Despite the slumping car market, Toyota began production today of its new Venza CUV at the company’s Kentucky production plant. The Venza was first introduced at the 2008 Detroit Auto Show and will give Toyota another entrant into the growing CUV segment.
The Venza was specifically designed for the U.S. market and was designed jointly between Toyota’s Michigan and California design studios. The Venza will be made exclusively at Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Kentucky, Inc. (TMMK), which also produces the Camry, Camry Hybrid and Solara convertible.
“It’s always exciting to launch a new product,” stated Steve St. Angelo, President of TMMK and senior vice-president of Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing, North America (TEMA). “For Toyota to select TMMK as the production site is a real tribute to our team members and the experience of working side-by-side with our design and engineering groups has been very valuable.”
The Venza will have a domestic content of about 70 percent, with 30 Kentucky-based suppliers supplying parts for the five-passenger CUV.
TMMK has the capacity to produce 70,000 Venza’s per year, although Toyota will likely produce fewer than that amid the current market slump.
