- Toyota has shared a video tour of its recently renovated GR Factory in Japan.
- Employees have access to a relaxation room and a racing simulator during breaks.
- The plant resembles a racing garage, with more human involvement in production.
Toyota’s Gazoo Racing division isn’t just about making cars that can carve corners and leave you grinning ear to ear. It’s also about making those cars in a place that feels more like a race team garage than a traditional factory.
The real magic happens at the GR Factory, located within Toyota’s Motomachi facilities in Japan, a spot that got a big upgrade in early 2025. This isn’t your average industrial workspace, as it looks like a place where every day is a chance to get your hands dirty and play with some seriously fast machinery.
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Toyota shared a video about the GR Factory, giving us a rare look behind the scenes. Employees working on the GR Yaris and GR Corolla sport custom uniforms and hats with their names, helping them feel like they’re truly part of the Gazoo Racing family. And it’s not all work and no play, as these workers also enjoy perks like a dedicated relaxation room and even a racing simulator to keep things exciting during breaks.
Relaxation, Then Racing Simulators
Let’s start with the relaxation area. The women’s locker rooms aren’t just about changing into work clothes, as they’ve got a dedicated spot for employees to unwind. If you’re not feeling 100%, you can kick back in comfy chairs with leg rests and catch your breath before getting back to assembling rally-ready machines. There’s also a bar-height table with stools, a TV, and a kitchen area for when hunger strikes.
For those who prefer to fire up their adrenaline during breaks, Toyota’s got something even better: a racing simulator, complete with a bucket seat, Fanatec steering wheel, pedals, and a massive display. Sure, it’s digital, but it gives workers the thrill of the track, even if they’re not actually racing. It’s safe to assume that the car selection leans heavily toward Toyota’s lineup.
Precision Production at the GR Factory
The Toyota GR Factory has been up and running since the GR Yaris made its debut in 2020, and it now also handles the production of the GR Corolla and GRMN Yaris rally car. Unlike your typical factory setup, this one feels more like a racing garage.
Rather than relying on robots, much of the work is done by human hands, making the process more flexible and hands-on. This low-volume approach allows for more precision and ensures each car gets the attention it deserves during production.
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Interestingly, the bodyshells are lowered onto the engine, drivetrain, and suspension components, rather than the other way around. Toyota says this method helps eliminate any minor distortions to the body that could occur during the fitment of those heavy parts, ensuring a more precise assembly.
Quality Control
Additionally, components like brake rotors and suspension springs are measured once more to detect even the tiniest variations. While every part has a set tolerance range, Toyota says it goes the extra mile to make sure each car gets the ideal mix of components, aiming for the most balanced performance possible.
Finally, when the car is fully assembled, it goes through a precision inspection and various driving tests to ensure its quality. Thanks to this meticulous process, Toyota claims that the finished products roll off the line at the GR Factory “ready to hit the circuit at full throttle”.
Since April, Toyota has been offering plant tours to GR Yaris and GR Corolla owners, giving them a firsthand look at how their cars are made. In response to growing demand, the company recently revealed plans for a second GR Corolla production site at its Derbyshire facility in the UK, set to open in 2026. This expansion will help Toyota meet demand and potentially introduce the model to more markets.
As for the other sports cars in the lineup, the Toyota GR86 is being built by Subaru in Japan, while the GR Supra is manufactured by Magna Steyr in Austria.
Toyota Times
