Poland Plant Launches Engine for New Toyota Yaris

VIENNA – Volume production of modernized engines and transmissions for the new-generation Toyota Yaris is under way at the Toyota Motor Mfg. Poland plant in Walbrzych, Poland.

The new 69-hp 1.0L gasoline 3-cyl. built at the Polish factory is the smallest engine available in the European Yaris, which will see carbon-dioxide emissions reduced from 118 g/km to 111 g/km with the revamped model.

Toyota’s new-generation Yaris.

The plant also produces modernized 5- and 6-speed gearboxes for the new Yaris.

Currently, TMMP is shipping close to 50,000 engines and 110,000 transmissions per year to the Yaris production site in Valenciennes, France.

The Walbrzych facility is Toyota’s largest engine and transmission plant outside of Japan. It has an annual capacity of more than 370,000 engines and 720,000 transmissions.

The facility manufactured 331,700 engines last year, down 10% from 2009, and 526,500 transmissions, 4.9% less than the previous year.

“Since we primarily turn out products for small cars, we didn't feel the crisis as strongly as other European plants, as smaller models also sold well during the crisis,” TMMP Vice President Dariusz Mikolajczak says.

TMMP’s largest customer is the Toyota Peugeot Citroen Automobile Czech joint venture plant in Kolin, Czech Republic, which produces Toyota Aygo, Peugeot 107 and Citroen C1 minicars.

“More than 70% of our output goes to TPCA in the form of small 1L engines and 5-speed transmissions,” Mikolajczak tells Ward’s. “Our second-largest customer consists of the Toyota plant in France.”

About 19% of TMMP’s production is shipped to France. Polish-made transmissions also are exported to Toyota plants in the U.K., Turkey and South Africa.

TMMP employs some 2,000 workers, 200 of whom are on temporary contracts. More than 70% of its engine and transmission content is European.

In addition to TMMP, Toyota operates a second engine factory in Poland. The Toyota Motor Industries Poland plant in Jelcz-Laskowice produces 1.4L, 2.0L and 2.2L diesel engines.