Toyota · Estima

Toyota Estima 1st generation (TCR10/11W/TCR20/21W)

Years: 1990–2000
Chassis: TCR10/11W/TCR20/21W
Drivetrain: MR / 4WD

Story

By laying the engine 75 degrees on its side to flatten the floor, it adopted an underfloor midship layout that had no equal anywhere in the world at the time.

Stories

Not laid down, but a low-profile engine

As chief engineer of the Estima, Shiomi proposed mounting a downsized engine tilted at 75 degrees to fit it under the floor. When it was called a "laid-down engine" during development, people teased that he was trying to bring Toyota down, so from then on he called it a "low-profile engine" and pressed on. The first Estima was called Toyota's "genius egg" and won many awards, including Car of the Year.

Masanao Shiomi

Chassis

Front

Strut

Rear

Double wishbone

Rigid axle

Curb weight: 1,680-1,900kg

Production plants

Toyota Auto Body Fujimatsu Plant
Kariya, Aichi

US import eligibility

Earliest cars: Eligible since May 201525 years after sales began in May 1990
Last cars: Eligible since 202525 years after sales ended in 2000 (month not recorded)

Eligibility depends on each car's month of manufacture on its build plate, not on the sale dates shown here (NHTSA).

Japanese cars by US import year →

Engineers

Masanao Shiomi

Hometown: Fukuchiyama, Kyoto Prefecture

Chief engineer (CE) of the first-generation Estima. After serving as chief engineer of the TownAce, he became chief engineer of the Estima. Setting out the concept of "space efficiency on a par with a full cab-over", he proposed mounting the engine tilted at 75 degrees so that it could be stowed under the floor. As managing director and head of the Third Development Center, he set up a new EV development division and pursued research into environmental technologies such as hybrid vehicles and fuel cell vehicles. He is known as "the driving force behind environmental Toyota".