Friday, 4 February 2011

Hino


Hino Motors, Ltd. (日野自動車株式会社, Hino Jidōsha, TYO: 7205 ), commonly known as simply Hino, is a manufacturer of diesel trucks, buses, and other vehicles, based in Hino, Tokyo, Japan. Since 1973 the company has been the leading producer of medium and heavy-duty diesel trucks in Japan. It is a subsidiary of Toyota Motor Corporation.

History
The company traces its roots back to the founding of Tokyo Gas Industry Company in 1910. In 1910 Chiyoda Gas Co. was established and competed fiercely against incumbent Tokyo Gas Company fighting for gas lighting users. Tokyo Gas Industry was a parts supplier for Chiyoda Gas but it was defeated and merged into Tokyo Gas in 1912. Losing her largest client, Tokyo Gas Industry Co. broadened their product line including electronic parts, and renamed herself as Tokyo Gas and Electric Industry(東京瓦斯電気工業), TG&E and was often abbreviated as Gasuden. It produced its first motor vehicle in 1917, the Model TGE "A-Type" truck. In 1937, TG&E merged its automobile division with that of Automobile Industry Co., Ltd. and Kyodo Kokusan K.K., to form Tokyo Automobile Industry Co., Ltd., with TG&E as a shareholder. Four years later, the company changed its name to Diesel Motor Industry Co., Ltd., which would eventually become Isuzu Motors Limited.
The following year (1942), the new entity of Hino Heavy Industry Co., Ltd. spun itself out from Diesel Motor Industry Co., Ltd., and the Hino name was born. Following the end of World War II, the company had to stop producing large diesel engines for marine applications, and with the signing of the treaty, the company dropped the "Heavy" from its name and formally concentrated on the heavy-duty trailer-trucks, buses and diesel engines markets, as Hino Industry Co., Ltd. The company took its name from the location of its headquarters in Hino (日野市, Hino-shi?) city within Tokyo prefecture.
To sharpen its marketing focus to customers, in 1948, the company added the name "Diesel" to become Hino Diesel Industry Co., Ltd.
In 1953, Hino entered the private car market, by manufacturing Renaults under licence, and in 1961 it started building its own Contessa 900 sedan with an 893cc rear-mounted engine. The Italian stylist Giovanni Michelotti redesigned the Contessa line in 1964 with a 1300cc rear-mounted engine. Fed by two SU type carburettors, this developed 60 hp (44 kW) in the sedan and 70 hp (51 kW) in the coupé version. However, Hino ceased private car production very quickly in 1967 after joining the Toyota group.
Hino Trucks are also assembled in The Republic of Ireland by J Harris on the Naas/Nangor Roads.

Products
Trucks
Ford N Series trucks (sold 1980-1998 in Oceania) These were badge-engineered Hino Ranger models.
Profia (previously Super Dolphin Profia), sold as Hino 700 for export - heavy duty truck
Bonneted medium truck (for North America) - coded Hino 600.
Dutro - light truck, hybrid vehicle version available, sold as Hino 300.
Ranger 2 FA, FB, FC - light trucks replaced by Dutro.
Ranger - also sold as Hino 500, medium to heavy truck
The Ranger KL was first introduced in 1969
The 2nd generation was launched in 1980
The 3rd generation of 1989 is called Rising Ranger and Cruising Ranger.
The latest 4th generation (Ranger Pro) came in 2002, Hybrid vehicle version available.
The first generation Ranger KL spawned into KM, KR, and other variants. In Australia.
Hino has competed in the Dakar Rally since 1991 with a Ranger FT 4WD truck driven by the Japanese rally driver, Yoshimasa Sugawara. Hino has always finished in the Top 10 in the Camion Category, and 1-2-3 overall in the 1997 event.
155 Class 4 - light duty truck
165 Class 4 - medium duty truck
185 Class 5 - medium duty truck
258 Class 6 - medium duty truck
268 Class 6 - medium duty truck
338 Class 7 - heavy duty truck
358 Class 7 - heavy duty truck
Hino also sells the European truck Scania R420 in Japan, into an agreement with the Swedish brand.

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