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Craftsmanship Amid Mass Production: Inside Toyota's GR Factory
Creatrip Team
a month ago
Toyota’s GR Factory at the historic Motomachi plant in Toyota City, Japan, produces high-performance GR vehicles on a small, precise line—about 400 staff, 100 cars a day, 2,000 a month. Opened in 2020, the factory blends artisanal methods with advanced automation: car bodies move quietly on AGVs (automated guided vehicles) rather than large conveyors, 3D measuring robots detect deviations as small as 0.1 mm, and the final quality call remains with skilled workers using tests like ultrasonic checks and tapping metal to judge sound. GR models receive far more spot welds (e.g., the GR Yaris has about 4,500 vs. 3,700) and every car undergoes full driving tests and weight-load inspections to ensure track-ready performance. Powertrains are fitted at the last stage to minimize interference, and rigorous standardization has improved profitability despite low-volume production. Nearby, the Toyota Technical Center Shimoyama features a nature-conscious 5 km test circuit and displays a wrecked GR Yaris driven by Toyota chairman Akio Toyoda (nicknamed “Morizo”), symbolizing GR’s philosophy: “run, break, repair, improve.” GR is positioned not only as a performance brand but as Toyota’s proving ground for pushing technical limits through craftsmanship.
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