In keeping with the Japanese Brand’s Kaizen philosophy, Toyota’s return to sports car production in Japan created the opportunity for engineers to improve production processes that are specific to GR Yaris.
Toyota Gazoo Racing (TGR) took the opportunity to create what it calls the ‘GR factory’, a facility dedicated to the production of GR sports cars. The plant comprises several separate assembly cells, connected by automatically guided vehicles (AGVs) and includes new assembly lines.
These processes have enabled the production of bodies with high rigidity – essential for sports cars – and guarantee assembly with superior precision – both difficult to achieve in large volume production lines.
True to its conviction of people development, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing brought together highly qualified technicians from all over Toyota in this factory. Known as ‘Takumi’, these experienced team members are well known for their exceptional craftsmanship skills and unremitting pursuit of perfection. This new TGR plant is also used for the technical and quality training of employees at other Toyota production plants.
Born of the WRC, the GR Yaris is a unique sports car with a specific three-door body, a dedicated platform and uses aluminum in various areas of the body to lower the center of gravity and weight (weighing just 1,280 kg).
Powered by a new, lightweight 1.6-liter Turbo engine with 261hp, it accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.2 seconds and reaches a top speed of 230km/h.
After the successful launch of online reservations in Portugal in July 2020, the first deliveries are scheduled for late 2020/early 2021.
