Toyota Parts Distribution Centre
Once in the Toronto area, a few visits to places of importance to the company awaited us, since its headquarters are located very close to the Queen City. On the second day of this third wave, the first stop was Toyota's parts distribution centre for Eastern Canada. As the name implies, this is where many of the components used to repair and maintain vehicles are stored. Every morning, thousands of parts make their way to various Toyota workshops. The logistics of it all are truly impressive.
Toyota Canada head office
Our second stop of the day was the company's head office in Scarborough, just off Highway 401. On site, several old models, including this magnificent Corolla Sprinter from the late 60s.
Post-production processing centre
What happens when a Toyota vehicle arrives in Canada from another factory and doesn't contain all the specifications or options chosen by its Canadian buyer? It goes through the company's post-production processing centre, located close to head office. Here, they add to the models what they lack to make them complete and compliant with local specifications. Between 280 and 400 vehicles pass through this centre every day.
1989 Toyota Corolla
Here's the first car built at Toyota's Ontario plant: a 1989 Corolla, produced at the end of 1988, when the facility first opened.
2004 Lexus RX
This was the first Lexus to be built in Canada. In fact, it was the first Lexus assembled outside Japan. Today, the Toyota Canada plant (TMMC for Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada) manufactures the Toyota RAV4, as well as the Lexus NX and RX.
11 millionth vehicle produced in Canada
A new addition to our group on this cross-Canada tour was the 11-millionth vehicle manufactured by Toyota in Canada, in this case a RAV4, clearly identified for the occasion.
Its production
And here it is, this historic vehicle, in production.
A partner in Yamaha
On this last day of travel with the third wave, we made a stop to off-road some Yamaha all-terrain vehicles. And what does this have to do with Toyota? In fact, the two companies have been partners for a long time, with on direct competition between the two, since Yamaha does not manufacture cars. If you go back in history, you'll find engines developed in collaboration with Yahama under the hood of some of the company's models, including the incredible Lexus LFA, which went on sale over 10 years ago.