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How do we create ever-better cars that delight our customers?
Toyota Global Vision President’s Message Launching a New Structure Special Feature Review of Operations
Consolidated Performance
Highlights
Management and
Corporate Information Investor InformationFinancial Section
Page 11
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ContentsSearchPrint
ANNUAL REPORT 2013
Strengthening manufacturing competitiveness
The latest Crown model, inspired by the slogan “Taking
on the challenge of innovation,” has emerged as a
symbol of Toyota’s “ReBORN” campaign. Representing
the pinnacle of Japanese manufacturing, the Crown is in
the vanguard of our drive to make ever-better cars.
Sales of the new Crown surged from the start—in the
fi rst three months of its release we sold double our
target volume of 4,000 cars a month (the expected
average over the life of the model). The new Crown was
created with the goal of making ever-better cars in mind,
and required us to make major changes in the way
everyone worked. For example, the distinctive side
profi le of the Crown, with lines that leap forward,
evolved out of intense discussions and collaboration
between designers and manufacturing technology engi-
neers. These discussions led to major advances in
design and production techniques, giving the car an
undeniable sense of presence. To create a better car,
we overhauled our previous approach of simply discard-
ing aesthetic improvements on the basis that they were
“ineffi cient.”
A prime example of TNGA’s approach to development
process reforms can be seen at the new Powertrain
Development and Production Engineering Building,
where employees involved in the development of new
technologies and units are brought into close contact
ago in 1988. TMMK now produces half a million cars
a year, including the Camry and Avalon, for the U.S.
market, and is a core manufacturing base, having
produced a signifi cant portion of the 25 million cars
made by Toyota in North America as of the end of
October 2012. In addition, the fourth-generation Avalon,
which fi rst rolled off the production line in October 2012,
was designed and developed entirely by U.S. teams. In
light of this enhanced competitiveness in the United
States, Toyota has decided to start making the Lexus
ES 350 at TMMK in the summer of 2015. With the start
of ES 350 production, TMMK plans to expand its annual
production capacity to 550,000 vehicles from its current
500,000.
with one another to facilitate the development and engi-
neering processes. This facility is playing a key role in
shortening development times and standardizing
designs, with the ultimate aim of creating innovations
that exceed the expectations of our customers.
We aim to strengthen our competitiveness and enable
sustainable growth through the provision of high-quality
products in areas where we are truly competitive. In the
United States, for example, we continue to pursue the
true competitiveness symbolized by the words “Made
by Toyota.” Nowhere is this commitment better demon-
strated than at Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Kentucky,
Inc. (TMMK), which has been focusing on improving
quality since it started production more than 25 years
AVALON
LEXUS ES 350
CROWN
Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky
INSIGHT Our teams design appealing cars that turn heads
Making Ever-Better Cars [5 of 10] Enriching Lives of Communities Stable Base of Business