History of a automoblie (automotive) 3 - Japan

Japan, with its large population squeezed into very high density cities with good public transit, has limited roadways that carry very heavy traffic. Hence most automobiles are small in terms of size and weight. Japan is now biggest auto manufacuring country in the world with its humble beginning. Nissan began making trucks in 1914, and sold cars under the "Datsun" brand until it switched to "Nissan" in the 1980s. It opened its first U.S. plant in Tennessee in the early 1980s and a U.K. plant in 1986. It is 44% owned by Renault of France. Its luxury models carries the brand "Infiniti". Honda, which began with motorcycles, emerged after World War II. Its luxury cars carry the "Acura" brand. Toyota began making cars in the 1930s and is now the world's largest producer. Its luxury models carry the "Lexus" brand. Toyota is famous for its innovative, quality-conscious management style, and its hybrid gas-electric vehicles, especially the Prius, which was launched in 1997. Other major companies include Subaru, Mitsubishi, Mazda, Suzuki, and Isuzu. Japan became the world's leading auto maker in 1980, the first year since 1905 that the United States had been outproduced by any other nation.