Toyota GR Corolla to be built in the UK starting in 2026 – first production site for GR cars outside of Japan

Toyota has announced it will begin producing the GR Corolla in the United Kingdom starting in 2026. According to the Japanese automaker, preparations at the Toyota Motor Manufacturing UK (TMUK) actually began in 2024, with the first unit of the hot hatch set to roll off the line next year.

TMUK’s Burnaston plant in Derbyshire has been in operation since 1992, with the first model assembled there being the Carina sedan. The facility also made three generations of the Avensis sedan as well as Auris hatchback. Currently, it makes the Corolla (including the Touring Sports).

The addition of the GR Corolla to the production line-up would make the Burnsaton plant the automaker’s first factory outside Japan to assemble a true Gazoo Racing product. Before this, the GR Corolla was exclusively built in Japan at the Motomachi plant alongside the GR Yaris.

As for the rest of the Gazoo Racing range, the GR86 is produced by Subaru at its Gunma plant in Japan, while the GR Supra is made at the Magna Steyr plant in Graz, Austria.

Despite the GR Corolla set to be produced in the UK, the hot hatch isn’t sold in the country or even Europe, although most markets in the Old Continent do get the GR Yaris. Toyota says it will reveal details of the markets for sales (of the UK-made GR Corolla), production volumes and investment levels at a later date.

A report by Reuters reveals the UK-made cars will be exported to the United States, with up to 10,000 units planned from the middle of 2026. The US currently imposes a 25% auto tariff on Japan, but the levy on the UK-made cars was recently reduced to 10% from 27.5% up to 100,000 units per year.

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