Central Motor Co., Ltd. was a Japanese manufacturer of cars within the
Toyota Group. It was founded on 4 September 1950 by Ryuichi Tomiya. The company operated five plants, all located in Japan. It was one of the biggest export vehicle manufacturers of the concern. In July 2012 it was merged with two other Toyota subsidiaries operating in Tohoku to form
Toyota Motor East Japan
Toyota Motor East Japan is a manufacturing subsidiary of the Toyota group based in Japan. It was founded in July 2012 by the merger of Central Motors, Kanto Auto Works and Toyota Motors Tohoku.
History
Following the Tōhoku earthquake, the P ...
.
History
Central Motors was the operational successor of (
Kamata, Tokyo
is a district of Ōta, Tokyo, Japan. Features include the Kamata Station, Kamata High School, and the headquarters of Toyoko Inn.
History
The name "Kamata" has been used to refer to the area since at least the 900s AD. Historically, the a ...
). In 1950, employees of the Kamata Plant were made redundant after it was closed down by Toyota. They founded Central Motors that year and began producing
light commercial vehicle
A light commercial vehicle (LCV) in the European Union, Australia and New Zealand is a commercial carrier vehicle with a gross vehicle weight of no more than 3.5 metric tons (tonnes). The LCV designation is also occasionally used in both Canad ...
s for Toyota in 1956. In 1959, Toyota acquired the company and moved the production from Kamata to
Sagamihara
is a city in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. , the city has an estimated population of 723,470, with 334,812 households, and a population density of 1,220 persons per km2. The total area of the city is . Sagamihara is the third-most-populous city ...
which would later also become the headquarters base.
The company opened various facilities for auto parts production. A new assembly plant and headquarters were built in
Ohira, Miyagi. The new facility started production in January 2011 and the Sagamihara plant was closed later that year.
On 1 July 2012, three Toyota subcontractors (Central Motors,
Toyota Motors Tohoku
Toyota Motors Tohoku was an auto parts manufacturing subcontractor under the Toyota Group. The company was created in July 1997 in Taiwa, Miyagi, Japan.
On July 1, 2012, three Toyota subcontractors Central Motors
Central Motor Co., Ltd. was a ...
and
Kanto Auto Works) were combined into a single company, with all their manufacturing facilities and assets renamed as
Toyota Motor East Japan
Toyota Motor East Japan is a manufacturing subsidiary of the Toyota group based in Japan. It was founded in July 2012 by the merger of Central Motors, Kanto Auto Works and Toyota Motors Tohoku.
History
Following the Tōhoku earthquake, the P ...
, Inc.
After the merger of the three former companies, the corporate headquarters was established at the former Central Motors site in Miyagi.
There were just over 1,500 employees at the Central Motors location.
Operations
At closing, Central Motors operated the following facilities:
*Ohira, Miyagi (headquarters)
*Ohira, Miyagi (car assembly plant)
*
Wakayanagi, Miyagi (auto parts plant)
Central Motors mainly manufactured vehicles meant for export to Europe or North America. Special vehicles such as police, fire department vehicles as well as campers were produced by the company. Production also included
CKD kits
A knock-down kit (also knockdown kit, knocked-down kit, or simply knockdown or KD) is a collection of parts required to assemble a product. The parts are typically manufactured in one country or region, then exported to another country or region ...
of the
Toyota Tundra
The Toyota Tundra is a pickup truck manufactured in the United States by the Japanese manufacturer Toyota since May 1999. The Tundra was the second full-size pickup to be built by a Japanese manufacturer (the first was the Toyota T100), but th ...
.
Model gallery
File:1956 Toyota Toyoace 01.jpg, Toyopet Toyoace SKB
1956–1959
File:1956 Toyopet Masterline-Van 01.jpg, Toyopet Masterline
1957–1961
File:Toyota Publica Convertible.jpg, Toyopet Publica Convertible
1963–1968
File:Toyota Corona Pickup RT40.jpg, Toyopet Corona Pickup
(1964 bis 1968)
File:T40Coronavan.jpg, Toyopet Corona Van
1965–1970
File:1977 Toyota Corona (RT118) station wagon (2015-11-11) 01.jpg, Toyopet Corona Van
1973–1978
File:Toyota Crown S80 002.JPG, Toyopet Crown Station Wagon
1974–1979
File:Toyota Carina Bj ca 1971 photo 2008 Castle Hedingham.JPG, Toyota Carina
The is an automobile which was manufactured by Toyota from December 1970 to December 2001. It was introduced as a sedan counterpart of the Celica, with which it originally shared a platform. Later, it was realigned to the Corona platform, but r ...
1975–1977
File:1978Carina.jpg, Toyota Carina
The is an automobile which was manufactured by Toyota from December 1970 to December 2001. It was introduced as a sedan counterpart of the Celica, with which it originally shared a platform. Later, it was realigned to the Corona platform, but r ...
1977–1981
File:1981 Toyota Corona (XT130) SE sedan (2016-01-04) 01.jpg, Toyota Corona Sedan
1978–1981
File:1979 Toyota Corona (XT130) SE station wagon (2015-06-15) 01.jpg, Toyota Corona Van
(1978–1982)
File:6th generation Toyota Crown Wagon.jpg, Toyota Crown Station Wagon
1979–1983
File:Toyota carina a60.jpg, Toyota Carina
The is an automobile which was manufactured by Toyota from December 1970 to December 2001. It was introduced as a sedan counterpart of the Celica, with which it originally shared a platform. Later, it was realigned to the Corona platform, but r ...
1981–1987
File:1985 Toyota Corona (ST141) S station wagon (2009-01-16).jpg, Toyota Corona Van
1982–1987
File:Toyota MR2 1587cc first registered January 1990.JPG, Toyota MR2
The Toyota MR2 is a line of two-seat, mid-engined, rear-wheel-drive sports cars manufactured in Japan and marketed globally by Toyota from 1984 until 2007 over three generations: W10 (1984–1989), W20 (1989–1999) and W30 (2000–2007). It ...
1984–1989
File:Toyota MR2 (SW20) ca 1995 at Snetterton 2008.JPG, Toyota MR2
The Toyota MR2 is a line of two-seat, mid-engined, rear-wheel-drive sports cars manufactured in Japan and marketed globally by Toyota from 1984 until 2007 over three generations: W10 (1984–1989), W20 (1989–1999) and W30 (2000–2007). It ...
1989–1999
File:Toyota_Sera.JPG, Toyota Sera
1990–1995
File:1992 Toyota Caldina 01.jpg, Toyota Caldina
1993–1997
File:Toyota Caldina van.jpg, Toyota Caldina Van
1993–2002
File:Toyota Hiace Wagon 011.JPG, Toyota Hiace
1993–1996
File:Toyota Hiace Wagon 006.JPG, Toyota Hiace
1996–2000
File:Z10 Toyota Raum 1.jpg, Toyota Raum
The Toyota Raum is 5-seater mini MPV that first appeared in May 1997. The second generation was released in May 2003. It was sold only in Japan at '' Toyota Netz'' retail sales channels.
The vehicle's name is German for chamber, berth, room, s ...
1997–2003
File:2002 Toyota MR2 (ZZW30R) Spyder convertible (2015-08-07) 01.jpg, Toyota MR-S
The Toyota MR2 is a line of two-seat, mid-engined, rear-wheel-drive sports cars manufactured in Japan and marketed globally by Toyota from 1984 until 2007 over three generations: W10 (1984–1989), W20 (1989–1999) and W30 (2000–2007). It is ...
1999–2007
File:Toyota WiLL Vi.jpg, WiLL Vi
2000–2001
File:Toyota Willvs.jpg, WiLL VS
Will may refer to:
Common meanings
* Will and testament, instructions for the disposition of one's property after death
* Will (philosophy), or willpower
* Will (sociology)
* Will, volition (psychology)
* Will, a modal verb - see Shall and will
...
2001–2004
File:2004-2006 Toyota Allex.jpg, Toyota Allex
The Toyota Corolla (E120/E130) is the ninth generation of compact cars sold by Toyota under the Corolla nameplate. In Japan, this series arrived to the market in August 2000; however, exports were typically not achieved until 2001 and 2002 depe ...
2001–2007
File:2001-2002 Toyota Corolla Runx.jpg, Toyota Corolla RunX
The Toyota Corolla (E120/E130) is the ninth generation of compact cars sold by Toyota under the Corolla nameplate. In Japan, this series arrived to the market in August 2000; however, exports were typically not achieved until 2001 and 2002 depe ...
2001–2007
File:WiLL Cypha 003.JPG, WiLL Cypha
2002–2005
File:Z20 Toyota Raum 1.jpg, Toyota Raum
The Toyota Raum is 5-seater mini MPV that first appeared in May 1997. The second generation was released in May 2003. It was sold only in Japan at '' Toyota Netz'' retail sales channels.
The vehicle's name is German for chamber, berth, room, s ...
since 2003
File:2000 Toyota bB 01.jpg, Toyota bB
2004–2005
File:2008 Toyota bB 01.jpg, Toyota bB
2005–2007
File:2007-2010 Toyota Corolla (ZRE152R) Ascent sedan (2011-04-02).jpg, Toyota Corolla
The is a series of compact cars (formerly subcompact) manufactured and marketed globally by the Toyota Motor Corporation. Introduced in 1966, the Corolla was the best-selling car worldwide by 1974 and has been one of the best-selling cars in ...
2006–2013
File:2006 Toyota Corolla-Axio 02.jpg, Toyota Corolla Axio
The is a series of compact cars (formerly subcompact) manufactured and marketed globally by the Toyota Motor Corporation. Introduced in 1966, the Corolla was the best-selling car worldwide by 1974 and has been one of the best-selling cars in ...
2006–2012
File:2008 Toyota Belta 01.jpg, Toyota Belta
2007–2012
File:2013 Toyota Corolla-Axio-Hybrid 01.jpg, Toyota Corolla Axio
The is a series of compact cars (formerly subcompact) manufactured and marketed globally by the Toyota Motor Corporation. Introduced in 1966, the Corolla was the best-selling car worldwide by 1974 and has been one of the best-selling cars in ...
since 2012
Additional models that have no pictures yet:
*
Toyota Dyna (1957–1959)
*Toyopet Type FS Ambulance (1961–1968)
*
Toyopet Corona Mark II PickUp (1968–1971)
*
Toyopet Crown Station Wagon (1973–1974)
*
Toyopet Corona Van (1970–1973)
*
Toyota Carina Surf (1982–1987)
*
Toyota Tundra
The Toyota Tundra is a pickup truck manufactured in the United States by the Japanese manufacturer Toyota since May 1999. The Tundra was the second full-size pickup to be built by a Japanese manufacturer (the first was the Toyota T100), but th ...
(CKD kits only)
Notes
References
External links
*
{{Japan Toyota subcontracting assembly
Car manufacturers of Japan
Toyota subsidiaries
Companies based in Miyagi Prefecture
Vehicle manufacturing companies established in 1950
Japanese companies established in 1950
Ōhira, Miyagi