Toyota Australia Undertakes Shake-Down Cruise

A fleet of Toyota vehicles is being driven around Australia in what for many participants is the adventure of a lifetime in an 11,000-mile (18,000-km) project that will play an important role in planning future generations of vehicles.

More than 30 employees and executives involved in the global development of Toyota vehicles are taking take part in the 10-week project.

It is intended to help Toyota plan vehicle specifications for future models and provide a valuable training opportunity for employees.

Driving such vehicles as the Corolla, Land Cruiser and HiLux across the Australian continent is expected to help the participants refine and strengthen their intuition in developing vehicles for specific environments by experiencing every conceivable driving surface – from busy city streets to the toughest trails of the Outback.

Toyota Australia President Dave Buttner says Australia is an ideal place to develop an even deeper understanding of the world’s roads, because its varied terrain is said to offer at least 80% of the road surfaces found on the planet.

“Toyota has an excellent understanding of Australia's diverse conditions, but our parent company is taking nothing for granted by undertaking this extensive project in addition to regular vehicle evaluations and testing carried out in Australia,” Buttner says in a statement.

“It is vital that Toyota's leading vehicle-development personnel get back to basics, experiencing firsthand what it takes to continue satisfying customers with ever-better cars.”

Toyota Australia Sales and Marketing Executive Director Tony Cramb says the project ultimately will enhance Toyota's ability to provide Australian motorists with vehicles that are more suited to local conditions and are more engaging to drive.

“We expect that feedback from local dealers and customers around this vast continent will also contribute to the development of ever-better cars,” he says.