Toyota Chooses Site in France for Its New European Plant

Tokyo―TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION (TMC) announced today that it has selected a site at the Onnaing business park in Valenciennes, in the Nord Prefecture of France, on which it will construct its second European automobile manufacturing plant.

On the afternoon of Monday, December 8^th, TMC President Hiroshi Okuda paid a formal visit to French President Jacques Chirac at the Elysee Palace. But it was not until 9:00am (5:00pm Japan time) on Tuesday, December 9^th during a joint press conference held with the French government at Prime Minister Lionel Jospin's official residence, that Okuda formally unveiled Toyota's plan to have a full manufacturing facility operating in France by early 2001. In response, Prime Minister Jospin warmly welcomed the Toyota investment and pledged the full support of the French government and people.

In addition to the Avensis currently being produced at Toyota Motor Manufacturing (UK) Ltd., and the Corolla that will be manufactured there beginning next year, this new plant will add to the lineup of European-made Toyotas a small-class passenger car that currently is being designed and developed especially for the European market.

The France plant will have the capacity to produce about 150,000 units of this small-class car per year. This commitment will translate into approximately 2,000 new jobs for the region.

Located in the suburbs of Valenciennes, the new plant is just 60 km from the city of Lille and only 6 km from the Belgian border. It can be reached from Paris by rail or car in about two hours, and is separated by only one hour from Brussels.