Toyota production shift to see new Highlander launched six months early, Prius produced in Mississippi
08/11/2008, 6:36 PM
By Drew Johnson
The slumping U.S. SUV market forced Toyota to delay the opening of its new Highlander plant in Tupelo, Mississippi, but the delay could actually turn out to be a blessing in disguise for the Japanese automaker.
The plant opening delay originally pushed the new Highlander launch back until 2010, but a new plan has moved the next-iteration of the popular SUV up to 2009.
Instead of waiting for the new Tupelo plant to open before producing the next-generation Highlander, Toyota will move production to its now-idled Princeton, Indiana plant. The Princeton plant – which produces the Tundra pickup and Sequoia SUV – was idled on August 8th with no plans to resume production until mid-November.
“We need to get those people working. That’s the bottom line,” Steve St. Angelo, senior vice president of Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Inc., told Automotive News. “And that’s why it made more sense to send the Highlander to Indiana, because the tools are ready, and we can get those people working versus keeping it in Mississippi.”
In addition to getting Toyota employs back to making vehicles, the move will save Toyota the cost of retooling its Mississippi plant just one year after it begins production and will also clear production capacity at the Tupelo plant for Prius production.
08/11, 6:48 PM
posted by:
Kaizen
This doesn’t make any sense. The Highlander was just redesigned. The next generation is coming until 2013. LLN needs to check their sources. The Mississippi plant was just going to pick up production of the current-gen Highlander.
08/11, 8:14 PM
posted by:
ktulu
OK
08/11, 8:16 PM
posted by:
DrFill
Yeah, sumpin’ ain’t kosher.
The HL came out Fall of ‘07, so no redesigns anytime soon. Facelift they mean?
DrFill
08/11, 9:23 PM
posted by:
jayjc08
Good news, but I’m also confused about the vehicle timing.
Personally, the Highlander is about the only recently designed vehicle I like from Toyota. It looks good in the optional rims, neighbor recently bought one. But like a lot of the recent Toyota’s, I just don’t think the grill goes well with the vehicle.
08/11, 9:41 PM
posted by:
zoomzoomer
I’m guessing LLN means the new plant was to build the Highlander but that plan was delayed due to slumping CUV sales.. so it will instead produce the Prius there. The only upcoming newly-designed CUV due from Toyota is the VENZA.. perhaps that has been delayed?
08/11, 11:08 PM
posted by:
johnnycanuck
Highlander is a good name for a vehicle. So how did Venza get past the umpteen levels of approval? If someone told me they’d just bought a Venza I’d ask them when Toyota got into the scooter business.
08/11, 11:13 PM
posted by:
DrFill
Venza will sell nicely
As many as the Highlander?
DrFill
08/12, 7:18 AM
posted by:
DeansterTJ
Both ugly
08/12, 4:07 PM
posted by:
brassmonkey
I would take a Highlander over the Venza, albeit reluctantly.
08/13, 7:43 AM
posted by:
stick2clutch
I love the way Toyota refers to their workers, “THOSE PEOPLE”