Corona When the time finally came for an all-new car, Toyota improved greatly over the old Toyopet Crown. Rather than exporting another small car designed for Tokyo's clogged streets, the automaker designed the Corona with America's open roads in mind. With its 90-horsepower engine, the Corona was almost twice as powerful as the VW Beetle, the nation's best-selling import at the time. It was available with air conditioning, an automatic transmission, arm rests, a glove compartment and white sidewall tires. In 1967, Toyota sold 32,000 Coronas, pushing the company to fifth place among import brands in America. After that, Toyota was more than just a curiosity.
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