IT never ceases to amaze how something relatively insignificant can have global consequences.

Such was the case in 1929 when a Japanese family by the name of Toyoda sold its patented loom technology to another family firm, Platt brothers of Oldham.

The deal helped to finance the Toyodas' new vehicle manufacturing enterprise and as they say the rest is history.

Toyota, now a world giant in car manufacturing is celebrating its 75th anniversary this month

The journey from the original Toyota AA through to today's advanced full hybrid technology has produced some of the world's most popular and successful cars.

At the same time Toyota has developed pioneering principles for business and manufacturing that have been adopted and adapted by businesses and organisations worldwide.

And it all may not have happened had it not been for that fateful deal with the Oldham company.

I count myself fortunate as starting my career at the same time as Toyota entered the UK. Indeed my very first car article was on the Toyota Corona which hit these shores in 1965.

Compared to the ever-so-British offerings from the likes of BMC and Rootes, the Corona seemed a bit quirky at the time with its inclined grille but it did have double headlamps and the famous Toyota attention to detail was there from the start.

And over the years I have driven just about everything Toyota has sent our way.

But my all time favourite has to be the fabulous Supra, a true GT which was a familiar sight in Britain in the 1980s and provided exceptional six-cylinder power with drop-dead-gorgeous looks - which was unusual for a Japanese car.

Even today its DNA is still alive and kicking with the new GT 86 sports car and there are rumblings that the Supra could be reborn in 2015 as a four-wheel-drive hybrid sports car.

The story began in 1979 with styling derived from the Celica. But the Supra was longer and wider. But in 1986 the Supra became a model in its own right and its fame spread throughout Toyota's export market.

It traces much of its roots back to that now highly collectible Bond car, the Toyota 200GT with its straight six engine.

And it was this type of engine combined with rear-wheel-drive that the UK loved. At a time when front-wheel drive seemed to be taking over the world the Supra was a step back to the classic days.

As an iconic sports car, the Supra has appeared in numerous video games, movies, music videos and TV shows and as such did much to boost the image of Japanese performance cars.

The car I remember best of all is the third generation Supra was introduced in May 1986.

The new Supra would continue to move upmarket and become a showcase for Toyota technology. The all new Supra was powered by a 3.0-litre DOHC inline six-cylinder engine rated at 200bhp.