West Coast Classics are proud to present an exceptional find of a very rare original southern California 1968 Toyota Corona 2 door hardtop.
The Toyota Corona played a key role in the companies North American success story, having previously entered the North American passenger car market in 1957 as a 'Toyopet', the company re-entered the North American market in June 1964, rebranding itself as 'Toyota' and introducing its third-generation Corona, with more modern technology and numerous standard features. The car sold well, winning the 1969 'Road Test' Import Car of the Year, helping the company become the third-best-selling import brand in the United States by 1967. In 2014, the editors at 'Car & Driver' called the Corona one of the best Toyota's ever made, stating that Toyota survived long enough to thrive in America only because of the Corona model.
By 1968, the Corona name was used on a larger platform, marketed as the Mark II and the Corona itself was marketed under a numerous nameplates worldwide, including in several markets including European markets as 'Carina's'.The Corona was ultimately replaced in Americas by the 'Camry. The nameplate Corona derives itself from the Latin word for "Crown".
Toyota released in September 1968 larger model called the Corona Mark II. It was a slightly larger vehicle than the Corona with a higher level of equipment offered at the time, sharing some of the features of the larger Crown, but taking the top-of-the-line position.
One of the most appealing Japanese cars ever produced, unfortunately they have largely disappeared from the roads almost entirely due to insurmountable rust issues of all the early Japanese cars from this era, and being a southern California owned model since new, makes it all the more rare and unusual in its completely rust and accident free and also its rare all original stock condition!
This is a superb surviving example, owned since new by only obviously very careful southern California owners, the car has obviously also always been garaged with no accidents and no rust and boasts its original spare wheel, jack and tools and owner's manuals. The car has very nice original paint and the car has it's original factory interior which is also in remarkably good condition throughout. The 1879 cc 4 cyl engine is extremely strong for this car and the transmission shifts smoothly through all the gears.
