Toyota Corolla KE10
The Corolla is not only a bestseller for Toyota, it is the bestselling nameplate ever. In 2021, the Corolla reached the milestone of 50 million units, and the car is still in production.
The Corolla family started with this model, which has been imported into the Netherlands since 1967. Thanks in part to the Corolla, the Toyota marque quickly gained in popularity. Compared with European competitors like the Volkswagen Beetle and the Renault 4, the Toyota Corolla was more advanced.
At the time, Toyota gave each of its series a model designation that somehow referred to a crown. The ‘Crown’ was their top model and ‘Corona’ is Latin for ‘crown’. A corolla is the ring of petals around the central part of a flower. The name was intended to evoke the image of a beautifully styled, eye-catching compact car.
The first generation Corolla was launched in 1966, fitted with a 1.1-litre engine. A 1.2-litre engine was introduced a little later. The car was available as a sedan, a coupé and a station wagon.