Latest news with #CorollaGR
Miami Herald
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Miami Herald
Toyota moves production of popular US sedan to Britain
President Donald Trump made tariffs the focal point of his administration's economic policy during the first year of his second non-consecutive term in office. Although the duties have been unpredictable and unpopular with much of the business community, they have not been issued entirely unilaterally. Ford CEO Jim Farley recently praised the administration for listening to him and other industry leaders while crafting its tariff policies. Multiple changes have been made to the 25% vehicle tariffs announced earlier this year. Related: Detroit automakers warn UK trade deal will hurt US auto industry Weeks ago, the administration softened the tariff impact through an executive order that provides auto companies with credits for up to 15% of the value of vehicles assembled domestically. However, on May 2, days after that executive order was signed, the 25% import tax on engines, transmissions, and other car parts went into effect. The tariff war has forced domestic and foreign automakers to reevaluate their supply chains and processes. Foreign automakers with strong sales and production presence in the States have an especially rough road to navigate. Japan exports about $41 billion of cars to the U.S. annually, so a 25% tariff is a big deal. Japanese automaker Toyota just made a decision that could save it from import taxes over the long run. Image source: MercurySable99, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons Toyota (TM) has 14 factories located in the United States that employ over 32,000 people. Toyota sold over 2.3 million vehicles in the U.S. last year, a 3.7% year-over-year increase. Between April 2024 and March 2025, the company built 1.96 million units in the U.S., according to Statista. So despite a U.S. production capacity that can handle nearly 2 million vehicles a year, Toyota still ships in nearly half a million vehicles from overseas to sell in the U.S. The Corolla GR is one of them. The high-performance car is currently built in Japan and exported to the North American market, where it is growing in popularity. In fact, Toyota hasn't been able to keep up with demand. Related: UK trade deal gives car buyers a glimpse of what the future holds To meet demand, Toyota will set up a production line at its Burnaston plant in Derbyshire, England to produce 10,000 annually to be exported to the U.S. Britain just so happens to be the first major trading partner to come to terms with the U.S. on a trade deal. In early May, the U.S. reached a deal with the UK that would lower the tariffs on most of the staples the company exports to America. Cars accounted for about 5% of the UK's total exports to the U.S. in 2024, making automotive the largest UK export to the States. In 2024, the UK exported £9.0 billion ($12 billion) worth of cars to the U.S., accounting for 24.7% of the country's total car exports. The U.S. is Britain's top trade partner in the car sector, with the country shipping 102,000 vehicles to U.S. shores last year, according to AutoShippers. Despite the clear advantage of shipping the vehicles from Britain thanks to the new tariff situation, Toyota insists it isn't moving production of the Corolla GR to Britain for this reason, according to Reuters. The move is said to have nothing to do with tariffs. Toyota plans to spend big in order to make the UK plant ready. The company plans to invest 8 billion yen ($56 million) to prepare the plant for showtime. The Burnaston facility reportedly has experienced a decline in production since Brexit, and because it already produces the base model of the GR, the Corolla hatchback, it was a natural choice for this project, Reuters sources said. More Automotive news: Ford could take drastic measures to combat tariffs, leaked memo saysTesla quietly kills model it teased just last year, for nowForget tariffs; used car buyers have another reason to worry about prices Also, Toyota plants in the U.S. are running at full capacity, making it difficult to move production Stateside. Toyota will bring Japanese engineers over to the UK to share expertise with the workers there. The plan is to reach the 10,000 vehicle annual run rate by the middle of 2026. Toyota currently makes the GR at the Motomachi plant in Toyota City. Production at the plant is already at full capacity. The line produced 25,000 cars last year, 8,000 of which were GR Corollas. Related: Car dealers are worried, and it could be great news for car buyers The Arena Media Brands, LLC THESTREET is a registered trademark of TheStreet, Inc.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Time of India
Toyota to move some GR Corolla production to Britain, sources say
Toyota is moving some production of its GR Corolla sports car to Britain and will spend around $56 million on a dedicated line there to build exports for North America, according to two people with knowledge of the matter. By shifting some production from Japan, Toyota aims to use excess capacity in Britain to help it cut delivery wait times for the car, said the people, who spoke on condition of anonymity. The move was not in reaction to US President Donald Trump 's tariffs on automobile imports, they said. The Trump administration agreed this month to reduce tariffs on auto imports from Britain to 10% on up to 100,000 vehicles a year. Japan is seeking to have repealed the 25% tariffs that the US has imposed on all auto imports. For global automakers, the tariffs mean an additional challenge on top of differing emissions standards, and customer demands, across major markets. Toyota produces the GR Corolla in Japan for the Japanese market and for export to North America and other markets. But it hasn't been able to keep up with North American demand, given keen interest in the gasoline-powered car from engine enthusiasts, the people said. It will set up a production line at the Burnaston plant in Derbyshire and invest around 8 billion yen ($56 million) to produce 10,000 cars annually for export to North America from the middle of 2026, according to the people. Burnaston began operations in 1992 and possesses advanced production technology. It has suffered a decline in production since Brexit, said the people. The plant already produces the Corolla GR's base model, the Corolla hatchback, making it a natural choice, one of the people said. Engineers will be temporarily dispatched from Japan to share production technology and other expertise, the people said. In response to Reuters questions, Toyota said it was always looking for ways to optimise production. The report was not something the company had publicly announced, it said. HIGH-PERFORMANCE CAR The GR Corolla is one of three high-performance vehicles built on a dedicated line at the Motomachi Plant in Toyota City, where production is already at full capacity, the people said. Around 25,000 cars were produced on the line last year, with GR Corollas accounting for 8,000 of those. Toyota's US plants are also dealing with strong demand for hybrids and other vehicles, making it difficult for the automaker to shift production there, the people said. Whether exporting from Japan or Britain, Toyota plans to absorb any cost increases from tariffs through cost-cutting and other measures and will not raise prices, the people said. The GR series, which includes the GR Corolla and the GR Yaris, is a brand born out of Chairman Akio Toyoda's well-known love of racing and includes technology from motorsports in commercial cars. The price of the GR Corolla is around 6 million yen, or twice that of the standard model. While more customers move to electric and hybrid cars, sports cars still have a die-hard band of followers. While sales are not large in terms of numbers, the cars themselves are higher-margin, said one of the people. The GR series requires more time and effort to produce than a standard model because of the many manual processes involved and takes several months to be delivered to North America. After the transfer of the North America-bound production to Britain, the Motomachi plant will continue to produce vehicles for Japan and for other overseas markets, the people said.
RTÉ News
3 days ago
- Automotive
- RTÉ News
Toyota to move some GR Corolla production to Britain, sources say
Toyota is moving some production of its GR Corolla sports car to Britain and will spend around $56m on a dedicated line there to build exports for North America, according to two people with knowledge of the matter. By shifting some production from Japan, Toyota aims to use excess capacity in Britain to help it cut delivery wait times for the car, said the people, who spoke on condition of anonymity. The move was not in reaction to US President Donald Trump's tariffs on automobile imports, they said. The Trump administration agreed this month to reduce tariffs on auto imports from Britain to 10% on up to 100,000 vehicles a year. Japan is seeking to have repealed the 25% tariffs that the US has imposed on all auto imports. For global automakers, the tariffs mean an additional challenge on top of differing emissions standards, and customer demands, across major markets. Toyota produces the GR Corolla in Japan for the Japanese market and for export to North America and other markets. But it has not been able to keep up with North American demand, given keen interest in the gasoline-powered car from engine enthusiasts, the people said. It will set up a production line at the Burnaston plant in Derbyshire and invest around 8 billion yen ($56m) to produce 10,000 cars annually for export to North America from the middle of 2026, according to the people. Burnaston began operations in 1992 and possesses advanced production technology. It has suffered a decline in production since Brexit, the sources said. The plant already produces the Corolla GR's base model, the Corolla hatchback, making it a natural choice, one of the people said. Engineers will be temporarily dispatched from Japan to share production technology and other expertise, the people said. In response to Reuters questions, Toyota said it was always looking for ways to optimise production. The report was not something the company had publicly announced, it said. The GR Corolla is one of three high-performance vehicles built on a dedicated line at the Motomachi Plant in Toyota City, where production is already at full capacity, the people said. Around 25,000 cars were produced on the line last year, with GR Corollas accounting for 8,000 of those. Toyota's US plants are also dealing with strong demand for hybrids and other vehicles, making it difficult for the automaker to shift production there, the people said. Whether exporting from Japan or Britain, Toyota plans to absorb any cost increases from tariffs through cost-cutting and other measures and will not raise prices, the people said. The GR series, which includes the GR Corolla and the GR Yaris, is a brand born out of Chairman Akio Toyoda's well-known love of racing and includes technology from motorsports in commercial cars. The price of the GR Corolla is around 6 million yen, or twice that of the standard model. While more customers move to electric and hybrid cars, sports cars still have a die-hard band of followers. While sales are not large in terms of numbers, the cars themselves are higher-margin, said one of the people. The GR series requires more time and effort to produce than a standard model because of the many manual processes involved and takes several months to be delivered to North America. After the transfer of the North America-bound production to Britain, the Motomachi plant will continue to produce vehicles for Japan and for other overseas markets, the people said.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Toyota to shift GR Corolla production to Britain
Toyota is set to relocate part of its GR Corolla sports car production to Britain, with plans to invest approximately $56m in a dedicated production line, reported Reuters, citing two people with knowledge of the matter. This strategic shift aims to utilise excess capacity in Britain to reduce delivery wait times for the GR Corolla, a move not influenced by US tariffs. The decision comes amidst the backdrop of the Trump administration's recent agreement to lower tariffs on auto imports from Britain to 10% for up to 100,000 vehicles annually. Meanwhile, Japan seeks to repeal the 25% tariffs imposed on all auto imports by the US, presenting an additional challenge for global automakers. Currently, Toyota manufactures the GR Corolla in Japan for both domestic and international markets, including North America. However, the high demand from engine enthusiasts in North America has outpaced supply. To address this, Toyota will reportedly establish a production line at its Burnaston plant in Derbyshire to produce 10,000 units annually from mid-2026. The Burnaston plant, operational since 1992, has experienced a production decline post-Brexit. It already produces the Corolla GR's base model, making it a suitable choice for the new production line. Engineers from Japan will temporarily assist in transferring production technology and expertise. In response to inquiries, Toyota stated it continuously seeks ways to optimise production, though it has not publicly confirmed this report. The GR Corolla is one of three high-performance vehicles produced at Toyota's Motomachi Plant, which is currently operating at full capacity. Last year, the Motomachi Plant produced around 25,000 cars, including 8,000 GR Corollas. Toyota's US facilities are also focused on meeting the demand for hybrids and other vehicles, limiting the possibility of shifting GR Corolla production there. Toyota plans to absorb any cost increases from tariffs through cost-cutting measures, ensuring prices remain stable. The GR series, inspired by Chairman Akio Toyoda's passion for racing, integrates motorsport technology into commercial vehicles. While the GR series' sales volume is modest, the vehicles offer higher margins due to their intricate production processes. The transfer of North America-bound production to Britain could allow the Motomachi plant to focus on vehicles for Japan and other markets. "Toyota to shift GR Corolla production to Britain – report" was originally created and published by Just Auto, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site.
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Business Standard
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Business Standard
Toyota to shift some GR Corolla production to UK, eyes faster US deliveries
Toyota plans to move some production of its GR Corolla sports car to Britain and will spend around $56 million on a dedicated line there to build exports for North America, according to two people familiar with the matter. By shifting some production from Japan, Toyota aims to use excess capacity in Britain to help it cut delivery wait times for the car, said the people, who spoke on condition of anonymity. The move was not in reaction to President Donald Trump's tariffs on automobile imports, they said. The Trump administration agreed this month to cut tariffs on auto imports from Britain to 10 per cent for up to 100,000 vehicles a year. Japan, which has been hit with 25 per cent auto tariffs, is seeking to have them repealed. Toyota produces the GR Corolla in Japan for the Japanese market and for export to North America and other markets. But it hasn't been able to keep up with North American demand, given keen interest in the gasoline-powered car from engine enthusiasts, the people said. It will set up a production line at the Burnaston plant in Derbyshire and invest around 8 billion yen ($56 million) to produce 10,000 cars annually for export to North America from the middle of 2026, according to the people. Burnaston began operations in 1992 and possesses advanced production technology. It has suffered a decline in production since Brexit, said the people. The plant already produces the Corolla GR's base model, the Corolla hatchback, making it a natural choice, one of the people said. Engineers will be temporarily dispatched from Japan to share production technology and other expertise, the people said. In response to Reuters questions, Toyota said it was always looking for ways to optimise production. The report was not something the company had publicly announced, it said.
