More significant than just sales and marketing.
Following the shuttering of various automotive production facilities on our shores, it would be easy to assume that we have little if nothing to do with the international automotive industry, and that local arms of various marques do nothing but focus on sales and marketing of imported vehicles.
While that assumption is partially correct (the imported bit, at least), you’d be quite mistaken to think that sales & marketing are the only activities that take place here. Both Ford and Holden maintain enormous proving grounds and R&D facilities, but a smaller local presence is maintained by perhaps the most prolific marque on our shores: Toyota.
With Toyota Motor Company Australia maintaining no less than 150 staff split between designers, planners, and engineers, TMCAu continue their efforts in ‘localising’ offerings to suit our market, with the latest results of their efforts (three specially-modified Hilux special editions) hitting showroom floors very soon.
Further, the changes rolled out to the Hilux Rugged, Rugged X, and Rogue may find their way to other markets too, with Australia chosen as the launch market before considering the business case for them in other countries.
TMCAu isn’t limited to just modifying existing models, though. They also maintain facilities for R&D, design, and planning, including things like a studio with modelling plates and an overhead lighting system, that can be used to evaluate complex surface play and so on. Theres also the capability to create full-sized models of upcoming vehicles and/or specially-developed accessories, which can also be previewed in an electronic visualisation studio replete with a 6-metre screen that can display design concepts.
There’s also a prototyping area with five-axis milling machines, capable of creating clay models the size of Land Cruisers, as well as 3D printers for the production of smaller prototype parts.
The product planning and conversion/accessories divisions on the other hand secure the models from Toyota’s global portfolio that are best suited for the market, and then develop accessories that best cater to both the product itself in our market as well as potential buyers. All Toyota-developed accessories are put through their paces in environmental test chambers, ensuring they won’t fail on you when the going gets rough.
While the evaluation of new cars on our shores is no new thing, Toyota also utilises the closed track at the Australian Automotive Research Centre in Anglesea to conduct more covert or more specialised testing, though most testing is done in real-world environments thanks to the variety of surfaces and conditions that Australia has to offer (which allow us the ability to snap spyshots of upcoming models).
The final word here is this: Toyota might not make cars here anymore, but it’d be foolish to say that Australia doesn’t continue to hold a special place in the hearts of automakers the world over.
For more information on Toyota, check out our Showroom.
