Toyota's decision to build its GR Corolla in England is a strategic move that showcases the company's commitment to innovation and quality. The UK plant, Toyota Motor Manufacturing UK (TMMUK), is a testament to the company's dedication to producing its halo products with the utmost precision and care. The GR Corolla, a victim of its own success, required a dedicated production line and staff, which TMMUK provided.
The production process at TMMUK is a marvel of efficiency and craftsmanship. With a production line that operates at 98.6% uptime, the factory ensures that each Corolla is built with meticulous attention to detail. The use of Kaizen, a Japanese philosophy of continuous improvement, is evident throughout the facility. From worker safety briefings called Dojos to the celebration of Kaizens, the factory embodies the spirit of Japanese working methods.
The GR Corolla line, however, is a different beast. It takes up only a third of the space of the regular Corolla line and relies heavily on human hands. The process is shockingly manual, with each station performing multiple tasks in 22 minutes, compared to the 89 seconds of the regular line. The workers, who are trained for months on the regular line, are hand-chosen for the GR Corolla production. Their passion and pride in building the GR Corolla are palpable, and they are entrusted with the responsibility of producing a high-quality product.
The UK plant's production process is modeled after Motomachi, Toyota's crown jewel of production. However, the UK plant has developed its own unique methods to optimize the GR Corolla's production. The result is a product that is as good or better than the Motomachi-built cars, with some whispers suggesting that the UK-built cars feel slightly better.
The GR Corolla's production in the UK is a testament to Toyota's commitment to quality and innovation. The company's choice of the UK as the spiritual home of motorsport highlights its understanding of the market's demands. While not all GR Corollas will be built in the UK, the plant's production process and dedication to precision and care ensure that the GR Corolla remains a symbol of Toyota's excellence.
