Hino is recognising its rich history and the milestone of 50 years of sales in the Australian market with a commemorative badge for all new trucks and buses sold during the celebration period.
The 50th Anniversary badge combines the designs of Hino badges from the past with newer styling elements to represent the present and future.
According to Hino Truck and Buses Australia, the commemorative badge represents the variety of badges Hino trucks and buses have worn over the past 50 years while they endeared themselves to Australians with their quality, durability and reliability.
"Over the history of Hino in Australia, Hino trucks and badges have worn a Hino script, the 'wings', some exclusive Australia-only badges, followed by the current initial-H badge," said Steve Lotter, Hino Australia Chairman and CEO.
The first known Hino bus in Australia, which arrived in 1965 and went into service with the Ace Bus Service in Tasmania, wore a variation of the Hino wings featuring the script 'Freighter Hino'. The inclusion of Freighter on the badge represents the bus' body builder.
"This bus was likely to have come to Australia via New Zealand, and served on the road until 1998 in Tasmania," Mr Lotter said.
An Australia-only combination of the Hino script in capitals and a small Hino 'H' badge was used on a number of early models which helped the brand gain popularity.
"This was used on the KL 300 - a distant relative of the current 500 Series which arrived here in the early 1970s," Mr Lotter said.
The Hino wings were used on later versions of the KL, and the FD Series of 1982.
"The FD was the first model to use Hino's highly successful red-painted engine, and the vehicle really was the making of Hino in Australia with its 160hp engine and improved reliability and driveability," Mr Lotter said.
The early 1990s saw a number of badges which were only used on Australian market trucks. Named the 'Birds of Prey Series', the Hino line-up wore badges named Hawk, Super Hawk, Harrier, Raven, Kestrel, Osprey, Griffon, Shrike and Super Eagle - which were placed next to the Hino wings.
The current initial-H badge has been used in the Australian market since 1996 - a year after the formation of Hino Motor Sales Australia.
The badge, which came with the arrival of the Ranger series, is said to be a "stylistic depiction of a sunrise on the horizon" according to Hino Motors Limited.
The Hino badge, along with their product line, had gone through a number of evolutions prior to the brand's arrival in Australia.
The company's vehicle manufacturing development began in 1917 with the 'A-Type' truck - when the company was known as the Tokyo Gas and Electric Industry.
The 50th Anniversary commemorative badges will feature on all 300, 500 and 700 Series models sold until the end of the year.