THE biggest motoring news in KZN this month was actually a low-key
line-off ceremony, which Toyota hosted for the all-new Corolla at its Prospecton
plant outside Durban.
This quiet event showed the results of a R1 billion investment —
most of it spent on new tooling and to train staff, specialist service providers
and component manufacturers.
“All staff were re-trained to build the new model [Corolla],” said
senior manager for corporate communications at Toyota SA, Leo Kok.
Kok added the Prospecton plant had created a few new posts on the
new line, but more importantly it managed to keep all the jobs from the old
line, despite higher levels of automatisation on the assembly line of the 11th
generation Corolla.
The R1 billion investment follows the R8 billion investment
programme that was completed in 2008 and increased Toyota’s local production
capacity to 220 000 units.
Toyota South Africa’s president and CEO Dr Johan van Zyl said only
two Corolla generations ago the Prospecton plant was still making the sedans
just for South Africa, but now the Corolla was being exported in left- and
right-hand drive models to 58 countries, including Russia.
“I think the Groot Krokodil [P.W. Botha] would have turned in his
grave, or maybe he would have though this was a total victory,” Van Zyl said
during the launch speech while — ironically enough — the general secretary of
Numsa, Irvin Jim, kept trying to reach Van Zyl on his cellphone.
Maybe Jim was calling about Van Zyl’s no-nonsense message to the
unions earlier last week.
Speaking at Prospecton, Van Zyl said despite the opportunities
offered by the production and export of the Corolla, many challenges remain in
SA.
“The seven-week-long production disruption in the last quarter of
2013 damaged our reputation as a trustworthy and stable supplier of vehicles.
“We will have to work hard to find a mutually beneficial solution
with our labour partners to stabilise production for both the local and export
market,” Van Zyl said.
Senior vice president of sales and marketing Calvyn Hamman said the
fact that South Africa produced Corollas for export to Africa and Europe was “a
feather in the cap of local engineering capabilities”.
Eleven model derivatives of the new Corolla can already be ordered
at Toyota dealers, ranging in price from R214 900 to R283 900.
The new Corolla is available in a choice of four grades; Esteem
(entry), Prestige (mid), Sprinter (sport) and the top-of-the-range Exclusive.
While the latest iteration of the world’s best selling sedan has
nothing in common anymore with its 1990s predecessors, the durability stays
built-in, said chief engineer for the all-new Corolla, Shinichi Yasui. “I
believe this new model clearly breathes the Corolla DNA that has been inherited
over a period of more than 47 years.
“That DNA sets forth the mission of the Corolla to constantly
provide concepts and technologies that lead the times and to create the world’s
best-selling car, and that DNA has now been inherited for a new era.”
He added that he is confident the 11th generation Corolla can be
driven with Waku-doki, “peace-of-mind”. “Waku-waku”, for us non-Japanese
speakers, is the anticipation of pleasure while “doki-doki” is the sound of your
heart beating, hence Waku-doki is when you get excited about having fun, and
your heart beats faster.
 |
| The new, and the old Corolla. |
Toyota said at the launch the new Corolla would shake off this
particular model’s point-A-to-B image “with expressive styling, a premium
interior, and extrovert driving dynamics”.
The eleven models are powered by engines ranging from 1,3 to 1,8,
with a 1,4 diesel in the middle. Gone are the 2,0 of the 10th generation.
A new, high-gear, high efficiency Multidrive S automatic
transmission is fitted as an option on the 1,6 and 1,8 petrol versions.
The CVT comes with “mild shift shocks” to imitate gear shifting and
as I set off in the 2014 Corolla, I wondered whether the latest Corolla would be
a mildly shocking shift in my perceptions, or full on “waku-doki’
experience.
After driving hundreds of kilometres in the three petrol engines
only, using both the auto transmission and manual boxes, the enduring memory if
one of space and quietness.
To my mind, the 1,6 Esteem hits the sweet spot at R225 900, but Kok
admitted people who buy either of the 1,4 diesel models will get the benefit of
some very competitive pricing by the Japanese giant.
