A-TYPE ENGINE REACHES PRODUCTION TOTAL OF 5 MILLION

Toyota City―TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION today announced having produced a total of 5 million 4-cylinder A-type engines (1300cc, 1500cc, 1600cc).

Production of the A-type engine began at the Shimoyama plant (Miyoshicho, Nishikamogun, Aichi Prefecture) in July 1978 initially for the Tercel and the Corsa. The number of units produced has expanded as it has been mounted on more economy and small passenger cars. A total of 5 million A-type engines has thus been produced within a period of seven years and three months.

During this period, the A-type engine has been mounted on a wide variety of vehicles including the Corolla, Sprinter, Celica, Carina, Corona, and MR2, because of its capacity for combining high performance with low fuel consumption. Since 1983 the pace of its production has reached an annual total of over one million units. The precision designing of the 4A-G type (1587cc, 4-cylinder DOHC), in particular, which uses a multi-valve mode to guarantee large intake and outlet portal areas while achieving a reduction in valve size and weight, yields a compact, high-performance engine that provides a very comfortable ride; it has been the mainspring behind the boom in demand for twin-cam engines both in Japan and overseas.

The production total of the A-type engine in 1984, which reached over 1,127,000 units, accounted for approximately one-third of all engines mounted in Toyota vehicles, and approximately one-half of all engines in Toyota passenger cars. It has earned high esteem both in Japan and overseas as the principal engine in the New Generation Engine Series.

To commemorate the occasion, a line-off ceremony, attended by Executive Vice President Kaneyoshi Kusunoki and other company officials, will be held at the company's Shimoyama plant on October 22 from 9 a.m.