As one of the oldest members of the Japanese automobile industry, Toyota has a lot of history. With some of its current nameplates dating back decades, it might be hard to remember all the lineage that came before, which is why the company recently built a massive, interactive family tree that traces from the 2010s all the way back to its first car, the 1936 Toyoda Model AA sedan. The catalog may not include US-market products, but their JDM equivalents (if any) show up, meaning you may not find a 4Runner in there, but the Hilux Surf makes a proud appearance.
The Beauty Is In The Details
Spanning the 75-plus years between 1935 and 2012, the family tree covers some of Toyota's most impressive eras. The early stuff is fascinating to us Americans, who never received the likes of the Model AA, the G1 truck, or the DA bus. Satisfying our relative lack of familiarity with those products is a timeline that includes distinct entries for each generation of vehicle, including its variants and derivatives, and some even feature the product's original brochure and specifications – better find a good translator or brush up on your Japanese.
Getting into the 1950s reveals some products that Americans may be more familiar with, including the Toyopet Crown and FJ40 Land Cruiser, which were the first Toyota products sold here. The off-roader lineage in particular has a few interesting entries, including the first generation that was actually called the Toyota Jeep BJ; the next-generation FJ20 was formally renamed the Land Cruiser. As with the early products, each entry includes comprehensive technological information and original brochures.
Only JDM Fans Need Apply Here
Unsurprisingly given the company's massive global footprint, the timeline only seems to include cars that were available in Toyota's home market of Japan. There's some crossover between the company's domestic products and those seen in other regions – the aforementioned 4Runner and Hilux Surf twins come to mind – so don't abandon hope if you're looking for information on your favorite late-model Toyota. But US-specific vehicles like the Tundra and Sequoia are nowhere to be found.
What you will encounter is rather comprehensive information on the Lexus products sold in Japan. For example, the mighty LFA supercar makes an appearance, as does the "first-generation" LS 460, a discrepancy borne of the fact that the Lexus brand wasn't offered in Japan until 2006.
Source: Toyota
Read the full article on CarBuzz
This article originally appeared on CarBuzz and is republished here with permission.
