Tsukuba Roland
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~130 produced
| Tsukuba Roland | |
|---|---|
_front-left_Toyota_Automobile_Museum.jpg) | |
| Overview | |
| Manufacturer | Tōkyō Jidōsha Seizō KK |
| Also called | Tsukuba-go |
| Production | 1932–1938 ~130 produced |
| Body and chassis | |
| Class | small car |
| Body style | |
| Layout | FF layout |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine | 736 cc Meguro Seisakusho sv V4 |
| Transmission | 3-speed manual |
| Dimensions | |
| Wheelbase | 2,400 mm (94 in) |
| Length | 3,200 mm (126 in) |
| Width | 1,200 mm (47 in) |
| Height | 1,500 mm (59 in) |
| Kerb weight | ca. 500 kg (1,102 lb) |
The Tsukuba Roland (Japanese: 筑波 ローランド), sometimes referred to as the "Tsukuba-go", is a small, front-wheel drive saloon car produced by Tokyo Automobile Manufacturing KK (東京自動車製造KK, Tōkyō Jidōsha Seizō KK) in Japan between 1932 and 1938.[1] Tokyo Automobile Manufacturing outsourced most aspects of the production, including engine, chassis, and bodywork. It was Japan's first front-wheel drive automobile and the Tsukuba was even exported to China, which was under Japanese occupation at the time. However, the Sino-Japanese War also brought with it restrictions on raw materials and Tsukuba production came to a halt after only 130 examples had been built.[1] One example remains in the Toyota Automobile Museum.
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The car was designed by autodidact automotive engineer Kazuaki Kawamada.[2] Its layout was inspired by the american Cord L-29, but was considerably smaller. Unlike most of its contemporaries, the Tsukuba had independent suspension at all four wheels. The engine was an 736 cc V4.[3]. It was of a flathead design with 25 degrees between the cylinder banks and maximum output was 18 PS (13 kW) at about 4,000 rpm.[1] The engine was built by Meguro Seisakusho (目黒製作所), the chassis by Harajiro Body (腹白ボディ), and the body was by Press Kogyo (プレス工業).[1] In addition to the standard two-door, closed saloon (with fabric at the roof centre section), a two-door phaeton and a truck variant were also available.