Though an official announcement from Toyota has not been made, a report out of Japan says that the automaker will stop building cars at the Fremont, California, joint-venture NUMMI assembly plant. Toyota’s future at the California plant has been up in the air since former partner General Motors announced that it would not be building any cars at the plant.
Japan’s Asahi Shimbun says that Toyota has begun telling its suppliers that the plant will stop producing cars in March. Reportedly, Toyota will shift production of its Tacoma pickup to its underutilized San Antonio, Texas, assembly plant, which currently builds the full-size Tundra pickup, and it will increase capacity at its Cambridge, Ontario, Corolla assembly plant.
GM is pulling out of the NUMMI plant because its Pontiac Vibe, a rebadged Toyota Matrix, will cease production at the end of this month. The Matrix is assembled at Toyota’s Cambridge assembly plant.
The plant is the only automotive assembly plant remaining in California and has long been considered important to Toyota because of the automaker’s dominating sales presence in the state.
08/17, 11:35 AM
posted by:
jayjc08
Quite a bold move. Maybe they see what will become of their future if even one little finger is stuck in the UAW jar…
08/17, 12:09 PM
posted by:
carstuff
“The plant is the only automotive assembly plant remaining in California and has long been considered important to Toyota because of the automaker’s dominating sales presence in the state.”
Sure, now the Californians will stop buying Toyotas. Right.
So what will happen to the plant and people? Buy outs? Move them to other plants?
08/17, 12:29 PM
posted by:
JoeBMX
I’m guessing buy outs. Atleast, that’s what my brother, who is on the line, is banking on.
08/17, 12:30 PM
posted by:
mayer_ray_nagin
You mean California cant keep business there by offering hyper regulated working conditions, draconian enviro-BS, a lazy workforce, high taxes, overpriced pay structures, and unions to boot?
I can’t believe Toyota is bailing on such a paradise.
08/17, 12:35 PM
posted by:
Borat
MRN, you forgot access to beaches, ports, inexpensive drug supply, Hollywood proximity and fresh fruits and vegetables all year around.
08/17, 12:38 PM
posted by:
orangecones
There is no way in hell Toyota will re-employ UAW workers at its other plants carstuff, nor will they play games that GM and Ford have killied billions on with the UAW. They will simply sent out a notice saying “times are tough, you’re out of the job, have a nice life. attached is a coupon for 10% off your next Corolla” And that will be the end of that chapter.
08/17, 12:40 PM
posted by:
DenverGuy217
and just a step or two through a piece of broken fence to Mexico!
08/17, 1:05 PM
posted by:
Fletch
Maybe Tesla Motors will buy the plant…
08/17, 6:12 PM
posted by:
yarddog82abn
TOYOTA IS GAY….. UGLY AS CARS, POOR FIT & FINISH, NO PERFORMANCE VALUE, AND THEY ALL FILL LIKE A RENT-A-CAR….
THAT AND EVERYONE AND THERE MOTHER DRIVES ONE. THEY ARE LIKE ROACHES, NO WORST, THEY ARE EVERY WHERE….