Fifty years ago, on October 20, 1966, at a time when interest in cars was growing rapidly in Japan, Toyota unveiled the first-generation Corolla.

Toyota Motor Corporation was founded in 1937 with the goal of helping to develop the Japanese auto industry. Three decades later, the Corolla was born at a time of great interest in cars across Japan.

The 80 Point Doctrine +α Concept underpinned the development of the Corolla. This design concept stipulates that the car has to achieve 80 points on a 100-point scale on average, and some +α (extra) features were necessary to give the vehicle additional appeal, which would help exceed customers’ expectations. Over the past five decades, even as the Corolla has evolved over 11 generations, Toyota has consistently applied this understanding to models sold in Japan and around the world.

Born in Japan in 1966, the Corolla is now being produced in 13 countries, and over 1.3 million units are sold annually in more than 150 countries. With a record 44 million units sold globally to date, the Toyota Corolla has established itself as the world’s best-selling car of all-time.

Which generation is your favorite?