Toyota Australia

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Toyota Motor Corporation Australia
Subsidiary
Industry Automotive
Founded 1958
Headquarters Port Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Key people
 Max Yasuda
President and Chief Executive Officer
Products Automobiles
Engines
Parent Toyota Motor Corporation
Slogan Oh what a feeling!
Website www.toyota.com.au

Toyota Motor Corporation Australia, known by its trading name Toyota Australia, is a subsidiary of Toyota Motor Corporation, which is based in Japan. TMCA markets Toyota products and manages motorsport, advertising and business operations for Toyota Motor Corporation in Australia. TMCA is also responsible for Lexus vehicles in Australia. The current head of TMCA is Max Yasuda and David Buttner is TMCA's senior executive director of sales and marketing. John Conomos is Chairman Emeritus and is the Principal Policy Advisor on TMCA.

In February 2014, Toyota announced that by the end of 2017, they would cease manufacturing in Australia.[1]

History

TMCA first began in 1958 where Toyota Land Cruisers were imported by Thiess Toyota for the Snowy Mountains Hydro-electric scheme. By 1963, assembly of Toyota vehicles in Australia by Australian Motor Industries (AMI) had begun, taking place at the production plant in Port Melbourne, Victoria. The production line of Toyota vehicles in 1963 was devoted to the Toyota Tiara. One of the leading forces of getting Toyota established in Australia was Kennath Hougham.[citation needed]

In 1972 Toyota bought out British Leyland's interest in AMI[2] and announced plans to spend A$27 million on an engine and gearbox plant.[2]

A production plant in Altona, Victoria, was established and began the production of engines in 1978, following the progressive growth of AMI. After Toyota's products came in for heavy criticism regarding their handling, a handling package developed specifically for the Australian market was introduced in 1981.[3]

The first AMI exported car was a Toyota Corona wagon in 1986 headed for New Zealand.

The one-millionth locally built Toyota was produced in 1992.

In 1994, all vehicle manufacturing operations were moved from Port Melbourne to Altona. The last vehicle produced at the Port Melbourne plant was a Toyota Camry and the first vehicle produced at the Altona plant a Toyota Corolla. Port Melbourne continued performing minor operations for TMCA.

The two-millionth locally built Toyota was produced in 2004.

In 2005, the ten-millionth worldwide Camry was built at TMCA's Altona plant.

The complete closure and end of all Toyota production operations at the Port Melbourne plant took place in May 2006. All manufacturing was shifted to Altona.

The milestone of the 500,000th TMCA vehicle export also occurred in May 2006. The vehicle was a Toyota Camry, headed for New Zealand.

Throughout TMCA's history, many Toyota vehicles have been built at either Altona or Port Melbourne, including the Toyota Tiara, the Toyota Corona, the Toyota Crown, the Toyota Corolla, the Toyota Camry and the Toyota Avalon. The Toyota Land Cruiser was never built in Australia.

As of 2006, TMCA's Altona plant in Victoria produces the Camry. Production of the Avalon has ceased, due for replacement on the manufacturing line by the Toyota Aurion, which shares many components with the Camry. TMCA had expressed interests in locally building the Toyota Kluger 4WD at Altona in the future.

TMCA started to build the new Camry Hybrid in 2010 after securing a $35 million subsidy from the Federal Government.[4] The first locally-made Australian Toyota Hybrid Camry was completed and revealed to public on 11 December 2009, driven by the then prime minister Kevin Rudd.

On 10 February 2014, it was announced that by the end of 2017, Toyota would cease manufacturing vehicles and engines in Australia.[1] [5][6]

TMCA Sales Figures

Toyota Motor Corporation Australia currently holds the largest market share of Australia's new car market.

They have been in the position of Australia's top seller of new cars since the sales period of 2003-2004, where that position was taken over from Holden.

Total New Car Sales by TMCA

  • 2003-2004: 186,370
  • 2004-2005: 201,737
  • 2005-2006: 202,817
  • 2006-2007: 213,847 (current Australian car industry record for highest annual new car sales)

In the sales period 2006-2007, Toyota Australia became the first automotive company from 1978 to have been the leader in total sales, passenger vehicles sales and commercial vehicles sales.

Current lineup

TMCA currently offers a large range of motor vehicles in Australia for private and fleet buyers.

Toyota Kluger, imported from Japan

Passenger models

Toyota Aurion, built at the Altona plant

SUV models

Commercial models

Motorsport

TMCA currently supports motorsport in the form of the Australian rally, with a Toyota Racing Development livery Toyota Corolla.

Toyota Racing Development (TRD)

Toyota Racing Development, or TRD, was formed as TMCA's tuning division to create performance versions of common Toyota vehicles. The tuning division was launched in 2007 and was managed by Prodrive. It was designed to compete with rival makers Ford and Holden, with their tuning divisions Ford Performance Vehicles and Holden Special Vehicles respectively. The first vehicle released by TRD was the TRD Aurion, a supercharged version of the Toyota Aurion large car. The TRD Hilux, a supercharged version of the Toyota Hilux ute, was due for release in the second quarter of 2008.

In December 2008, Toyota Australia announced the proposed closure of TRD due to an "operational change".[7] Production of both the TRD Aurion and Hilux was scheduled to cease by 31 March 2009, and stock was to be cleared by mid-2009.

  • 2007 TRD Aurion 3500SL 01.jpg

    2007 TRD Aurion 3500SL

  • TRD Hilux 4000SL

Supporting facilities

Toyota Technical Centre Australia (TTC-AU). Formed in June 2003 in Notting Hill, Victoria [8] to do Body Engineering; Chassis, Mechanical Engineering & Evaluation; Customer Quality Engineering; Electronics Engineering; and Support. [9]

Sponsorship

TMCA is currently the premiere sponsor of the AFL Premiership. The original sponsorship deal was signed for the 2004-2006 seasons. Furthermore, a contract was signed on 16 July 2006 at the Telstra Dome in Melbourne to extend this contract by two years. The Adelaide Football Club is also sponsored by TMCA.

See also

References

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External links

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