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Toyota says president, chairman of scandal-hit Daihatsu unit to step down

TOKYO — Toyota Motor Corp said on Tuesday both the president and chairman of Daihatsu Motor will step down almost a year after the small-car unit said it had rigged collision safety-tests. The departures are among the most drastic changes Daihatsu has made so far, as Toyota seeks to return the brand to its roots as one of Japan's most iconic compact car makers. Toyota faces a potential hit to its reputation from the safety certification lapses at Daihatsu, as well as separate governance issues at truck maker Hino Motors and affiliate Toyota Industries. The scandals at the three companies triggered a rare apology of Toyota Chairman Akio Toyoda last month. In a statement, the world's top-selling automaker said its chief executive officer for the Latin America and Caribbean region, Masahiro Inoue, will replace Soichiro Okudaira as Daihatsu's president effective March 1. Daihatsu's chairman, Sunao Matsubayashi, will also step down and will not be replaced, Toyota added. The outgoing Okudaira had worked at Toyota for nearly four decades before becoming president of Daihatsu in 2017, a year after it became a wholly owned Toyota subsidiary. Toyota Chief Executive Koji Sato told reporters, however, that the organizational change at Daihatsu was not carried out as a punishment for the outgoing executives. In volume terms, Daihatsu accounted for 7% of Toyota's total group sales of 11.2 million vehicles in 2023, including those of the luxury Lexus brand and Hino Motors. Given the misconduct over the safety test certification applications, Daihatsu also will be removed from a commercial vehicle partnership known as the Commercial Japan Partnership Technologies (CJPT), the automaker said in a separate statement. The partnership was established in April 2021 by Toyota, Hino and Isuzu Motors to facilitate technology development for commercial vehicles. Suzuki Motor and Daihatsu joined in July the same year. Daihatsu's 10% equity stake in the partnership will be transferred to Toyota, the statement said. (Reporting by Daniel Leussink and Satoshi Sugiyama; Editing by Kim Coghill & Shri Navaratnam and Miral Fahmy) Government/Legal Hirings/Firings/Layoffs Plants/Manufacturing Toyota Daihatsu

Fascinating if true: Toyota GR 86 could spawn Lexus variant

Neither the Toyota GR 86 or its Subaru BRZ platform twin are out yet, but there are already whispers of a third variant for the lightweight sports coupe. Japanese media are reporting that the GR 86 will spawn a Lexus variant, and that there's already a name for it, the Lexus UC. According to Japanese site Spyder7, the UC will stand for Urban Coupe, fitting in nicely with the Lexus UX nomenclature. It might measure slightly larger than the GR 86. The upcoming GR 86 has a length of 168 inches, but the report says the the Lexus UC could be almost a foot longer, with a total length of about 177 inches. That doesn't mean there will be any more interior room. The extra length will likely come from a heavily redesigned front and rear fascia, much more different than the GR 86 and BRZ are from each other. Lexus Enthusiast has a spy shot of the vehicle allegedly undergoing testing. The car in the photo wears a version of Lexus's trademark spindle grille. Meanwhile, Creative Trend reports that the UC's 2.4-liter boxer engine could be mated to a plug-in hybrid powertrain. Subaru does not currently have a PHEV system attached to that engine. The Crosstrek PHEV uses a 2.0-liter engine for its gasoline half, so if these rumors prove correct it would be a first for the 2.4-liter. The report also states that the interior might take on the new Lexus interface that debuted recently with the NX. That would differentiate the Lexus even more from the Toyobaru twins, which have almost identical cabins. While all of this still resides in the realm of rumor, Toyota did make one official announcement regarding the GR 86. It will make its driving debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, where the GR Supra made a similar appearance in 2018. We'll be looking for it when the event opens July 8. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Toyota investing $1 billion in Mexico plant

Toyota has announced plans to build a new factory in Mexico. The site, to be located in the state of Guanajuato, is set to open in 2019 following an investment of about $1 billion. The plant will be the first to make use of the Toyota New Global Architecture, and will (at least initially) focus on production of the Corolla. The compact sedan will continue being built in the United States at the Blue Springs, MS, site, consolidating Corolla production in the south. However Toyota's site in Ontario, Canada, will shift to "mid-sized vehicles of higher value," alongside the plants in Kentucky and Indiana, the automaker said. The Guanajuato site will be Toyota's second Mexican plant, joining the Tijuana plant that assembles the Tacoma – soon to ramp up to 89,000 units per year. Once the new Guanajuato plant comes on full steam, it is slated to produce around 200,000 units per year. It'll be the first site Toyota will open worldwide since it began focusing on utilizing the production capacity it already has. With 90 percent of its production capacity now in use, the Japanese auto giant is also planning to broaden its joint venture with Guangzhou in China as well. Toyota Invests in Competitive Plants - Emphasis on Sustainable Growth Strategy - New plant in Mexico and expansion of its GTMC joint venture in China Toyota City, Japan, April 15, 2015 - Toyota announced today that it will build a new plant in Mexico and expand its joint venture, Guangzhou Toyota Motor Co., Ltd. (GTMC), in China. These investments are grounded on its plans to construct production lines that are more competitive, with greatly reduced initial investment, improved efficiency, flexibility, environmental performance and safety. These "simple and slim" production lines can be easily lengthened or shortened depending on demand. Over-head conveyance devices are eliminated, compact equipment is installed on top of the plant floors, and paint-booths are smaller. The new plant in Mexico and the expansion in China will be designed to accelerate innovation by implementing these new technologies into real production lines. With today's announcement, Akio Toyoda, President of Toyota Motor Corporation said "This investment represents our long-held principles of continuous improvement and challenging ourselves to always do better. An increase in production does not mean an undisciplined pursuit of more. Toyota's expansion must be driven by providing ever-better-cars and our talented people.