IT WAS 1967 and the whole profile of British motoring was about to embark on a massive change.

It did not happen with a bang but more of whimper when I was sent to look at a new car brand. A new name to challenge the list of the established favourites was quite unusual and this one came from Japan.

The car, a Toyota Corona, was there in all its glory in a rather bland, back street garage without the massive forecourts we associated with the established brands such as Vauxhall, Austin and Hillman.

At first sight the Corona looked very different from the norm. Its perky angular lines with a shovel nose and odd radiator grille certainly looked foreign compared to the comfort blanket designs we were used to, such as the solid Farina styles from BMC.

Its somewhat thin metal and oriental ambience suggested that it might not be a raceaway success as things Japanese in those days were not the norm.

I walked away thinking that it would not catch on against the seemingly massive opposition from home built brands, but how absolutely wrong can you be?

Its price, specification and reliability started to turn heads and the little Corona started to make the Toyota name in the UK, quite literally.

It was a relatively capable car too with a public demonstration of its capabilities on Japan's Meishin Expressway proving that it could easily top 87mph, but in Britain the 1.5 version was very much at home and could acquit itself well against home grown models.

For £777 you got self adjusting brakes, electric screen washers and dual speed heater blower in addition to four headlamps.

Suddenly the attention was swinging towards what was a very attractive package and that which at first glance appeared to be a bit of a joke showed signs of being a big name in the UK auto trade.

Shortly afterwards it was joined in the UK by the Corolla and the die was cast not only for a Japanese auto invasion by Toyota but also by Datsun, Daihatsu, Honda and other makes such as Mitsubishi, altering the profile of our retail motoring outlets for ever and offering an astonishing and well equipped choice to the British motorist.