The Toyota Publica was a small car manufactured by Toyota from 1961 to 1978, serving as a family car to meet Japan’s “national car concept” requirements. It was the smallest Toyota during its production, succeeded by the Toyota Starlet which initially derived from the Publica. The Publica was available only as a 2-door vehicle but offered in various body styles including sedan, station wagon, convertible, coupé, and coupe-utility (pickup), with the latter model outlasting the rest by a decade. The success of the Publica also led to the creation of other Toyota models like the Sports 800 and MiniAce.

The concept of the Toyota Publica was influenced by Japan’s Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) “national car” initiative announced in 1955. This initiative set requirements for a vehicle with specific criteria such as a maximum speed of over 100 km/h, weight below 400 kg, fuel consumption not exceeding 30 km/L, and a durability standard of not requiring significant repairs for at least 100,000 kilometers.

Key Points:
– The Toyota Publica was a small car produced by Toyota from 1961 to 1978.
– It was designed to meet Japan’s “national car concept” requirements and was the smallest Toyota car during that time.
– The Publica was available in various body styles including sedan, station wagon, convertible, coupé, and coupe-utility.
– The car’s development was influenced

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