Sakichi Toyoda initially manufactured automatic looms from 1926, before his eldest son Kiichiro founded a subsidiary company for automobile construction in 1933. Three initial prototypes were completed in May 1935; series production began the following year. In August, the automobile division became an independent company and was renamed ‘Toyota’. After moderate success in the USA under the name ‘Toyopet’, the international breakthrough came in November 1966 with the Corolla, which was to become the most built car model series in the world. Toyota grew steadily and built everything from high-performance sports coupés to indestructible off-road vehicles. Today, the Toyota City-based group is the largest car manufacturer in the world.