Unfortunately, we are all well aware by now that Covid-19 has disrupted and even ruin our lives. But did you know that before corona was a virus, it was one of Toyota’s best-selling models? It’s weird, right? But when you look into the history of the Toyota Corona with the guys from Toyota of Orange, the dealer of new and used cars for sale in Orange County, you’ll understand why they share a similar name (and it has nothing to do with the beer either).
The Japanese car manufacturer built Coronas from the flathead-powered 1957 Toyopet until their extravagant 10th generation Corona Premio in 2001. Although the first Toyotas to ever be sold in the United States were the late 1950s Crowns, Toyota didn’t achieve any major success in the US of A until Coronas were made available in American showrooms in 1966.
Nevertheless, we must not forget that the Toyota Corona and the Coronavirus are two very different beasts. One is an iconic, and treasured Japanese car, while the other is a virus and invisible serial killer. So, we are really comparing apples with oranges, aren’t we?
Why The Name Corona?
The name corona has been getting a bad rap recently, and it should be for the illness and fatalities it has caused. However, the word corona comes from Latin to mean “crown”. The reason why Covid-19 is sometimes referred to as the coronavirus is that the entire virus structure has the appearance of a crown when it is inspected under a microscope. As the Gods of faith would have it, Toyota also decided to eventually use the same name.
As a matter of fact, Toyota even had a car called Crown before the Corona was introduced. The Toyota Crown was only sold at the Toyota Store dealership, while the Toyota Corona was exclusively sold at the Toyopet dealerships in Japan. In the course of time, the Corona was one of the car company’s first international exports and it was modestly popular. Furthermore, it was considered a higher-end model, even when the Corolla was launch afterward.
What is The Toyota Corona’s History Outline?
The Toyota Corona was sold from 1957-2001, which is a huge achievement. Within those 44 years that the Toyota Corona was available for purchase at the dealer of Orange County used cars, consumers could take advantage of 10 generations to choose from. The car had a lot of different variants and powertrain combinations. The Corona had a 2 door coupe, was a four-door sedan, and even become station wagon body styles. When it comes to the engines, it got all the modifications from 1.5 to 2.4 liter.
However, it didn’t stop there, since some coronas got a turbo petrol engine while a few taxi variants got LPG fuelling as well. If that wasn’t enough the Corolla had two diesel engines and was sold in RWD and FWD configurations at various phases of its existence.
Although the Toyota Corona was first launched in 1957, it wasn’t until 1960 when the vehicle arrived in the United States and was sold parallel to the Toyota Land Cruiser. Back in those days, as sales reps at the dealer of used cars for sale point out, Toyota wasn’t the golden child of the automotive industry, so they made it count in every market and with every sale.
In the 1970s. Toyota had a stronger presence in North America and this is when the fourth generation Corona was launched. Even though it wasn’t a ball out of the park hit, but the Corona did start to build a reputation for excellent quality and overall reliability. Similar to all the modern and used cars for sale in Orange County that we are so familiar with today.
When Did The Toyota Corona Take Off In The US?
However, it wasn’t until 1973 when the fifth generation Corona appeared that it got a facelift. The new design, particularly the two-door design had an amazing look and it did very well in the US. but because of specific safety laws, the American models had longer bumpers to meet impact standards.
The Corona’s new look consisted of a revised front and rear end and the two-speed automatic was done away with. The station wagon had an optional wood body cladding while engine options became more varied for the addition of a new 2.2-liter inline-four.
Things changed when the sixth generation Corona was launched in the US market in 1978 because within just a few years, Toyota debuted an all-new, FWD model that was specifically aimed directly at increasing US sales, and that model was indeed the Toyota Camry. The creme de la creme of Toyota models as far as the US market was concerned. At that point, the Corona had stiff competition from one of its own siblings.
So, let’s take a moment to reflect on the fact that until 2019, corona only meant “crown” if you are a Latin language speaker, was a midsize car sold by Toyota throughout the entire world, and yes, we mustn’t forget that infamous brand of beer.
The Toyota Corona is what put the Japanese car manufacturer on the map in the North American market. Yes, the Camry was what sealed the deal, but if it wasn’t for the Corona the door wouldn’t have been opened and the path wouldn’t have been cleared.
Although it now has a name that gets you shaking in your boots, it did a lot of good and made many people’s commute to work, school, or errands easier and more pleasurable. Sadly, we can’t say the same about the virus with the same namesake.
If you are lucky enough to own a Toyota Corona, everyone at used cars for sale in orange county envies you and you should enjoy your pride and joy. On the other hand, if you show any symptoms of the coronavirus, please follow CDC guidelines accordingly, get tested, wear a mask, and follow social distancing rules.