From Taxi to Best-Selling Sedan: History of the Toyota Corona
Toyota’s history is intriguing as it’s the foundation for whom Toyota is today. The evolution of driving on the roads today reflects the early Toyota models. However, Toyota of Clermont is diving deeper into the Toyota Corona, whose name stands for the ring of pearly light around the sun. It’s since has been discontinued, but it was an integral part of the Toyota lineup.
The Evolution of the Toyota Corona
By going through this model’s seven generations, let’s dive deeper into the different Toyota Corona generations.
The First Generation of Toyota Corona
The first generation Toyota Corona was introduced in the summer of 1957. The taxi industry heavily influenced it. The Corona was the first Toyota passenger car to adopt a monocoque body by using parts of the Clermont Toyota Crown and Toyota Master.
The Second Generation of Toyota Corona
The Toyota Corona endured its second generation model to improve comfort and was called the Tiara, selling with the Crown in 1960. It had a lighter body than the Crown, giving it more advantage. It made its way to the United States as the only sedan sold by Toyota in the United States until the reworked second-generation Crown appeared.
The Third Generation of Toyota Corona
Corona reclaimed its label Corona after previously adopting the name Tiara. The third generation Corona was released in the fall of 1964 with many changes. Toyota hit the nail on these changes, becoming the first model to sell a million units in Japan, becoming the best-selling car within four months of its release. It eventually became Toyota’s first passenger car, widely accepted in overseas markets like the United States.
The Fourth Generation of Toyota Corona
The Fourth generation debuted in 1970 and got a redesign to become a larger version than the previous models. It also added a new automatic transmission. The front grille got a redesign as well from a steel front grille to a plastic grille. You could compare the Toyota Corona to the Toyota Corolla or Toyota Camry in Clermont, Florida.
The Fifth Generation of Toyota Corona
Only three days after the fourth generation Corona, the fifth generation came on the market in August 1973 with three different body styles: a 4-door sedan, a 2-door hardtop, and a 4-door van. This generation of the Toyota Corona focused on safety by providing a body built to absorb the impact of a collision.
The Sixth Generation of Toyota Corona
This Toyota Corona came to the market in 1978 with a brand name change from Toyopet to Toyota. And that wasn’t the only aspect that changed with the newly designed platform. It featured a MacPherson strut, coil spring independent front suspension, and the previous double wishbone system. This model generation also came available with power steering, which is still available on the Clermont Toyota lineup.
The Seventh Generation of the Toyota Corona
The Toyota Corona came about in 1982. It came in three different body types: a 4-door sedan, a 2-door hardtop, and a 4-door van. The Corona became the first Japanese-made production car to carry a 1.8-liter DOHC turbocharged unit.
Looking for your next Toyota? Visit Toyota of Clermont
Call Toyota of Clermont today – we’re open seven days a week at (352) 404-7000 or stop by. We’re conveniently located just off the Florida Turnpike at 16851 State Road 50.