Daihatsu Motor Company
Encyclopedia
is the oldest Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

ese manufacturer of cars
Automobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...

, known mostly for its smaller models and off-road vehicles. Many of its models are also known as kei jidōsha (or kei cars)
Kei car
Kei cars, K-cars, or , are a Japanese category of small vehicles, including passenger cars, vans, and pickup trucks. They are designed to comply with Japanese government tax and insurance regulations, and in most rural areas are exempted from the requirement to certify that adequate parking is...

 in Japan. Its headquarters are located in Ikeda
Ikeda, Osaka
is a city located in Osaka, Japan. As of 2010, the city has an estimated population of 104,704 and a density of 4,740 persons per km². The total area is 22.09 km²....

, Osaka Prefecture
Osaka Prefecture
is a prefecture located in the Kansai region on Honshū, the main island of Japan. The capital is the city of Osaka. It is the center of Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto area.- History :...

.

The name "Daihatsu" is a combination of the first kanji
Kanji
Kanji are the adopted logographic Chinese characters hanzi that are used in the modern Japanese writing system along with hiragana , katakana , Indo Arabic numerals, and the occasional use of the Latin alphabet...

 for Ōsaka
Osaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...

 (大) and the first of the word . In the new combination the reading of the "大" is changed from "ō" to "dai", giving "dai hatsu."

Daihatsu was formed in 1951 as successor organisation to Hatsudoki and, by the 1960s, had started exporting cars to Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...

, although it did not enjoy any major sales success until well into the 1980s.

Since February 1992 in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...

, it has been common for Toyota to distribute Daihatsu models.

In January 2011, Daihatsu announced it would pull out of Europe by 2013, citing the persistently strong yen which makes it difficult to turn a profit from its export business. Daihatsu's sales in Europe had plummeted from 58,000 in 2007 before the financial crisis
Late-2000s financial crisis
The late-2000s financial crisis is considered by many economists to be the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression of the 1930s...

, to 19,000 in 2010.

Company history

  • 1907 – Hatsudoki Seizo Co., Ltd. founded
  • 1951 – Company renamed: Daihatsu Motor Co., Ltd.
  • 1967 – Signed an agreement with Toyota Motor Corporation
    Toyota Motor Corporation
    , , , commonly known simply as Toyota and abbreviated as TMC, is a multinational automaker headquartered in Toyota, Aichi, Japan. In 2010, Toyota Motor Corporation employed 317,734 people worldwide, and was the world's largest automobile manufacturer by production.The company was founded by...

  • 1988 – Daihatsu USA launched with the Charade
    Daihatsu Charade
    The Daihatsu Charade is a supermini which was first introduced in 1977. Daihatsu considers the Charade a "large compact" car to differentiate it from smaller compacts in its lineup, such as the Daihatsu Mira/Cuore...

     and Rocky
    Daihatsu Rocky
    The Daihatsu Rocky is a mini SUV that was manufactured by Japanese automaker Daihatsu between 1987 and 1998.It is known as the Daihatsu "Lovibond" Rocky in Japan, also known as the Daihatsu Sportrak in UK and the Daihatsu Feroza in other parts of Latin America, Australasia and Europe.To avoid...

  • 1992 – Daihatsu USA shuts down in February
  • 1999 – Toyota gains a controlling interest (51%) in Daihatsu Motor Ltd.
  • 2011 – Daihatsu states that sales of Daihatsu motor cars will cease across Europe on 31 January
    January
    January is the first month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian calendars and one of seven months with the length of 31 days. The first day of the month is known as New Year's Day...

     2013.
  • 2011 – Daihatsu will invest 20 billion yen ($238.9 million) in Indonesia
    Indonesia
    Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...

     to build a factory that produces low-cost cars smaller than Etios which has been launched in India in December 2010. The construction has been initialized on 70,000 square meters in May 27, 2011 and will start operation at the end of 2012 for producing 100,000 cars per year.

Recent market withdrawals

It was reported on 31 March 2005 that Toyota would withdraw Daihatsu from the Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...

n market after sales fell heavily in 2005, in spite of the overall new-car market in Australia growing 7%. Daihatsu ended its Australian operations in March 2006 after almost 40 years in that market.

Daihatsu's operations in Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...

 where Daihatsu is a well-known brand for its 1970s models such as the Charade or Cuore were also threatened after low sales in 2004 and 2005. However, Toyota has stated that it intends to persist in the Chilean market for now.

Daihatsu has supplied cars under different badges
Badge engineering
Badge engineering is an ironic term that describes the rebadging of one product as another...

 to various automakers in the past. The company currently provides engines and transmissions to Malaysia's Perodua
Perodua
The ' , usually abbreviated to Perodua , is Malaysia's second largest automobile manufacturer after Proton. It was established in 1992 and launched their first car, the Perodua Kancil in August 1994. 'M2’ was refers to the codename which was used when the project to establish Perodua was still Top...

, which manufactures and markets rebadged Daihatsu cars locally, and sells a small number of Perodua cars in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

. After the launch of Perodua, Daihatsu's Malaysian operations were reduced to concentrate on the commercial truck market, which it markets its Delta commercial truck chassis to; Daihatsu had formerly sold Charades
Daihatsu Charade
The Daihatsu Charade is a supermini which was first introduced in 1977. Daihatsu considers the Charade a "large compact" car to differentiate it from smaller compacts in its lineup, such as the Daihatsu Mira/Cuore...

 and Miras
Daihatsu Mira
The Daihatsu Mira , is a kei car-type vehicle built by the Japanese car maker Daihatsu. It comes with a variety of options and chassis variations, with the latest variant having four models: "Mira", "Mira AVY", "Mira Gino" and "Mira VAN"...

 in the country prior.

In Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago officially the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago is an archipelagic state in the southern Caribbean, lying just off the coast of northeastern Venezuela and south of Grenada in the Lesser Antilles...

, Daihatsu has had a market presence since 1958 when its Midget Mk.I was a popular choice among market tradesmen. From 1978 until 2001, a local dealer marketed the Charmant, Rocky, Fourtrak, and then later, the Terios and Grand Move which proved to be popular sellers. The Delta chassis remained a popular market choice from its introduction in 1985 until today. Toyota Trinidad and Tobago Ltd. (a wholly owned subsidiary of Toyota Japan) now markets Daihatsu Terios, YRV and Sirion under stiff competition.

Daihatsu announced on 13 January 2011 that sales of Daihatsu motor cars will cease across Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...

 on 31 January 2013. This was due to the increasing strength of the Japanese Yen, which has increased prices beyond competitive levels. Daihatsu states that there is no stock of new Daihatsu cars in the UK, and they do not expect to import any new cars in this interim period.

Electrics and Hybrids

Daihatsu has had a long running development program for electric vehicles, beginning with the production of "pavilion cars" for the 1970 Osaka World Expo
Expo '70
was a World's Fair held in Suita, Osaka, Japan between March 15 and September 13, 1970. The theme of the Expo was "Progress and Harmony for Mankind." In Japanese Expo '70 is often referred to as Ōsaka Banpaku...

 and continuing with the production of golf carts and vehicles for institutional use, such as the DBC-1. An electric version of the company's Fellow Max kei car also followed, the beginning of a series of prototypes. The 1973 oil crisis
1973 oil crisis
The 1973 oil crisis started in October 1973, when the members of Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries or the OAPEC proclaimed an oil embargo. This was "in response to the U.S. decision to re-supply the Israeli military" during the Yom Kippur war. It lasted until March 1974. With the...

 provided further impetus and at the 20th Tokyo Motor Show
Tokyo Motor Show
The is a biennial auto show held in October-November at the Makuhari Messe, Chiba City, Japan for cars, motorcycles and commercial vehicles. Hosted by the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association , it is a recognized international show by the Organisation Internationale des Constructeurs...

 (1973) Daihatsu displayed a 550 W electric trike (TR-503E) as well as the BCX-III electric car prototype. Daihatsu showed more prototypes through the seventies, for instance at the 1979 Sydney Motor Show, and then joined the Japanese Electric Vehicle Association's PREET program (Public Rent an Electric Towncar) with an electric version of the Max Cuore keicar. The program allowed registered users access to the cars with a magnetized card and charged according to mileage used.

The current hybrid vehicle
Hybrid vehicle
A hybrid vehicle is a vehicle that uses two or more distinct power sources to move the vehicle. The term most commonly refers to hybrid electric vehicles , which combine an internal combustion engine and one or more electric motors.-Power:...

 technology is called Daihatsu Mild Hybrid System, and is mainly used in the Atrai/Hijet Hybrid-IV.

Passenger car models

  • Altis / Toyota Corolla Altis, Toyota Camry
  • Applause
    Daihatsu Applause
    The Daihatsu Applause was a compact car manufactured by the Japanese automaker Daihatsu from 1989 to 2000. It is most notable for its unusual body style, which, despite appearing to be a 4-door sedan, is in fact a 5-door liftback with a notchback-shaped 412-litre trunk and a tailgate.- Background...

  • Atrai ( with hybrid vehicle
    Hybrid vehicle
    A hybrid vehicle is a vehicle that uses two or more distinct power sources to move the vehicle. The term most commonly refers to hybrid electric vehicles , which combine an internal combustion engine and one or more electric motors.-Power:...

     versions).
  • Bee
    Daihatsu Bee
    The Daihatsu Bee is a three wheeled microcar that was produced by Daihatsu Kogyo Co Ltd from 1951.Although Daihatsu had been producing motorized tricycles for carrying freight since 1930, and had also produced a small car for military use in 1937, the Bee was the first passenger car the company...

  • Ceria
  • Charade
    Daihatsu Charade
    The Daihatsu Charade is a supermini which was first introduced in 1977. Daihatsu considers the Charade a "large compact" car to differentiate it from smaller compacts in its lineup, such as the Daihatsu Mira/Cuore...

     / Toyota Vitz
    Toyota Vitz
    The Toyota Vitz is a line of three- and five-door hatchback subcompact cars produced since 1998 by the Japanese automobile manufacturer Toyota. Now in its third generation, the name "Toyota Vitz" has been used consistently in Japan, with most international markets receiving the same vehicle under...

  • Charmant
    Daihatsu Charmant
    The Daihatsu Charmant is a compact sedan built by Daihatsu of Japan, based on the Toyota Corolla. It was replaced by the Daihatsu Applause. The Charmant was originally a spin-off of the Toyota Corolla of the 1970s; model changes paralleled those of the Corolla. All Charmants were fitted with Toyota...

     / Toyota Corolla
    Toyota Corolla
    The Toyota Corolla is a line of subcompact and compact cars manufactured by the Japanese automaker Toyota, which has become very popular throughout the world since the nameplate was first introduced in 1966. In 1997, the Corolla became the best selling nameplate in the world, with over 35 million...

  • Compagno
    Daihatsu Compagno
    The Daihatsu Compagno is an automobile which was produced by Daihatsu in Japan from 1964 to 1970. The Compagno was designed prior to the acquisition of Daihatsu by Toyota in 1967 and was available as a four-cylinder, two-door sedan or convertible....

  • Consorte
    Daihatsu Consorte
    The Daihatsu Consorte was a small sedan sold by the Japanese automaker Daihatsu from 1969 to 1977. It was based on the Toyota Publica, and its name, meaning "consort" in Italian, reflected Daihatsu's newly established affiliation with Toyota...

  • Copen
    Daihatsu Copen
    The Daihatsu Copen is a 2-door roadster with an aluminium retractable hardtop built by the Japanese car company Daihatsu. It first debuted at the 1999 Tokyo Motor Show, as the Daihatsu Copen concept...

  • Cuore
  • Domino
  • Esse
    Daihatsu Esse
    The Daihatsu Esse is a Japanese kei car launched in December 2005, that at launch was the cheapest new car in Japan. Its current price range is ¥682,500 - ¥1,123,500...

  • Grand Move/Pyzar
  • Gran Max
  • Fellow Max
    Daihatsu Fellow Max
    The Daihatsu Fellow Max is a small Japanese automobile in the Kei car class. Originally introduced as the Daihatsu Fellow, the name was partially retained for the Max Cuore and then again for the 2000 Daihatsu Max.-Fellow:...

  • Fourtrak
    Daihatsu Fourtrak
    The Daihatsu Rugger was an off-road vehicle built by Daihatsu between 1984 and 2002. The Rugger was called the Daihatsu Rocky in most export markets, and Daihatsu Fourtrak in the UK...

     / Toyota Blizzard
    Toyota Blizzard
    The Toyota Blizzard is a four-wheel-drive vehicle built by Daihatsu for Toyota from March 1980 into the 1990s. The LD10 Blizzard is based on the Daihatsu Taft , but in the third quarter of 1984 the LD20, based on the Daihatsu Rugger , appeared...

  • Hijet
    Daihatsu Hijet
    The Daihatsu Hijet is a microvan and pickup truck produced by the Japanese automaker Daihatsu. Despite the similarities between the Hijet name and Toyota's naming scheme for its trucks and vans , the name "Hijet" has been in use for Daihatsu's Kei trucks and vans since 1960, over two decades before...

  • Luxio
  • Materia/Coo
    Daihatsu Materia
    The Daihatsu Materia is a mini MPV manufactured by the Japanese automaker Daihatsu.-First generation:It is based on the platform of the second generation of the Daihatsu Sirion and is largely identical to the second generation of the Toyota bB....

     / Toyota bB
    Toyota bB
    -First Generation :It is based on the Toyota Vitz.While the box-shaped car was initially targeted towards Japanese men in their twenties, it is also popular with women buyers.-Open deck :...

  • Max
  • Midget
    Daihatsu Midget
    The Daihatsu Midget is a single-seat mini-truck made by Japanese automaker Daihatsu. Several distinct vehicles have borne the Midget name over the years, but all have had in common a single-seat utilitarian design, with an enclosed or semi-enclosed cab....

  • Mira
    Daihatsu Mira
    The Daihatsu Mira , is a kei car-type vehicle built by the Japanese car maker Daihatsu. It comes with a variety of options and chassis variations, with the latest variant having four models: "Mira", "Mira AVY", "Mira Gino" and "Mira VAN"...

  • Move
    Daihatsu Move
    The Daihatsu Move is a kei car, produced by Japanese automaker Daihatsu since August 1995. The Move is designed to be as tall as compact cars like the Suzuki Wagon R. Daihatsu successfully sold 500,000 Moves during its first three years of production. The Move is built upon the chassis of the...

  • Leeza
    Daihatsu Leeza
    The Daihatsu Leeza was a kei car launched in Japan in 1986 and was replaced in 1992 by the Daihatsu Opti. In 1990, it was available for between ¥698,000 and ¥950,000 in R, ChaCha and Oxy trim lines. The Leeza was also available as a convertible named the 'Spyder' which had a leather interior...

  • Naked
    Daihatsu Naked
    The Daihatsu Naked was a Kei car made by Daihatsu.Presented on the Tokyo Motor Show in 1999, it was built between 2000 and 2004. It was available with a 659cc petrol engine and either two or four wheel drive. The styling included features such as ridges in the doors and exposed hinges and bolts,...

  • Opti
    Daihatsu Opti
    The Daihatsu Opti is a kei car produced by Japanese automaker Daihatsu from 1992 to 2002. It is available with a 659 cc petrol engine and either front- or four-wheel drive. It is a variant from the Daihatsu Mira.-Daihatsu Opti Mk 1:...

  • Rocky
    Daihatsu Rocky
    The Daihatsu Rocky is a mini SUV that was manufactured by Japanese automaker Daihatsu between 1987 and 1998.It is known as the Daihatsu "Lovibond" Rocky in Japan, also known as the Daihatsu Sportrak in UK and the Daihatsu Feroza in other parts of Latin America, Australasia and Europe.To avoid...

  • Sirion/Storia
    Daihatsu Storia
    The Daihatsu Storia was a subcompact car/supermini produced by Japanese automaker Daihatsu between 1998 and 2004, and also sold as Toyota Duet...

     / Toyota Duet
  • Sirion/Boon
    Daihatsu Boon
    The Daihatsu Boon is a subcompact car/supermini produced by Japanese automaker Daihatsu since 2004, and also sold under Toyota Passo and Daihatsu Sirion...

     / Toyota Passo
  • Sonica
    Daihatsu Sonica
    The Daihatsu Sonica is a kei car produced by the Japanese manufacturer Daihatsu since 2005. It is currently in its first generation.-Mark 1:Daihatsu began producing the Sonica in 2006, after having revealed it as a concept car named SK Tourer earlier in the same year. It is available on the...

  • Sportrak
  • Taft
    Daihatsu Taft
    Daihatsu Taft is a four-wheel-drive vehicle built by Daihatsu between 1974-1984. It was also known as the Daihatsu Scat in some markets. The Daihatsu Taft is similar to Suzuki Jimny, although a bit larger, and was later replaced by the Daihatsu Rugger Daihatsu Taft is a four-wheel-drive vehicle...

  • Tanto
    Daihatsu Tanto
    The Daihatsu Tanto was introduced in the 2003 Tokyo show as a concept vehicle based on the Daihatsu Move 'tall' body style. The car was introduced into Japanese market in 2003. The Tanto is a Kei car. The Tanto Custom was added in July 2005....

  • Taruna
  • Terios
    Daihatsu Terios
    The Daihatsu Terios is a mini SUV, first released in 1997 by the Japanese car manufacturer Daihatsu. The engines are a modified Daihatsu Charade 1.3 litre or kei car 660 cc unit, with constant four wheel drive or two wheel drive , respectively. It has 5-speed manual transmission or...

     / Toyota Cami
  • Terios/Be-Go
    Daihatsu Terios
    The Daihatsu Terios is a mini SUV, first released in 1997 by the Japanese car manufacturer Daihatsu. The engines are a modified Daihatsu Charade 1.3 litre or kei car 660 cc unit, with constant four wheel drive or two wheel drive , respectively. It has 5-speed manual transmission or...

     / Toyota Rush
  • Valera
  • Xenia / Toyota Avanza
    Toyota Avanza
    The Toyota Avanza is a mini MPV designed by Daihatsu. It is produced in Indonesia and also assembled contract assembled in Malaysia . Daihatsu designed and manufacturer the vehicle, which is then sold by both Daihatsu and Toyota under Xenia and Avanza name plate respectively...

  • YRV
    Daihatsu YRV
    The Daihatsu YRV is a mini MPV manufactured by the Japanese automaker Daihatsu. The name is short for "Young Recreational Vehicle".-Engines:* EJ-VE* K3-VE2* K3-VE...


Plants

  • Ikeda
    Ikeda, Osaka
    is a city located in Osaka, Japan. As of 2010, the city has an estimated population of 104,704 and a density of 4,740 persons per km². The total area is 22.09 km²....

     (Osaka prefecture
    Osaka Prefecture
    is a prefecture located in the Kansai region on Honshū, the main island of Japan. The capital is the city of Osaka. It is the center of Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto area.- History :...

    ), also headquarters
    Headquarters
    Headquarters denotes the location where most, if not all, of the important functions of an organization are coordinated. In the United States, the corporate headquarters represents the entity at the center or the top of a corporation taking full responsibility managing all business activities...

  • Ryuo (Shiga prefecture
    Shiga Prefecture
    is a prefecture of Japan, which forms part of the Kansai region on Honshu Island. The capital is the city of Ōtsu.- History :Shiga was known as Ōmi Province or Gōshū before the prefectural system was established...

    )
  • Tada (Hyōgo Prefecture
    Hyogo Prefecture
    is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kansai region on Honshū island. The capital is Kobe.The prefecture's name was previously alternately spelled as Hiogo.- History :...

    )
  • Oyamazaki
    Oyamazaki, Kyoto
    is a town located in Otokuni District, Kyoto, Japan.As of April 1, 2008, the town has an estimated population of 15,203 and a density of 2,527 persons per km²...

     (Kyoto prefecture
    Kyoto Prefecture
    is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kansai region of the island of Honshu. The capital is the city of Kyoto.- History :Until the Meiji Restoration, the area of Kyoto prefecture was known as Yamashiro....

    )
  • Sunter II (Indonesia) - Astra Daihatsu
  • Cumana, Estado Sucre (Venezuela) - Terios

External links

  • Daihatsu (official site in Japanese)
  • Daihatsu (English site)
  • Daihatsu UK (UK site)- This site closed down as of 13 January 2011 and currently shows places from were to obtain spare parts
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