Toyota is set to expand its GR Corolla production capabilities to the United Kingdom, investing around $56 million to establish a new production line at its Burnaston plant in Derbyshire. The move will gear up the facility to produce 10,000 GR Corollas annually, primarily for export to North America, starting mid-2026, as reported by Reuters.
This strategic decision comes as a response to the high demand and aims to reduce delivery times for North American customers. It also makes use of the Burnaston plant's underutilized capacity and is not influenced by recent U.S. auto tariffs. Originally operational since 1992, the Burnaston plant currently handles the production of the standard Corolla hatchback and has been a key site for Toyota since receiving over €3.25 billion in investment since 1989.
Toyota's current GR Corolla production at the Motomachi Plant in Japan is operating at full capacity, so the UK expansion will alleviate some of this production pressure. Although tariffs could pose additional costs, Toyota plans to manage these through cost-cutting measures, ensuring that car prices are not impacted.
