▁that ▁Toy ota ▁rode ▁a ▁wave ▁of ▁private ▁car ▁ownership ▁that ▁was ▁taking ▁off ▁in ▁the ▁mid - 1 9 6 0 s . ▁The ▁Cor ol la ' s ▁major ▁compet itor ▁was ▁the ▁D ats un ▁ 1 0 0 0 , ▁released ▁a ▁few ▁months ▁earlier , ▁along ▁with ▁the ▁Sub aru ▁ 1 0 0 0 ▁earlier ▁in ▁May . ▁Its ▁companion , ▁the ▁Toy ota ▁Spr inter , ▁was ▁sold ▁at ▁a ▁different ▁deal ership ▁sales ▁channel ▁called ▁Toy ota ▁Auto ▁Store . ▁The ▁Cor ol la ' s ▁development ▁was ▁largely ▁influenced ▁by ▁the ▁success ▁and ▁less ons ▁learned ▁from ▁an ▁earlier , ▁smaller ▁vehicle ▁called ▁the ▁Toy ota ▁Public a , ▁which ▁used ▁an ▁air - co o led ▁two - cy l inder , ▁box er - style ▁engine , ▁inspired ▁by ▁the ▁Cit ro ën ▁ 2 CV . ▁The ▁deal ership ▁that ▁was ▁named ▁after ▁the ▁Cor ol la ▁in ▁Japan ▁was ▁previously ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁Toy ota ▁Public ▁Store , ▁to ▁sell ▁the ▁Public a . ▁ ▁Design ▁The ▁initial ▁car , ▁the ▁K E 1 x ▁series ▁was ▁small , ▁with ▁a ▁ 9 0   in ▁( 2 2 8 6   mm ) ▁wheel base . ▁The ▁transmission ▁was ▁by ▁a ▁four - speed ▁floor ▁shift ▁manual ▁transmission ▁or ▁a ▁two - speed ▁floor ▁or ▁column ▁shift ▁automatic ▁transmission , ▁with ▁rear ▁wheel ▁drive . ▁At ▁the ▁time , ▁floor ▁shift ▁transm issions ▁were ▁considered ▁only ▁for ▁tr uck