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Southwestern Ontario has become a hub for the hottest-selling vehicles in North America.
Toyota’s announcement Tuesday that its Cambridge plant will make the RAV4 after the Corolla is phased out solidifies Ontario as a centre for crossover utility vehicle (CUV) production, industry observers say.
“The RAV4 and the RAV4 hybrid are great products for Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada (TMMC),” said Jim Lentz, Toyota Motor North America Chief Executive Officer. “RAV4 is a leader in the fastest growing segment of the North American auto industry. We forecast that the segment will continue to demonstrate strong growth with RAV4 being a major player.”
With Woodstock and Cambridge taking over production of the RAV4, and Lexus RAV production based out of Cambridge already, TMMC will become a North American hub for sport utility vehicles.
The Cambridge North Plant will receive a significant investment in order to accommodate production of the RAV4. This will include the addition of Toyota’s New Global Architecture (TNGA), an innovative and integrated approach to building vehicles which involves new production equipment and processes.
“Bringing TNGA to Canada will propel us to the next generation of automotive manufacturing and provide the basis for our longstanding commitment to employment stability,” said Brian Krinock, TMMC President.
It was announced back in April that Toyota would move production of the Corolla from the Cambridge plant to a new $1-billion factory in Mexico in 2019.
Agencies/Canadajournal
