Toyota marks four million UK-built cars with Auris Hybrid
Toyota's Burnaston plant produced its four millionth UK-built vehicle, an Auris Hybrid Excel, as the company highlights its British manufacturing milestone.
Toyota’s Burnaston plant in Derbyshire has produced its four millionth car since opening in 1992, with the milestone vehicle being an Auris Hybrid Excel. The car, ordered by long-time Toyota customers Frederick and Dorothy Burden, left the production line in late 2016, underlining the Japanese manufacturer’s commitment to UK manufacturing.
The Burnaston factory has been the centre of Toyota’s UK car production for nearly 25 years, first building the Carina E before moving on to models such as the Avensis, Corolla and Auris. The four millionth car, a hybrid Auris in Excel trim, was purchased at £25,140 and replaces the Burdens’ previous Toyota, a Corolla Verso. The couple have a long history with the brand, choosing the hybrid for its efficiency and practicality.
Auris Hybrid: flagship and frugal
The Auris Hybrid Excel is fitted with a 1.8-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine paired with an electric motor, delivering a combined 134hp. The official combined-cycle fuel economy is 74.3mpg UK, reflecting Toyota’s focus on hybrid technology. The second-generation Auris, introduced in 2012 and updated in 2015, continues to play a key role in Toyota’s European line-up.
- 1.8-litre petrol engine with electric motor
- 134hp combined output
- CVT automatic transmission
- Excel trim as the flagship variant
Toyota’s UK production milestone follows the company’s broader European success, having reached ten million European-built vehicles earlier in the year. Burnaston remains one of Toyota’s key European manufacturing sites, with the Deeside engine plant in North Wales supporting the operation. For further context on Toyota’s hybrid strategy, see Berlin Police Adds Toyota Prius to Eco-Car Fleet.
What the milestone means for UK manufacturing
Toyota’s four millionth UK-built car highlights the sustained output of Burnaston and the importance of hybrid production in Britain. The milestone comes as the Auris awaits its next generation, expected to move to Toyota’s TNGA platform, following the latest Prius. The milestone also puts Toyota’s British output in context with other European plants, such as Volvo’s Ghent facility, which recently passed five million vehicles.
