The Toyopet
"There was no guarantee you'd get to the top of the hill, but if you wanted to increase your chances, it was better to do it in reverse." - Dr. Steven Spear.
The First Japanese Car in America, the Toyopet
Toyota sent a delegation to the USA in 1957 to examine sales opportunities there. With the introduction of Toyopet to the United States, the Crown model was introduced. It was also known as the small crown Cadillac. Some export markets called them the Crown, while Japan called them Masterline. Toyopet Crown models were taken to the U.S. by three specialists. Toyota dealers and media representatives were presented with a white and black Crown and Crown Deluxe. In addition to using 50% thicker steel, both cars featured a lot of chrome and luxurious elements like radio, heater, and whitewall tires. It also included touches such as a door-open warning light and spring-loaded passenger-assistance handles. Like in a Ford Model T, the Crown could be started with a hand crank if its battery failed.
The Toyota delegation arrived in California before the first two Crown models. The press dubbed them "baby Cadillacs." Advertisements for the Crown describe it as "the first car from the Orient to reach America." These cars were equipped with left-hand drive and headlights following U.S. regulations. A former Rambler dealership (American Motors Corporation) in Hollywood was converted into Toyota Motor Sales. Toyota lost approximately US 1.42 million from selling just over 200 of these models in the United States.
Naming the Toyopet
The Toyopet name first appeared in 1947 after World War II. In 1947, Toyota released the S.A., an automobile with two letters. Toyota engineers studied 16-cylinder Auto Union racing cars, Porsche and Volkswagen designs, and production principles during their visit to Germany before the Second World War. Toyota did not adopt British or U.S. automotive production principles at first. The S.A. wound up with many German features.
Toyota wanted to find a better name than S.A., so it held a competition. From the long list of choices, the Japanese seem to prefer Toyopet - also known as Toyopetto in the Japanese press. It was also appropriate for Toyopet to highlight the car's compact size. The vehicle was nothing like a tiny vehicle compared to other Japanese models. Yet, its dimensions were still considered small in Europe and the United States.
The Globalization of Toyota
Toyota began to recognize the need to expand its passenger car business outside of Japan in the early 1950s. The vast U.S. market was identified as a specific growth area as returning armed forces members started families in the suburbs and needed smaller second cars to get around. Nearly 100,000 compact cars were traveling the roads of the United States by 1955. Sales of these vehicles doubled every year, and virtually all of them were European models. The market potential was obvious, as was the upward trajectory of sales.
Why was Toyota's first U.S. car such a failure?
"It was basically a Japanese taxicab that was too slow and too heavy for American roads."
Japanese cars were initially considered a joke outside Japan because they were not optimized for the U.S. and Europe and partly because of racism. Toyota had hoped that California would be the best place to introduce the Crown. However, they encountered several problems. In fact, Toyota employees were the first to realize that the Crown wasn't suited for the U.S. market. James McGraw, the recently appointed Toyota sales administrator, was not impressed: "This thing is underpowered, overpriced, and it won't sell." McGraw also noted that the Crown was explicitly designed for Japan's poor roads. It struggled on America's smooth, well-paved roads. As the car reached 60mph, a rare speed in Japan, it shook so much the driver couldn't see out of the rearview mirror.
Other issues became apparent that the original development team could not have anticipated. In English, Toyopet was divisive because it contained the nouns 'toy' and 'pet,' which were viewed as unsuitable for a vehicle in a sophisticated market. Another complaint from the market was that the cars were too heavy, too loud, too slow, and their brakes were too low. Toyopet's Americanization was so bad that the Crown couldn't be taken to a classic California drive-in restaurant. When the drive-in restaurant serving staff hung the tray on the steering wheel, it pushed the bezel and activated the horn.
A Japanese Success Story: Toyopet Crown
Toyota's lack of marketing expertise in the United States, combined with the Toyopet Crown's $2,187 price, doomed the car. It cost around $700 more than British, French, and German imports but about the same as the first U.S. compact cars. Furthermore, the 0-60 time of 26 seconds added to its poor performance. The Crown actually got 24 to 34 miles per gallon, but this was long before gas mileage became an issue in the United States.
In 1960, Toyota decided not to export the Crown to the United States until it could develop a better vehicle. Toyota Crown paved the way for many highly successful sedans in the U.S., including Corona, Camry, and Corolla. Despite not being as popular as anticipated and never returning to the American market, the Crown remains very popular in Japan. In its 14th generation, it is the longest-running Toyota passenger car.
Toyota returned to the U.S. passenger car market in June 1965 with the Corona, which was an instant hit. With its uncanny ability to embrace failure, Toyota had learned how to focus on and succeed in the U.S. market.
Resources:
75 Years of Toyota - Item 5. Toyota's Entry into the United States
