Skoda Auto vs Toyota: Founders, CEOs and History

Company facts

Founders

CEOs and their tenures

Timeline: Skoda Auto and Toyota side by side

1. 1895Skoda Auto

   Laurin & Klement Founded in Mlada Boleslav: Vaclav Laurin and Vaclav Klement established their partnership to manufacture Slavia bicycles after a dispute with a German bicycle maker.

2. 1899Skoda Auto

   First Motorized Bicycle Produced: Introduced the Slavia Type A and B motorcycles, achieving widespread acclaim in international road racing competitions.

3. 1905Skoda Auto

   Launch of Voiturette Type A Motorcar: Unveiled its first automobile, the Voiturette A, featuring a 1.0-liter V-twin engine and establishing the company as an automotive pioneer.

4. 1925Skoda Auto

   Merger with Skoda Works: Following a major fire at the Mlada Boleslav factory, merged with Akciova spolecnost, drive Skodovy zavody v Plzni and adopted the winged arrow logo.

5. 1934Skoda Auto

   Introduction of the Original Superb and Popular: Pioneered backbone chassis technology with the Skoda Popular, driving democratic motorization across Central Europe.

6. 1937Toyota

   Toyota Motor Corporation incorporated

   Toyota Motor Corporation was incorporated after Kiichiro Toyoda expanded the Toyoda family business from automatic looms into automobile manufacturing.

7. 1955Toyota

   Toyopet Crown launched

   The Toyopet Crown gave Toyota a postwar passenger-car platform and later became its first passenger car exported to the United States.

8. 1966Toyota

   Corolla launched

   Toyota launched the Corolla, a compact car that became central to its mass-market export strategy.

9. 1989Toyota

   Lexus launches

   Toyota launched Lexus with the LS 400, moving into premium vehicles with a quality-led strategy.

10. 1991Skoda Auto

    Volkswagen AG Acquisition Commences: Volkswagen acquired an initial 31% stake following the fall of communism, modernizing factories and initiating a complete brand rebirth.

11. 1996Skoda Auto

    First Modern Octavia Debuts: Built on the shared VW Golf platform, the modern Octavia launched to international acclaim for unbeatable interior volume and value.

12. 1997Toyota

    Prius launches in Japan

    Toyota launched the Prius, turning hybrid technology into a mass-produced passenger vehicle.

13. 2000Skoda Auto

    Wholly Owned Subsidiary of Volkswagen Group: Volkswagen AG finalized the purchase of 100% of Skoda Auto shares, completing its corporate integration.

14. 2008Toyota

    Largest Carmaker by Sales

    Toyota passed General Motors in 2008 to become the largest carmaker in the world by sales.

15. 2009Toyota

    Unintended Acceleration Recalls

    Toyota recalled millions of vehicles from late 2009 over floor mats and accelerator pedals linked to unintended acceleration.

16. 2016Skoda Auto

    SUV Offensive Launched with Kodiaq: Introduced the Kodiaq 7-seater SUV, kickstarting a global SUV expansion that grew to encompass the Karoq and Kamiq.

17. 2016Toyota

    Acquired Daihatsu Motor Co., Ltd.

    Toyota Motor acquired Daihatsu Motor Co., Ltd..

18. 2020Skoda Auto

    All-Electric Enyaq iV Launch: Debuted the first dedicated electric vehicle on Volkswagen's MEB platform, becoming one of Europe's top-selling electric SUVs.

19. 2021Toyota

    Acquired Lyft Level 5

    Toyota Motor acquired Lyft Level 5 for $550 million.

20. 2021Toyota

    Acquired CARMERA

    Toyota Motor acquired CARMERA.

21. 2022Skoda Auto

    Klaus Zellmer Appointed CEO & Modern Solid Rebrand: Klaus Zellmer became CEO on 1 July 2022; Skoda later introduced its Modern Solid design language.

22. 2025Skoda Auto

    Record ~$34B (€30.1B) Revenue and 1 Million+ Deliveries: Posted record revenue of ~$34 billion (€30.1 billion), operating profit of ~$2.82 billion (€2.5 billion) (8.3% return on sales) and 1,043,900 d…

23. 2026Skoda Auto

    Epiq and Peaq Launch; Zellmer Departs: Doubled the BEV line-up with the Epiq and Peaq, reached second place in European registrations in H1 2026, and announced CEO Klaus Zellmer's exit; CFO Holger Pet…

24. 2026Toyota

    Kenta Kon becomes president and CEO

    Kenta Kon became president and CEO on April 1, 2026, while Koji Sato moved to vice chairman and chief industry officer.

25. 2026Toyota

    FY2026 sales revenues reach ~$340B (JPY 50.685T)

    Toyota reported FY2026 sales revenues of ~$340 billion (JPY 50,684.952 billion) and net income attributable to Toyota Motor Corporation of ~$25.8 billion (JPY 3,848.098 billion).

Acquisitions

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