Sienna Takes Number Two Spot in Annual American-Made Index
The results are in, and Cars.com has named two Toyota models as most American-Made.
The Toyota Camry and the Toyota Sienna have claimed the top two spots,
respectively, in the annual Cars.com American-Made Index. This marks
Toyota’s return to the American-Made pinnacle for the first time in
three years and the fifth time overall that Camry has been ranked number
one on the index.
According to Cars.com, the “American-Made Index rates vehicles built and
bought in the United States. Factors include the percentage of parts
considered “domestic” under federal regulations, whether the car is
assembled in the U.S. and U.S. sales. Models with domestic-parts content
ratings below 75 percent are disqualified, as well as models built
exclusively outside the U.S. or models soon to be discontinued without a
U.S.-built successor.”
The Toyota Camry, America’s best-selling car for 13 consecutive years,
comes out of Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Kentucky, Inc. (TMMK) in
Georgetown, Ky. alongside the Camry Hybrid, Avalon and Avalon Hybrid.
TMMK is Toyota’s largest manufacturing facility in North America, which
also builds engines and employs more than 7,500. The plant built its
10-millionth vehicle in 2014 and will begin adding the Lexus ES to its
lines this fall, the first Lexus to be manufactured in the United
States. The addition of Lexus is the hallmark of a $360 million
investment in the plant that also adds 750 new jobs.
Much of the design and engineering of both Camry and Sienna took place
in the United States at Calty Design Research, Inc. and Toyota Technical
Center (TTC), respectively. Calty is headquartered in Newport Beach,
Calif., with a production design studio in Ann Arbor, Mich., and TTC is
based in York Township, Mich. Camry and Sienna both have American chief
engineers.
Toyota has 10 manufacturing facilities in the United States.
The Sienna is assembled in Princeton, Ind. at Toyota Motor
Manufacturing, Indiana, Inc. (TMMI) by a team of 5,000. The plant also
produces the Sequoia and Highlander/Highlander Hybrid. Toyota is
investing $100 million in TMMI to boost Highlander production, adding
30,000 units per year and 300 jobs by summer 2016.
“These results are a testament to Toyota’s continued investment and
growth in the United States,” said Toyota North America CEO Jim Lentz,
who also serves as President of Toyota Motor Engineering &
Manufacturing, North America, Inc. “We are strengthening our commitments
to American manufacturing so we can better satisfy the needs of our
customers for decades to come.”
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