Oldest surviving Toyota
Earlier this year, the Louwman Museum in Netherlands discovered the oldest surviving Toyota in the world. This was the very first production passenger car and the only known pre-War original that is known to the world today !!
Known as the AA, the car was released in the year 1936 after displaying the prototype in 1935. The design of the car seems inspired from the Chrysler Airflow. The car is on display in Louwman Museum.
The Museum director discovered this precious car in Russia, where a 25 year old Russian student had noticed a for sale ad in the newspaper. The car was actually advertised as the Chrysler Airflow because of the similar design, even the paperwork bore a wrong name but after much studying and exchange of details it was determined that the car was actually an AA.
And to the Museum director's surprise the car was being put on sale by the grandson of the farmer who had originally used this car as a workhouse on his land in Siberia since World War II.
After seven long months of talks , discussions and formalities, the Russian Ministry of Culture gave the go-ahead to take this car out of the country and now it possesses a place of pride in the Museum in Netherlands.
If you have an opportunity to see this car, what you would notice is the smell. THe smell of musty upholstery and oxidised metal. The car is not completely original and has undergone some modifications as expected but still it is a sight to behold.