Four Vehicles, One Bet

It began with four Toyota BJ all-terrain vehicles imported into Saudi Arabia in the early 1950s. The late Abdul Latif Jameel, founder of the company, saw potential in a Japanese automaker that was then largely unknown in the Kingdom. After obtaining the official distribution rights in 1955, he imported ten Land Cruisers and sold five in the first year. The bet held.

Seventy years later, Abdul Latif Jameel Motors is one of the largest independent Toyota distributors in the world, with a relationship that has extended across North Africa, Turkey, China, and Japan — and the only non-Japanese Lexus or Toyota dealer in Japan.

A Gold Standard, Thirteen Years Running

Abdul Latif Jameel Motors has won Toyota’s Gold Award in the Distributor Award Program for 13 consecutive years, most recently in 2023. The award covers performance across sales, aftersales, and joint priority activities.

Hassan Jameel, Chairman of the Board of Managers of Abdul Latif Jameel Motors, said the streak reflects the team’s “passion for understanding the guests’ needs while meeting and exceeding their expectations.” He credited the kaizen culture — the same continuous improvement philosophy imported from Toyota decades ago — as the engine behind consistent performance.

More Than Distribution

The partnership has expanded well beyond vehicle sales. A joint public trial of Toyota’s hydrogen fuel cell bus technology ran in Yanbu earlier this year, testing zero-emission public transit in a live environment. Both companies have described the hydrogen collaboration as part of a longer-term commitment to clean mobility across Saudi Arabia.

Hassan has spoken about the relationship as foundational to how ALJ thinks about business: “We learned the Toyota way and absorbed the culture.” The family has sent team members on years-long exchanges to Japan since the 1960s, producing what he describes as “an unbelievable transformation” in the people who go through the program.

For a company that operates in more than 35 countries across six continents, the Toyota partnership remains its longest and most defining commercial relationship.