Toyota is doubling the number of pre-production redesigned Corollas it builds ahead of the model’s introduction introduced in Japan this autumn, as part of efforts to ensure its quality, unnamed officials said.
Go deeper with GlobalData
Group unit Kanto Auto Works will produce 300 prototypes, compared with 150 it usually produces as trial cars, to make sure that the Corolla’s 10th-generation model will be high in quality, the officials told Kyodo News.
The automaker recently announced it would delay the new Corolla’s US debut a year until 2008 as the current model, which is built in North America, is still selling well as high petrol prices prompt buyers to switch to smaller, more fuel-efficient cars.
Toyota, which has been reeling from a series of vehicle defects in recent months, also plans to increase the number of pre-production cars built in other plants manufacturing the Corolla, the report said.
It is believed that the manufacturing cost of one pre-production vehicle is about 10m yen.
How well do you really know your competitors?
Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.
Thank you!
Your download email will arrive shortly
Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample
We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form
By GlobalDataIn recent years, Toyota has increasingly relied on computers to check mechanical problems, Kyodo News said.
But due to a recent rise in recalls, the Toyota group has apparently decided to get back to the basics of manufacturing by increasing opportunities for engineers to experiment with real cars, analysts told the news agency.
