There was to persuade it to look at Honda

We will not say at what point we believe becoming world number one. "Day or special event, Toyota does not seem arrogant. Low skilled in the effects of advertisement, the centre of the Japan company wishes to have the modest success, not probably irritate. By superstition also. As if she was afraid that the logical extension of a first place is down in the ranking. "An important part of my job is to avoid that Toyota is prisoner of its own success," liked to remind Hiroshi Okuda, the pattern of the group, at the end of the 1990s. Two Presidents later, the first Japanese automaker does not appear close to slow down. On the contrary. In 2010, it is not sell less than 10.3 million cars ( 3 million compared to 2005), with notably a doubling of sales in Asia and an increase of 35, 3.3 million units in North America. Profits in addition to the volumes. Toyota just announced 1.372,2 billion yen in profits (EUR 9.5 billion), the record in the Japan for the fiscal year 2005-2006. Where many companies displayed their turnover, the Group of Toyota City plate its net result. Secret of this performance: opportunities seized at the right time.

When the 1998 crisis undermines the Japanese automotive world, Toyota is two thirds of its Asian activities falling fi and takes advantage of air hole to accelerate its March towards globalization. "All the reasons to enhance the internationalization of the group including strengthening investment in Europe and the United States" must be taken into consideration, said Hiroshi Okuda. Less than ten years later, Toyota is to full of its American facilities. "They now have the critical size to benefit from economies of scale", note a banker. The same opportunity is found with the resumption of Daihatsu, a mark specialized in all cars. This segment represents today, all combined marks, one-third of registrations to the Japan.

Another asset of Toyota, is strongly marked by the family company culture. Even if the latter has less than 2 of the capital, she continues to reign over the group. "These are industrial peasants" in the noble sense of the term, say each, "family industrial capitalism", say others. Even today, Soichiro Toyoda, born in 1925, President of honour and grandson of the founder, remains highly respected in the business. He wanted with Toyota "contribute to the prosperity of the world" undeniably marked the spirits.

For large designs, Toyota embraced in. Today, the manufacturer wants to reconcile the automobile with the environment. Unable to bet on which it works but for ten years. Not without result. The research to limit the emissions of CO2 have led to the development of the Prius. The model launched in 1997 with a hybrid engine seems to have beautiful days before him in the United States. No matter that the model for the moment was sold to best 500,000. Experience, enhanced image clearly place the Japanese constructor in advance on its competitors.

Toyota is also a model of management for large patterns on the planet. There, near Nagoya, continues to focus on internal growth, to deny hostile takeover while highlighting each employee. Toyota has another feature, to train its employees very early in the spirit of the House. "It is between that very rarely in the Group careers." "Engineers are taken out of their school, and then gradually moulded Toyota standards", said a good connoisseur of the House. A slightly paternalistic practice that works much better that the group is always looking for improvements and so needs all the skills. Toyota raised the art of perfection in dogma. Its cars, as the group, have become synonymous with durability and quality.

A trend that still has confirmed a study on these themes led in the United States by the highly influential firm JD Power. Japanese is ranked number two with its Lexus, behind Porsche brand and fourth with Toyota. For suppliers, the Group's policy means that "the constructor will be validated product of hundreds of times there where its Japanese competitors is will be only a few dozen", explains an OEM.

If the company "don't like neither lost nor wasted", according to Christopher Richter, CLSA analyst (Credit Lyonnais Securities Asia), the inventor of the "kanban", the "just in time", shoot the detail up to standardize the time of the meetings. "They were reduced to forty minutes instead of an hour ago", says a businessman. Each therefore to adapt and to say the same thing in two-thirds of time.

On the highest step of the podium, Toyota remains not less vulnerable. One-third of its turnover and a good part of its profits are housed in the United States. Protectionist reactions, a slowdown in the US economy or simply a net inflation of the yen against the dollar, and beautiful mechanics could be binding. By taking the assets of Fuji Heavy Industries (FHI) to General Motors, the Japanese not only did Subaru into its fold. A look more closely, it could be now initiate a diversification. Subaru, is not only of the automobile, but also to aeronautics with FHI. Already involved in the manufacture of the Eclipse 500, a small six-passenger aircraft developed by Eclipse Aviation, Subaru American might be tempted to build his own plane. Toyota has certainly only a low experience in this sector. But has numerous advantages, technology including capable of serving the interests of aeronautics. There was to persuade it to look at Honda. The third Japanese manufacturer combines with General Electric to certification, production and marketing of engine for light aircraft (10 seats) for the secondary routes. A huge market with neighboring China. Toyota, which began in machines for weaving to continue in the car, could begin his third life. Putting wings on its cars.