Toyota: A second model goes into production in Hauts-de-France!

Article updated 29 April 2020

Toyota announces the production of a new model in Hauts-de-France

Toyota Motor Manufacturing France made an announcement on Tuesday, January 14. The Onnaing plant, the group’s only site in France, will soon be manufacturing a brand new SUV model: the Yaris Cross. The vehicle, which will only be available as a hybrid, is destined for the European market. Its production is in addition to that of its older, but smaller, sister: the “classic” Yaris, which has historically been built at this site. The plant expects to produce 150,000 Yaris Cross per year, increasing its annual vehicle production to 300,000. The model, which should have been launched at the Geneva Car Show last March, was finally unveiled online due to the global pandemic.

Toyota Valenciennes, 20 years of development in Hauts-de-France

“Our teams are delighted and proud to have been chosen to produce this new SUV model in the Toyota range,” said Luciano Biondo, TMMF president. “It means our ambition to produce 300,000 vehicles per year can become a reality. The production of this new model will also mean the site is not only dependent on the commercial life cycle of a single model, thus strengthening the workforce going forward.”

A look back at the highlights of Toyota’s presence in Hauts-de-France: 

A combined investment of €1.5 billion

The installation of this second production line was made possible thanks to a special investment of €300M in 2018. In addition to this sum, there is an extra investment of €100M, to launch the new vehicle. Toyota will have injected a total of almost 1.5 billion euros into the region since it decided to move here in 1997 (including 610 million euros for the launch of the site). This commitment was recently recognised with a trophy in the first ever Choose France Awards, organised by Business France. And in more good news, this investment will also lead to the creation of 400 additional permanent contracts, thus increasing the workforce to 4,500 employees, which is a record level for the site! Toyota Onnaing: Four generations of Yaris    Toyota at the heart of France’s number one automotive region    FEAL: the meeting place for automotive professionals Source: Toyota