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DaihatsuDaihatsu Motor Co., Ltd. (Daihatsu Kōgyō Kabushiki-gaisha) is a Japanese manufacturer of cars, well known for its smaller models. Many of its models are also known as kei jidosha (or kei cars) in Japan.
The name "Daihatsu" is a combination of the first kanji (Japanese character) for Osaka and the first of the word "engine manufacture"; when put together they are pronounced "dai hatsu".
Although its roots can be traced back to 1907, the Daihatsu brand name was not used until 1951. After producing three-wheelers, Daihatsu built its first four wheelers in 1958. Even from the start, the company, now part of Toyota, they specialised in small-capacity passenger cars and four-wheel-drive off-roaders. In 1966 the Compagno had the distinction of being the first Japanese car to be imported, very briefly, into the UK.
The small car range was dominated by the little Domino and Charade models, mostly with three-cylinder engine, including a tiny sub-1.0-litre diesel. The ultimate three-cylinder model was the turbocharged Charade GTI, which managed 99bhp from its 993cc engine.
Japan's domestic tax laws brought about a unique generation of tiny K-class city-cars, which had to comply with strict performance and dimensions rules. Daihatsu's Cuore, with a twin-cylinder 547cc engine, first appeared in 1976. This was joined a decade later by the Leeza, with the turbo version producing 50bhp.
Daihatsu's first 4WD off-roader was the utility Taft, available with engines from 1.0 petrol to 2.5-litre diesel. The Fourtrak, launched in 1985, is more a working than lifestyle off-roader. The Sportrak, which was introduced in 1990, is aimed at the leisure market, although it has been left behind by newer vehicles such as Honda's CR-V or the Toyota RAV4.
A slight relaxation in the K-class rules has allowed these cars to be a little larger. The little five-door Move, designed in conjunction with IDEA in Italy, uses a 12-valve three-cylinder 847cc engine, with a three-speed automatic an option over the five-speed manual 'box. UK promotion of the Move reflecting its bizarre appearance (ads used the word 'weird') - despite its short length, it has a roof line tall enough to allow the driver to wear a top hat. More conventional is the Grand Move, basically a small MPV with a 1.5-litre engine.
Overall Daihatsu's UK range tends to be characterised by dynamically unremarkable but unusually packaged smaller vehicles. One possible exception could be the stylish Copen roadster. Although the car does not currently conform to European standards, Daihatsu is said to be looking into the feasibility and cost of converting the model for export.
1907 Hatsudoki Seizo Co., Ltd. established for the manufacture and sales of internal combustion engines.
1930 Production of 3-wheel vehicles begun.
1951 Company name changed to Daihatsu Motor Co., Ltd.
1957 Midget compact 3-wheel vehicle marketed.
1967 Business tie-up signed with Toyota Motor Co., Ltd., and Toyota Motor Sales Co., Ltd.
1977 Charade (993cc) passenger car marketed.
1981 Cuore marketed.
1984 Rocky marketed.
CKD production of Daihatsu 850 Cab/Cab Van models begun in China (October).
KD production of Hijet in Tianjin, China started (November).
1985 Accumulated automobile production exceeded 10,000,000.
1986 CKD production of the Charade begun in China (November).
1989 Feroza marketed.
Applause marketed.
1990 Daihatsu entered into a technical cooperation agreement with Asia Motors Co., Inc. of Korea.
1992 Daihatsu entered into a new joint venture with P.T. Daihatsu Indonesia (January).
Local production of the Hijet (joint venture with Piaggio V.E.) begun in Italy (December).
1993 Charade GTti captured a 1st place win in class A-7 and 5th place overall in the 41st Safari Rally.
Accumulated sales of electric vehicles exceeded 7,000 units.
1994 Cumulative engine production hit the 10 million mark.
Joint venture production of Malaysia's Second National Car, Kancil, (based Cuore) begun (August).
1995 New Zebra Espass marketed in Indonesia in April.
New mini passenger car Move marketed in Japan (August).
1996 Production of Malaysia's National 1-Box Car, Rusa, begun (April).
Production of the Hijet started in Vietnam.
New light commercial vehicle Midget II marketed in Japan (April).
A technical assistance agreement signed between Daihatsu and Liuzhou Wuling Motor Co., Ltd., in Liuzhou, Guangxi Zhuangzu Autonomous District, China.
Compact Wagon Pyzar (Gran Move) marketed.
Accumulated production of industrial engines exceeded 1 million units.
1997 Daihatsu celebrated its 90th anniversary.
Compact 4WD Terios marketed.
Accumulated light vehicle production exceeded 10,000,000.
Accumulated production of the Kancil in Malaysia exceeded 100,000.
1998 New passenger car Sirion marketed.
Production of Malaysia's National 4WD vehicle Kembara started.
Kyoto plant obtained ISO 14001 Authentication.
Cumulative vehicle production hit the 20 million mark.
1999 Tada Plant obtained ISO 9001 Authentication.
Light passenger car Atrai Wagon marketed.
Production of Taruna begun in Indonesia.
Light passenger car NAKED marketed.
2000 Head (Ikeda) Plant obtained ISO 14001 Authentication.
Shiga (Ryuo) Plant obtained ISO 14001 Authentication.
Passenger car Altis marketed.
Production of Cuore begun in Pakistan.
Production of Malaysia's national car Kenari started.
Compact wagon Atrai 7 marketed.
Small passenger car YRV marketed.
Accumulated sales of electric vehicles exceeded 8,000 units.
Tada Plant obtained ISO 14001 Authentication.
2001 CNG stand Eco-Station opened in front of Daihatsu headquarters in Ikeda.
Production of light passenger car Move exceeded 1 million units.
Production and sales of Kelisa national car in Malaysia started.
Generation of direct-landfill waste from all domestic production plants approached zero. (Daihatsu's definition : less than 1% of FY1990)
High-performance TOPAZ catalyst developed.
Light passenger car MAX marketed.
Production of Terios national car started in Venezuela as joint Daihatsu-Toyota operation.
2002 Holding company Perodua Auto Corporation Sdn. Bhd. established in Malaysia.
Light passenger car Copen marketed.
Intelligent Catalyst developed that self-regenerates its precious metal component.
2003 New Kagami Plant for industrial engine manufacturing completed.
Terios production started in China.
Light passenger car Tanto marketed.
A car jointly developed by Daihatsu and Toyota, Xenia, marketed in Indonesia.
2004 New small passenger car Boon, jointly developed with Toyota, marketed.
Daihatsu achieves practical application of the Rapid Catalyst Activation System, the world's first ion-sensing ignition control system.
Daihatsu Auto Body Co., Ltd. Oita (Nakatsu) Plant begins operations.
2005 Production of DELTA started in Colombia.
Myvi launched as National Car in Malaysia.
Recent market withdrawals
It was reported on 31 March 2005, that Toyota would exit Daihatsu from the Australian market, after sales fell heavily in 2005, in spite of the overall new-car market in Australia growing 7%. Daihatsu wound up its Australian operations in March 2006 after almost 40 years in the market.
Daihatsu's operations in Chile – where Daihatsu is a well-known brand for its 1970s models such as the Charade or Cuore – were also threatened after very low sales in 2004 and 2005. But Toyota has stated that it intends to persist in the Chile market for now.
Daihatsu has supplied cars under different badges to various different automakers in the past, and also supplies engines and transmissions to one of Malaysia's largest car makers, Perodua, which sells cars in the United Kingdom and Malaysia.
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