New & Used Daihatsu Cars For Sale in Johannesburg

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The Daihatsu Motor Co., Ltd. is said to be one of the oldest surviving internal combustion engine manufacturers in Japan. The company was formed in 1951 as a successor to Hatsudoki Seizo Co. Ltd that was founded in 1907. The formation was part of a restructure and largely influenced by the Osaka University’s Engineering Department to produce a gasoline-powered engine for small, stationary power plants. Prior to this, Hatsudoki’s main focus was on steam engines and passenger rail carriages for Japanese National Railways. In 1930 Hatsudoki Seizo was the first to produce a three-wheeled vehicle with a domestically manufactured engine in the Japanese automotive sector. In 1937 they introduced the first mini four wheeler. With the reputation it built as a machinery and small vehicle manufacturer, Hatsudoki Seizo had become increasingly relied on by the military. This allowed them to expand and lead to the opening of the first major plant in Ikeda in 1939. When the Japanese government decided to open up the domestic market, Daihatsu then went from being an independent automaker to having Toyota as its major shareholder. This transpired in 1967. Daihatsu growth Daihatsu Motor Company, Ltd. is said to be one of the world's leading manufacturers of microcars. Daihatsu conducts sales in more than 120 countries around the world. Daihatsu is rated as one of the top ten Japanese vehicle manufacturers. Not only does it manufacture passenger cars but also trucks, and utility vehicles. Pioneering its key market segment, Daihatsu has produced the world's first one-litre diesel engine. It also introduced an extremely successful mini-vehicle in the 1950s called the "Midget" (known in the United States as the "Trimobile"). This developed in the postwar era when the need for three- and four-wheel small delivery vehicles arised. Despite leaving the American market in 1992, the company has persisted in remaining an international competitor in the small vehicle and electric car markets. Much focus is also put into electric cars and emerging vehicle markets in Southeast Asia, particularly China.