Toyota and Mazda made waves yesterday with the announcement that they have settled on Huntsville, Alabama for the site of their new joint assembly plant. Starting in 2021, Toyota will be building its Corolla there, while Mazda will produce a new crossover, yet to be named.
Production capacity at the new plant will be 300,000 units, and the US $1.6 billion cost of the facility’s construction will be shared evenly by the two companies.
Toyota actually already operates an engine assembly plant in Alabama, located only 22 km away from the site of the future joint factory. Toyota currently has 11 plants within the United States.
For its part, Mazda will be using the opening of the new plant to mark the centenary of its founding in 1920, as well as its first half-century of operating in the American market. The company’s new crossover to be built in Alabama could be the Mazda CX-4, currently sold in China, or another new product which has not yet been unveiled. Either way, we’ll be keeping an eye on developments!