Activities by Region

Europe

Full-scale exports to Europe, a region with many illustrious and influential automakers, began in the 1960s. High-quality and high fuel efficiency vehicles were gradually accepted by customers in this market, a core market for compact cars, and sales steadily increased, particularly in northern Europe where there were few barriers to imports.

Local production began on a significant scale in the 1990s. In the 2000s, Toyota expanded business in Russia and Eastern Europe and established a solid foothold for expanding its European business. In 2010, cumulative European sales reached 20 million units.

Germany

Year
Month
Events
1970
September
Distributor agreement signed with Deutsche Toyota-Vertrieb (DTV)
1974
November
DTV placed under direct control of TMC
1976
August
DTV renamed Toyota Deutschland GmbH (TDG)
1979
May
TDG completes new head office building
1986
January
Regional offices established in Hamburg, Cologne, and Munich
1987
June
Hilux joint production memorandum concluded with VW
1989
January
Hilux production commenced at VW Hanover Plant
1997
February
Hilux production by VW discontinued
2008
April
Toyota exhibits at Hanover Messe in Germany
September
TME Berlin Office opened
2011
December
Alliance with BMW announced (diesel engine procurement, environmental technology tie-up)

United Kingdom

Year
Month
Events
1965
August
Distributor agreement signed with Motor Imports (MI)
1968
January
MI's automotive division spun off to establish Toyota GB
1975
December
First Japan-U.K. automotive conference held; Self-imposed passenger car export limits implemented
1977
April
London Representative Office opened (closed May 1979)
1978
March
Toyota GB placed under umbrella of Inchcape (an international trading company based in the U.K.)
1980
December
Toyota GB completes new head office building
1983
August
Equity stake in Lotus acquired (holdings transferred to GM in April 1986)
1985
June
London Office opened
1989
April
Decision made to construct TMUK vehicle plant in Burnaston
July
Decision made to construct TMUK engine plant in Deeside
December
TMUK established
1990
March
Equity stake in Toyota GB acquired (5% stake)
1992
December
Carina E production commenced at TMUK (line-off ceremony conducted at vehicle plant)
1993
June
Ceremony held to mark opening of TMUK vehicle plant
July
Equity stake in Toyota GB increased to 25%
1998
January
Equity stake in Toyota GB increased to 51%
September
Corolla Liftback production commenced by TMUK
2000
September
Toyota GB made a wholly-owned subsidiary of TMC
2006
March
Ceremony held to mark opening of Europe Global Production Centre (E-GPC) in TMUK
2010
June
Auris Hybrid production commenced by TMUK

France

Year
Month
Events
1966
December
Distributor agreement signed with Louis Blanc Automobiles (cancelled September 1970)
1967
January
`Corona' `Crown' introduced
1971
February
Distributor agreement signed with S.I.D.A.T of France
1974
February
Paris Representative Office opened
1977
July
Passenger car export administrative guidance implemented (less than 3% of the market)
1978
January
S.I.D.A.T placed under umbrella of Emil Frey of Switzerland
1993
July
Equity stake in S.I.D.A.T acquired (35% stake)
1997
December
Establishment of TMMF announced
1998
October
TMMF established
October
Le Rendez-Vous, a showroom operated directly by TMME, opened in Paris
November
ED2 new design center opened in Nice
1999
December
TFR made a wholly-owned subsidiary of TMC
2000
February
ED2 operations commenced
2001
January
TMMF line-off ceremony held
2010
April
PHV introduced and large-scale trials started in Strasbourg
2011
October
Toyota announces intention to compete again in 24 Hours of Le Mans

Portugal

Year
Month
Events
1968
October
CKD export agreement signed with Salvador Caetano ("Caetano")
November
Corolla assembly commenced
1969
July
Lisbon Representative Office opened (closed in 1970)
1971
March
Operations commenced at Caetano assembly plant
1972
March
Equity stake in Caetano acquired (27% stake)
1980
October
Hiace assembly commenced
1984
May
Porto Representative Office opened
1986
April
Export of the Land Cruiser with VM Motor-manufactured engines to Italy commenced
2002
December
Export of the Dyna by Caetano commenced
2011
October
Ceremony held for 40th anniversary of Ovar Plant establishment; Ceremony held to celebrate 100,000 Dyna units (attended by Portuguese Prime Minister)

Italy

Year
Month
Events
1970
January
Distributor agreement signed with Toyota Italiana
1990

Toyota Motor Italia (TMI) established (100% stake)
1993
March
Distributor agreement with Toyota Italiana terminated

Spain

Year
Month
Events
1983
March
Distributor agreement signed with Nipauto of Spain
1992
October
Toyota Espana (TSE) established (35% stake)
2002
September
Toyota Espana (TSE) made a wholly-owned subsidiary of TMC

Northern Europe

Year
Month
Events
1962
December
Crown vehicle exported to Denmark as ample
1963
May
Distributor agreement signed with Erla Auto Import of Denmark
1964
August
Copenhagen Representative Office opened (closed in 1969)
September
Distributor agreement signed with Korpivaara of Finland
1969
March
Distributor agreement signed with Salen & Bikander of Sweden
1973
April
Distributor agreement signed with F. E. Dahl & Co. A/S of Norway
November
Salen & Bikander spins off its automobile division to establish Toyota Auto Import
1979
May
Korpivaara completes new head office building
1985
July
First Northern Europe Strategy Conference held in Norway
1991
December
Toyota Norge established (40% stake)
1993
July
Toyota Estonia established (owned 60% by Korpivaara and 40% by Sumitomo Corporation)
1994
May
Toyota Sweden established (100% stake)
1995
August
Toyota Auto Finland established (100% stake)
1997
August
Toyota Estonia name changed to Toyota Baltic
1999
July
Toyota Danmark established (100% stake)
2003
March
Toyota Baltic made a wholly-owned subsidiary of TFO
April
Toyota Nordic established (100% stake)
2004
July
Toyota Norge made a wholly-owned subsidiary of TMC

Eastern Europe

Year
Month
Events
1979
December
Single order for 264 Corolla units received from Poland Automobile Public Corporation
1990
December
Toyota Motor Poland established (wholly-owned by Nissho Iwai)
1991
February
Toyota Motor Hungary established (50% stake)
1993
April
Equity stake in Toyota Motor Poland acquired (50% stake)
November
Toyota Motor Czech established (60% stake)
1998
October
TOYOTA ADRIA established in the former Yugoslavia (wholly-owned by Toyota Tsusho Corporation)
1999
September
TMMP established in Poland
October
Agreement reached with PSA senior executives on investigation of B-Zero project
2000
April
Proposal for the B-Zero project's basic framework made by PSA
May
Toyota Balkans established (wholly-owned by Toyota Hellas)
October
Memorandum concluded for a feasibility study of the B-Zero project
November
Toyota Motor Poland made into a wholly-owned subsidiary
2001
July
Memorandum concerning B-Zero joint venture and agreement on joint development signed
July
000"TOYOTA MOTOR" (TMR) established (owned 70% by TMC and 30% by Toyota Tsusho Corporation)
December
B-Zero project site selected
2002
January
Joint venture agreement for joint production of compact passenger car signed with PSA
March
TPCA, a joint venture company with PSA, established in Czech Republic
April
Production commenced at TMMP
October
TMIP established in Poland
2004
July
Toyota Ukraine established (wholly-owned by Sumitomo Corporation)
December
Russia project site selected
2005
March
Joint press conference held for B-Zero project
March
Production commenced at TMIP
April
Toyota Motor Czech made a wholly-owned subsidiary
May
Ceremony held to mark opening of TPCA
May
TMMR established in Russia
June
TMMR groundbreaking ceremony held
July
TMR made a wholly-owned subsidiary
2007
December
Line-off ceremony conducted at TMMR
December
Toyota Romania established (wholly-owned by Inchcape)
2008
November
Ceremony held to mark opening of new TMR offices
2011
March
SKD production plan with Sollers-Bussan (Russian Far East) announced

Central Europe

Year
Month
Events
1964
May
Distributor agreement signed with Louwman & Parqui of the Netherlands
1966
January
Distributor agreement signed with International Motor of Belgium
October
Distributor agreement signed with Toyota AG of Switzerland
1969
April
Brussels Representative Office (Toyota Motor Sales Co., Ltd.) opened
1970
September
Distributor agreement signed with Toyota Frey Austria
1979
July
International Motor placed under umbrella of Inchcape of the U.K.
1987
September
Europe Toyota Technical Center established in Brussels
1989
June
TMSE established in Brussels as pan-European sales affiliate
September
Ceremony held to mark opening of Toyota Europe Office of Creation (Toyota EPOC)
1990
October
TMME established through merger of ERO and TMSE
October
Ceremony held to mark opening of Toyota Motor Marketing Europe NV/SA (TMME) Service Training Center
1993
June
Ceremony held to mark opening of Toyota Parts Centre Europe (TPCE) in Diest, Belgium
September
TMME new head office building completed
1995
July
Ceremony held in Brussels to mark opening of TMME's Toyota Accessory and Service Centre (TASC)
1998
October
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing Europe NV/SA (TMEM) established in Brussels for the purpose of coordinating European manufacturing activities
1999
January
Shift of operations to TMME completed
November
First expansion of TPCE completed
2002
April
Toyota Motor Europe S.A./N.V. (TME) established as European holding company
2003
April
TMC's investment in 12 NMSC companies transferred to TMME
2005
October
New TME established through merger of TMME, TMEM, and TME
2006
January
TME Technical Center expanded
2007
March
Second expansion of TPCE completed
May
TME visited by Belgian King
2008
September
Expansion of TME Technical Center announced
2011
July
Organization restructured with localization of operations by region; Europe Division reorganized into TME-Japan; TME President Didier Leroy appointed Chief Officer of Europe Operations Group

Southern Europe

Year
Month
Events
1965
August
Distributor agreement signed with Cashitopolus of Greece (cancelled in August 1986; contract transferred to Toyota Hellas in January 1987)
1983
August
Athens Representative Office opened
1984
August
Distributor agreement signed with Tokusan of Turkey
1990
July
Toyotasa established in Turkey (40% stake)
December
Sales of CBUs by Toyotasa commenced
1994
September
Corolla production by Toyotasa commenced
2000
October
Toyotasa divided into manufacturing and sales companies; Manufacturing and export company, Toyota Sabanci Motor Manufacturing Turkey Inc (TMMT), established
2001
October
Production and export company name changed to Toyota Motor Manufacturing Turkey Inc. (now TMMT) with acquisition of shares held by Sabanci Holding
2002
January
Corolla Sedan exports by TMMT commenced
2009
September
Toyotasa shares held by Sabanci Holdings sold to ALJ

Other

Year
Month
Events
1967
April
Corolla introduced in the European market
1973
January
Hiace introduced in the European market
February
Corolla assembly commenced in Ireland (assembly terminated in December 1983)
1976
March
First Europe Product Deployment Meeting held
September
First Europe Strategy Conference held in Copenhagen
1978
February
Starlet introduced in European market
1979
February
Introduction of Tercel to European market announced at Geneva Motor Show
1980
August
First Pan-European sales contest held
1982
November
First Pan-European Dealer Meeting hosted by Toyota held in Monaco; Camry introduction in European market announced
1985
March
First Pan-European Marketing Conference held in Geneva
April
Pan-European special spec vehicles introduced
1990
May
Lexus introduced
1997
May
First European Conference held
1998
January
Carina E renamed Avensis
December
Toyota captures title as No. 1 Japanese automobile in Europe
1999
January
Competition in Formula One racing announced
March
First Pan-European Dealer Meeting hosted by TMME held in Barcelona
April
Yaris introduced in European market
2000
January
Yaris wins 2000 European Car of the Year Award
September
Prius introduced in European market
2001
November
Second Pan-European Dealer Meeting held in Lisbon
2002
March
Toyota competes in Formula One racing
2005
January
Prius wins 2005 European Car of the Year Award
January
Formal application for European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA) membership submitted by TME
February
Third Pan-European Dealer Meeting held in Barcelona
October
IMV manufactured in South Africa introduced
2006
November
First European Social Event held in London
2007
June
TME membership approved by the General Assembly of the ACEA
December
Sales set new record for 11th consecutive year
2008
January
TME joins ACEA
May
Fourth Pan-European Dealer Meeting held in London
2009
January
TMC's Europe & Africa Operations Group reorganized
June
TMC overseas divisions reorganized and new Europe Operations Group created
November
Withdrawal from Formula One announced
2010
March
First meeting of the Special Committee for Global Quality held by TMC
2011
 
Supply shortages occur due to effects of Great East Japan Earthquake and slumping sales continue

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