Toyota Auris Touring Sport commences UK production, boosting output at its Burnaston factory in Derbyshire.

The official start of production of the new Auris Touring Sports at Toyota Manufacturing UK’s (TMUK) Burnaston car plant was marked by a visit from the Rt Hon Patrick McLoughlin MP, UK Secretary of State for Transport. The minister joined Didier Leroy, President and CEO of Toyota Motor Europe, at a ceremony to see the new car off the line at the Derbyshire factory.

TMUK is the sole production centre for Auris Touring Sports, the vitally new important model for its maker. It’s the only model in its segment to offer the option of a full hybrid powertrain, technology which now accounts for more than 20 per cent of Toyota’s new car sales globally.  The company has strong UK expertise in hybrid vehicle manufacturing at its Deeside engine plant in North Wales, as well as at Burnaston, since starting production of the first generation Auris Hybrid in 2010 – the first Toyota hybrid to be built in Europe.

Commenting at the Start of Production ceremony, the Secretary of State for Transport Patrick McLoughlin said: ‘Toyota’s ongoing investment in Burnaston is a huge vote of confidence in our thriving car manufacturing industry, proving again Britain’s ability to make world class cars that appeal to a global customer base.’

The addition of Auris Touring Sports production at TMUK alongside the Auris and Avensis models reaffirms Toyota’s commitment to the UK. Since 1992 it has invested more than £2.1bn in its operations. Currently TMUK employs more than 3800 people and supports an extensive supplier chain in the UK, from which Toyota Motor Europe typically purchases around £850m worth of parts a year. Its manufacturing makes a significant contribution to the British overseas trade, with around 85 per cent of vehicle production being exported to Europe and other world markets.