Central Motors
{{Short description|Car manufacturer}}
{{see also|List of Toyota manufacturing facilities#Japan}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2023}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Central Motor Co., Ltd.
| native_name = セントラル自動車株式会社
| logo =
| type = Limited company
| foundation = 4 September 1950
| defunct = 1 July 2012
| predecessor = Toyota's Kamata Plant business
| successor = Toyota Motor East Japan
| founder = Ryuichi Tomiya
| parent = Toyota Motor Corporation
| location_city = Ōhira, Miyagi
| location_country = Japan
| area_served = worldwide
| key_people =
| industry = Automotive industry
| products = Automobiles
| revenue = {{currency|728 billion|JPY}} (March 2009)
| url =
| operating_income =
| net_income =
| num_employees =
| subsid =
| divisions =
| homepage = {{URL|www.toyota-ej.co.jp/english}}
}}
Central Motor Co., Ltd.{{efn|In Japanese: {{nihongo|セントラル自動車株式会社|Sentoraru jidōsha kabushiki-gaisha}}}} 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.{{cn|date=July 2018}} In July 2012 it was merged with two other Toyota subsidiaries operating in Tohoku to form Toyota Motor East Japan.
History
Central Motors was the operational successor of {{Nihongo|Toyota's Kamata Plant|トヨタ自動車蒲田工場|Toyota Jidōsha Kamata kōjō|link=off}} (Kamata, Tokyo). 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 vehicles for Toyota in 1956. In 1959, Toyota acquired the company and moved the production from Kamata to Sagamihara which would later also become the headquarters base.{{cite book |last=Burton |first=Nigel |title=Toyota MR2: The Complete Story |publisher=Crowood |chapter=The start of something |year=2015 |isbn=9781847979322 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JiPHCQAAQBAJ&pg=PT92|page=92}} 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.{{cite web |url=http://www.toyota-ej.co.jp/english/company/history.html |title=History of Central Motor |publisher=Toyota Motor East Japan |location=Japan |access-date=2018-07-04}}
On 1 July 2012, three Toyota subcontractors (Central Motors, Toyota Motors Tohoku and Kanto Auto Works) were combined into a single company, with all their manufacturing facilities and assets renamed as Toyota Motor East Japan, Inc.{{cite web |url=http://www.toyota-ej.co.jp/english/company/history.html |title=History |publisher=Toyota Motor East Japan Inc. |location=Japan |access-date=2013-05-26}}{{cite web |url=http://www.toyota-global.com/company/history_of_toyota/75years/data/automotive_business/production/production/japan/general_status/toyota_motor_east_japan.html |title=Affiliates (Toyota {{sic|hide=y|wholly|-}}owned subsidiaries)-Toyota Motor East Japan, Inc. |publisher=Toyota |location=Japan |access-date=2013-05-26}}
After the merger of the three former companies, the corporate headquarters was established at the former Central Motors site in Miyagi.{{cite web |url=http://www.toyota-ej.co.jp/english/company/profile.html |title=Corporate Profile |publisher=Toyota Motor East Japan Inc. |location=Japan |access-date=2013-05-26}} 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 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 of the Toyota Tundra.
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
1975–1977
File:1978Carina.jpg|Toyota Carina
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
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
1984–1989
File:Toyota MR2 (SW20) ca 1995 at Snetterton 2008.JPG|Toyota MR2
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
1997–2003
File:2002 Toyota MR2 (ZZW30R) Spyder convertible (2015-08-07) 01.jpg|Toyota MR-S
1999–2007
File:Toyota WiLL Vi.jpg|WiLL Vi
2000–2001
File:Toyota Willvs.jpg|WiLL VS
2001–2004
File:2004-2006 Toyota Allex.jpg|Toyota Allex
2001–2007
File:2001-2002 Toyota Corolla Runx.jpg|Toyota Corolla RunX
2001–2007
File:WiLL Cypha 003.JPG|WiLL Cypha
2002–2005
File:Z20 Toyota Raum 1.jpg|Toyota Raum
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
2006–2013
File:2006 Toyota Corolla-Axio 02.jpg|Toyota Corolla Axio
2006–2012
File:2008 Toyota Belta 01.jpg|Toyota Belta
2007–2012
File:2013 Toyota Corolla-Axio-Hybrid 01.jpg|Toyota Corolla Axio
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 (CKD kits only)
Notes
{{notelist}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{official website | www.toyota-ej.co.jp/english }}
{{Toyota Motor Corporation}}
{{Japan Toyota subcontracting assembly}}
Category:Car manufacturers of Japan
Category:Companies based in Miyagi Prefecture
Category:Vehicle manufacturing companies established in 1950