Toyota Camrys to be built at USA Subaru plant

It looks like Toyota's Georgetown, Kentucky plant can't keep up with the demand for Camrys. I guess that's why we've been seeing some Camrys in the U.S. coming from Toyota's Tahara and Tsutsumi plants in Japan.

But it looks like the Tsutumi Camrys will be history soon.

In a partnership "with Fuji Heavy Industries, the maker of Subaru cars," Toyota said today "it plans to build up to 100,000 Camrys a year at a Subaru plant in" Lafayette, Indiana, USA.

Toyota "plans to invest $230 million in the Subaru plant" and ad about 1,000 new workers to the plant's current 2,300 employee total.

Can the governor of Indiana be more effusive?

"All of Indiana celebrates this day," said Gov. Mitch Daniels. "We recognize that we live and operate now in an economy that's truly global."

Production "will begin with 30,000 to 40,000 Camrys in the line's first year, and capacity will grow to 100,000 vehicles after three years."

In October, "U.S. automaker General Motors said it was ending its alliance with Fuji and selling its entire 20 percent stake in the company. At that time, Toyota bought an 8.7 percent stake in Fuji for $315 million and became the top shareholder in Fuji."

GM lets go of Fuji/Subaru but Toyota grabs on.

I gotta wonder which company made the better management decision - LOL.

Reply to
Built_Well
Loading thread data ...

GM needed the money. Sure hope Toyota doesn't downgrade its interior fabrics to Subaru level. I had a 95 Legacy wagon. The ac was inadequate and the fabric and vinyl door panels were pure junk.

Reply to
Art

So is Toyota rebadging Subaru Legacies as Camrys ;) Or maybe it'll be a rebadged Saab 25 (another Subaru) instead.

Reply to
johngdole

The Camry and Legacy have very little, if anything, in common. The Legacy has a horizontally opposed engine while the Camry has an in line 4 cylinder or V-6.

Reply to
Ray O

Well that's quite obvious, back when Subaru was controlled by GM.

Reply to
EchoHoLiK

I know. I was merely joking. BTW, I meant Saab 92 is really a Subaru.

The plan was only a cheap way to get capacity for Toyota rather than building a costly new factory. Subaru's plant was severely under used. Guess not many people want a Subaru.

Ray O wrote:

Reply to
johngdole

The plant was a joint venture between Subaru and Isuzu named Subaru-Isuzu America, known as SIA. The Isuzu Trooper and Honda-badged version of the trooper were produced there along with Legacys. Isuzu pulled out so Subaru was left with extra capacity. I've been through the SIA plant and the Georgetown, KY plant. I suspect that the SIA plant will eventually be upgraded to match the Georgetown facility's processes.

Reply to
Ray O

MotorsForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.