Production of Brand-New Pontiac Vibe and All-New Toyota Corolla Begins
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State of California Business, Transportation and Housing Agency Secretary Maria Contreras-Sweet, representing Governor Gray Davis, and City of Fremont Mayor Gus Morrison, will join NUMMI President and CEO Kanji Ishii to drive a Vibe and a Corolla off the end of the assembly line to mark this important milestone.
"Launching these vehicles is history in the making for NUMMI," said Ishii. "For the first time with the Pontiac Vibe, GM proposed the overall vehicle concept and provided its design, while Toyota engineered and developed the vehicle," Ishii added. "This vehicle is the product of a strengthened relationship between Toyota and GM and demonstrates our parent companies' commitment to NUMMI."
The two vehicles, which are built on the same assembly line at the award-winning plant, share the same "platform" but are strikingly different from each other, which represents a manufacturing challenge. "A complex product launch such as this can only be achieved through the tremendous preparation, hard work and dedication of our 5,100 team members and hundreds of suppliers," said Ishii.
Adding to the complexity and the significance of these vehicles, NUMMI will also build a right-hand drive version of the Pontiac Vibe later this year, which will be exported to Japan and marketed by Toyota under the name "Voltz."
"This is truly coming 'full circle' for NUMMI, a plant that was Toyota's first experiment with vehicle production in North America 18 years ago," said Ishii.
In order to launch and build these vehicles, NUMMI is creating some 500 additional jobs, all of them in manufacturing, bringing employment at the plant to an all-time high of 5,100. "In these times of economic uncertainty, we are fortunate and proud to be able to support our community through stable, high-paying, rewarding jobs," said Ishii. NUMMI's hourly team members are represented by the UAW Local 2244.
Capital investment to launch the new models at NUMMI was $200 million. Major construction involved the expansion of the stamping plant to add a new, large-size stamping press, the installation of all-new body welding equipment, and the addition of plastics molding equipment.
The new models will also bring increased volume. Production is expected to increase by 7% from 2001 levels to nearly 375,000 units in 2002 -- 215,000 Vibes, Voltz and Corollas, and 160,000 Tacoma pickup trucks, NUMMI's other model built on a separate line.
The Pontiac Vibe defies the traditional vehicle classification. It has spacious interior in the disguise of a compact car, has features of a sports car, sport wagon, and SUV all at the same time. It has received considerable advance praise from the automotive press since its unveiling at the Detroit Motor Show a year ago. The all-new 2003 Toyota Corolla is the ninth generation of Toyota's worldwide best-seller and is the fifth generation of Corolla built at NUMMI. It continues to represent uncompromising quality, safety and reliability in a neat, fun-to-drive package.
The Pontiac Vibe will be built exclusively at NUMMI. The Toyota Corolla will be built at NUMMI and at Toyota's plant in Cambridge, Ontario, in Canada. Both vehicles should reach dealer showrooms in about a month.
NUMMI is the joint venture of Toyota and General Motors located in Fremont, California. It has won numerous plant initial quality awards from J.D. Power and Associates, as well as many vehicle initial quality awards. NUMMI builds the Toyota Corolla, the Pontiac Vibe, and the Toyota Tacoma pickup truck.
For further information about these new vehicles, please contact:
Pontiac Vibe
Kelly Wysocki, GM Pontiac Product News, 313/667-4129,
mobile 313/378-6640
Toyota Corolla
John Hansen, Toyota Product News, 310/468-4718
-- mobile 310/291-5002
Holly Serris, Toyota Product News, 310/941-6196
http://pressroom.toyota.com
Event Information:
1:30 p.m. Press invited to arrive
1:45 - 2:15 p.m. Photo/Video opportunity for press to capture
assembly line in operation/team members building
the cars.
2:15 - 2:40 p.m. Press briefing - Q&A opportunity.
2:45 - 3:05 p.m. Line-off ceremony - brief remarks followed by a
drive-off of a Vibe and Corolla by Secretary
Contreras-Sweet and Mayor Morrison
3:05 p.m. Wrap up, photo op, Q&A. Event concludes.
Directions to the plant:
NUMMI is located in south Fremont. Take I-880 to the Fremont Blvd. exit (between Warren Ave. from the south and Auto Mall parkway from the north). Cross over freeway and turn at first right onto the NUMMI frontage road to the Main Gate. Ask the Security Officer to direct you to the Lobby.
SUMMARY
What:
Start of production for 2003 Pontiac Vibe and 2003 Toyota Corolla
Where:
New United Motor Manufacturing, Inc. (NUMMI),
–- GM and Toyota Joint Venture
Fremont, California
Who:
| -- | NUMMI President & CEO Kanji Ishii |
| -- | Maria Contreras-Sweet, Secretary of the State of California Business, Transportation and Housing Agency, representing Governor Gray Davis |
| -- | Mayor of Fremont, the Honorable Gus Morrison |
When:
January 7, 2002,
-- 1:30 p.m. Pre-event background photo/video opportunity &
briefing
-- 2:45 p.m. Start of production line-off
Why:
NUMMI’s major model changeover, record employment levels, world-class quality cars and trucks built here in California and most significant model change since pickup truck line added in 1991.