Toyota

The Corolla was launched in Japan as a two-door sedan in November 1966. Its development was largely influenced by the success and lessons learned from the earlier, smaller Publica, which used an air-cooled two-cylinder, boxer engine, inspired by the Citroën 2CV. The engine was originally meant to be for the under 1,000 cc tax class but was changed late in the design process to be 1,077 cc in order to beat the Datsun 1000, released a few months earlier. In May 1967, a three-door station wagon joined the lineup, as did the "Toyoglide" two-speed automatic. In March 1968, the range got a facelift, mostly safety upgrades to reflect new American legislation. In August 1969 the engine was upgraded to 1,166 cc.

The third-generation Toyota Corolla, the E30 series, arrived in 1974 and remained in production until 1981. Still rear-wheel drive, it was offered in an unusually wide range of body styles, including two- and four-door saloons, estate, hardtop coupé and, from 1976, a three-door Liftback. European models mainly used the economical 1.2-litre engine, although the Liftback was also available with a larger 1.6. A minor facelift for 1977 brought a revised dashboard, interior trim and grille, followed by further exterior changes for 1979. In most markets the E30 was replaced by the new E70 Corolla during 1979.