.<\/p>\n THINKING GLOBAL FROM THE OUTSET<\/strong><\/p>\n A year before the vehicle was released, Toyota executives considered a campaign of overseas expansion, including a plan to export Corolla to the United States. According to the Design Plan Policy, a document put together to summarise Corolla\u2019s development concepts, Hasegawa stated: \u201cIn the future, the Corolla will compete both in Japan and overseas with European-made cars in the same class. Superiority of the Corolla over the competition will be ensured through performance and economic efficiency.\u201d Therefore, right from its very early stages, development was focused on export, and it is evident that the team targeted Corolla to open up new markets and be competitive overseas.<\/p>\n TECHNOLOGY BOOSTS SPECIFICATION<\/strong><\/p>\n On its launch the Corolla was only available as a two-door saloon. Soon afterwards, however, a four-door saloon and two-door \u2018van\u2019 (estate) model were added to the line-up for a total of three body styles. In terms of exterior appearance, a fresh image was targeted that was designed to symbolise the arrival of a \u2018new era\u2019 in Japan. For the first time by Toyota a semi-fastback style was adopted, with widespread use of curved surfaces that expressed an active, charming and faintly feminine appeal. In the brochure, Corolla was introduced as having a \u201ccreative design reflecting the simplicity of Japanese values.\u201d Its style was fresh and sporty, and it truly captured the hearts of the general public.<\/p>\n To maintain the vehicle\u2019s radiance, rare and advanced technology was adopted at the body preparation stage, namely a protective electrostatic coating added to the regular electrophoretic coating of the body. Meanwhile, the names of the body colors were based on classic mythology themes, using names of Greek and Roman gods such as Aphrodite White and Zeus Blue in an effort to conjure up images of magnificent dramas and culture.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n
\nThe Corolla Sprinter was introduced as the fastback version in 1968. Development leader Tatsuo Hasegawa devised the concept for the Corolla in the latter half of 1962. Based on his experience with an earlier family called the Publica (1961 to 1978), Hasegawa proposed something entirely new.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n