1969 Toyota Corolla

This was the second year of the first-generation Corolla. It was powered by a water-cooled, 4-cylinder, 60 horsepower engine.

Introduced in the US market in June 1968, the Corolla was intended to mix quality, style and economy into one package.

The name Corolla means the outer envelope of crowning portion of a flower.

1969 Corolla sales totaled 27,443 compared to 1st year sales total of 7,247 (June-Dec 1968).

Facts About the First Generation

Úneasiness from the 0.1-liter advantage
At the time, standard engine displacement of family cars from other manufacturers was 1.0-liter. To ensure the Corolla maintained product superiority, the engine displacement was hastily expanded from 1.0-liter to 1.1-liter. However, the salesmen at that time were uneasy about this 'extra' 0.1-liter, because it meant Corolla customers had to pay 'extra' taxes. However, after the Corolla's release, that uneasiness disappeared — the Corolla and its 1.1-liter engine were well accepted by many customers, and ultimately the concerns proved entirely unfounded.

A heart that supported the Corolla for two decades
The K engine loaded in the first generation Corolla was later expanded to include the twin carburetor K-B engine, the K-D engine designed with a higher compression ratio to enhance output, the 3K engine with an increased 1.2-liter displacement and finally the 3K-B and 3K-D engines. This K engine supported the Corolla for almost twenty years until 1983 when the fifth generation Corolla reached the market.





Body colors based on a Classic Mythology theme
To maintain the radiance of a new vehicle at all times, the world's most advanced and somewhat rare technology was adopted, namely, an electrostatic coating was added to the electrophoretic coating of the body. The names of the body colors were selected to immediately bring the color to mind to any person and to be well suited for vehicles used throughout the world. After anguishing over the names for some time, the team finally came upon the idea of using the names of Greek and Roman gods and heroes, which are known worldwide, to conjure up images of magnificent dramas of nature, fragrant beauty and culture.


Aphrodite White
A vivid, pure white that expresses the love, beauty and purity of the goddess of love.



Meteoric Brown
A strong, dynamic, thick brown color reminiscent of the natural power of a meteorite.

Diana Olive
An olive color with a composed ambiance that projects the image of Artemis ruling over Olive.

Ares Grey
A powerful grey color that is symbolic of the armor of the god of war.

Apollo Red
A red color that evokes the emotion of vigor as expressed by Apollo, the god of the sun, fine art, light and healing.

Neptune Turquoise
A deep blue suited for Neptune, the god of earthquakes, to rule the sea.

Pluto Beige
A beige color that expresses the wide, vast field of Elysium, a place for the heroic and virtuous .

Juno Grey
A modern grey with hidden warm, feminine softness in a gracious, simple form.

Whereabouts of the first production model Corolla
The first ever Corolla received tremendous attention as a revolutionary family car built by Toyota to be introduced to the world. The very first production model was celebrated with spectacular fanfare and ceremony as it rolled off the production line. However, no one knows the current whereabouts of this very first Corolla.fs

Source - Toyota