21/08/2008 06:49. This past year marked a golden milestone in Toyota's history as the company celebrated 50 years of doing business in North America. They've come a long way since the first Toyopet Crown sedan reached American roads in 1957. Toyota opened for business in America on October 31, 1957, in Southern California, and started selling cars the following summer. By the end of 1958, it had sold just 287 Toyopet Crown sedans and one Land Cruiser-a far cry from 2006 sales of more than 2.5 million cars and trucks.

Since 1957, Toyota has invested more than $15.5 billion in its U.S. operations, and has produced nearly 14 million vehicles in the U.S. In addition, Toyota affiliates and dealers directly employ more than 34,600 people in the U.S. To help Toyota celebrate its 50th anniversary in America, the... // Lowrider Magazine