Toyoda Aa

The only remaining prewar Toyota in the world

Hardly anyone had expected that somewhere in the world an original example of Toyotas very first passenger car model, the AA, would still exist. Even the Toyota factory museum in Japan had a replica made. Around 2008, however, this AA surfaced in Vladivostok, Russia. It had belonged to a Siberian farmer since the Second World War and probably came to Russia as spoils of war. The car had always been driven on farmland and had by then been heavily modified. This is the oldest surviving Toyota in the world. Research into its history is still ongoing. The Toyota was acquired by the Louwman Museum directly from the grandson of the original owner. It took seven months to get the car to the Netherlands. Among other things, the Russian Ministry of Culture had to grant permission to export the car, because it was more than fifty years old. The car was transported by train from Vladivostok to Moscow and then by truck to the Netherlands. The Toyota AA was built from 1936 to 1943 and was fitted with a 3.3 six cylinder engine producing 62 hp. The design was inspired by that of the Chrysler Airflow. Around 1,400 examples were produced. In addition to the AA sedan there was also a convertible version, the AB.