Toyota Chooses Australia for Key Driving Project
Sep 3, 2014 By Toyota Australia.
** Focus on developing ever-better vehicles **
Toyota Motor Corporation has chosen Australia to conduct an innovative driving and training project that will play an important role for future generations of its vehicles for the world.
The project, which starts today, will help Toyota plan vehicle specification for future models and provide a valuable training opportunity for its employees.
More than 30 employees and executives involved in global development of Toyota vehicles will take part in the project that will cover approximately 18,000km around Australia over a period of more than 10 weeks to mid-November.
They will drive 4WD and passenger vehicles, including Corolla, LandCruiser and HiLux, across the Australian continent to help them consider future vehicle specification plans.
The participants will also refine and strengthen their intuition in developing vehicles for specific driving environments by experiencing every conceivable driving surface – from busy city streets to the toughest trails of the outback.
Toyota Australia president Dave Buttner said Australia was an ideal place to develop an even deeper understanding of the worlds roads, because its varied terrain is said to offer at least 80 per cent of the road surfaces found on the planet.
This project is based on our determination to continuously improve our people and vehicles, Mr Buttner said.
Toyota has an excellent understanding of Australias 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.
It is vital that Toyotas leading vehicle development personnel get back to basics, experiencing first-hand what it takes to continue satisfying customers with ever-better cars.
We are also pleased that several local employees will participate in the drive, reinforcing the strong connection between our people and our product range.
Toyota Australia executive director sales and marketing Tony Cramb said the project demonstrates Toyotas passion for cars and for Australia – as well as acknowledging the passion of Australians for their cars.
This extensive project will ultimately enhance Toyotas ability to provide Australian motorists with vehicles that are even better suited to our conditions and are more engaging to drive, Mr Cramb said.
We expect that feedback from local dealers and customers around this vast continent will also contribute to the development of ever-better cars, he said.
Mr Cramb said there were strong historical ties between Toyota and Australia with the companys vehicles having been sold here for more than 50 years.
Australia provided Toyota with early success for LandCruiser in the 1950s; we were the first country to receive Corolla exports; and the first place outside Japan to build Toyota engines.
Toyota has a dominant share of the local market, approaching 20 per cent, and has sold more vehicles here than any other brand in each of the past 11 years.
This is despite Australia having more automotive brands and models than other major markets and among the highest per capita sales in the world, Mr Cramb said.