Toyota almost didn't make it, but its first car saved it from obscurity

This is the Toyota AA and it was first built in 1936.

Even though WWII almost forced domestic vehicle production into extinction in Japan, this car changed Toyota from a simple, almost feudal manufacturing company into one of the world’s largest automakers.

The AA was brave proposition in an economy that couldn't afford it.

To remove it further from today’s Toyota cars, it wasn’t even badged ‘Toyota’ – The AA was badged ‘Toyoda’ which was the original name of the Japanese family that founded Toyota as a loom and textile company.

Check out the original set of badges and logos, they were arguably more exciting than today’s slick, sanitized triple-ring badge.

Toyoda's original crest incorporated the Kanji for the family name.

The AA wasn’t strictly a one hundred per-cent Toyota creation… It was a mix of bits and bobs from other, established marques. The 3.3-litre inline six was a straight-copy of a Chevrolet block, the chassis and auxiliary components were lifted from Ford and the bodywork was based on a rip-off of the Chrysler DeSoto Airflow.

The Chrysler/DeSoto Airflow... looks familiar...

Over its seven-year production run a grand total of 1404 sedans were made. Most of them were purchased by taxi operators and the Japanese government. These relatively low sales figures, when compared to Fords and Chryslers of the time were attributed to Japan’s underdeveloped economy. During the war years, most of the few that were built ended up destroyed or melted down and given to Mitsubishi.

To express exactly how underdeveloped Japan’s economy was in the 1930s, the AA’s horn had to be redesigned as to not spook horses, which were still the primary means of transport. The horses couldn’t handle the ‘toot’ sound of a car horn, so the horn was changed to sound more like a street-vendor… apparently the tone was, and I’m not joking, “To-Fu”.

A year before AA was released, a truck was developed, the G1.

The G1 truck was kind of a dud... but eventually saved Toyota from bankruptcy.

I’d say it was Toyota’s first ute, and the ancestor of the LandCruiser, but despite sharing most of its mechanicals with the AA, the thing was over six meters long – easily into the commercial range – and may as well have been a prototype.

Apparently the G1 was so rudimentary it was sold with boxes of spare parts due to constant failure. Only 379 were built, but once Toyota had learned lessons from the G1 and AA several updates were released.

While the AA had almost gone into extinction, the now-named GB truck surged from only a few hundred to 11,981 units in 1939. Seems almost fitting that the ancestor to the Toyota truck had its beginnings forged by war.

After the war, Toyota took a (non-voluntary) two-year break from production and released a car that would eventually become the Toyota Crown and of course, its western-market spin-off, the Camry. The Toyopet SA.

Toyota basically started over after the war with the Toyopet SA. It was all-new and locally designed.

As for the AA, it was thought for some time that any remaining examples of the original 1404 cars had simply died out, but one was miraculously found in Siberia of all places.

This is one of only 100 1936 Toyota AAs. Found in Siberia!

Some old Russian codger held onto it for decades on a farm. It was in terrible condition, and had GAZ truck running-gear underneath, but was recovered and to this day is displayed in the Louwman Museum in the Netherlands.

As a 1936 model it is the oldest and most rare Toyota on earth, the museum has not restored it.

What do you think of Toyota's first two vehicles - dead ends, or a strong foundation? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below.