Toyota U.K. Pulls Off Rare Twin Launch

Toyota Mfg. U.K. has met what it calls the unprecedented challenge of planning, building and delivering two new models at the same time.

The automaker’s Burnaston factory, 130 miles (209 km) northwest of London, has begun the simultaneous start of production for the new Auris and Avensis – models at the heart of the brand’s European sales – in a program Toyota has never tried before outside Japan.

All versions of both cars are built on the same production line, by the same teams, from stamping through welding, painting and final assembly.

This includes the Avensis sedan and Auris hatchback and Touring Sports wagon body styles, with gasoline, diesel and hybrid powertrains.

Preparations began in 2013, as plans for significant changes to both the vehicle ranges were put in place. In the process, the Derbyshire factory had to accelerate from building zero to 800 of the new cars a day, in the space of just 10 days.

Project Manager Jon Corpe says that, typically, as production of an outgoing model slows down, the build of the new one takes over on the line to compensate, so the number of cars leaving the plant is fairly consistent.

“In this case, production of both models came to an end at the same time,” Corpe says in a statement. “We had to be sure we could meet global demand for the new cars immediately.”

Members of the workforce prepared for the new vehicles with training in Japan and Brussels and Burnaston built 91 of the new models in December for use in training, testing and product evaluation.

The new Auris and Avensis take the number of model launches to nine since Burnaston came on stream in 1992.

The changeover meant new equipment and ways of working had to be put in place throughout the plant.

“Press, weld and paint shops have new tooling and jigs to support body manufacture and painting, and the substantial number of improvements to the vehicle, in areas such as safety and handling, require additional parts and processes,” Corpe says.

The greatest level of change is in the plastics and assembly shops.

“In plastics, most of the processes have been affected, calling for new molds and great deal of new tooling and equipment, and half the assembly processes are new as well,” Corpe says.

The introduction of three new engines and a full powertrain upgrade to Euro 6 emissions standards also required plant changes.

The New Avensis is on sale now, with deliveries starting later this month, while order books open for new Auris on July 1, with first deliveries from September.