Overview

• Production of the GR Corolla hot hatch will shift from Japan to Toyota’s Burnaston plant in Derbyshire from mid-2026, marking the first time a GR-branded model is built outside Japan.
• Toyota says overwhelming demand for the 300-hp GR Corolla in North America has outstripped supply and driven the decision to move manufacturing closer to its largest market.
• The company highlighted the US-UK trade deal’s lower tariff regime on US-bound vehicles as a key factor in selecting Burnaston for GR Corolla output.
• Burnaston’s GR Corolla line is expected to produce up to 10,000 units annually once the dedicated assembly operations are fully operational.
• Reports indicate Toyota will invest over £41 million in a purpose-built assembly line at Burnaston and cited the plant’s skilled workforce, robust supply chain and motorsport culture as decisive advantages.