Toyota Motor Europe (TME for short) has announced the production of a new A-class vehicle in the town of Kolin, Czech Republic.
The Japanese automaker acquired a factory there early this year and had it modernized to produce cars based on the TNGA GA-B platform. The fourth-gen Yaris hatchback, which enjoys the title of the European Car of the Year, is already being produced there.
The factory itself is called TPCA, which stands for Toyota Peugeot Citroen Automobile. It was originally founded 16 years ago to produce the technically related Citroen C1, Peugeot 108 and Toyota Aygo. After the PSA-FCA merger into an entity known as the Stellantis Group, both French companies ditch the production of subcompact cars, so Toyota decided to pick up where the others left off.
It remains uncertain what car exactly it will be, but we expect it to be a mass-market version of the Aygo X prologue Concept featured in our gallery and the video here. The final version will likely be called Aygo Cross, just like the Yaris Cross currently being produced in Valenciennes, France.
The launch will take place later in 2021, but actual customer deliveries will be made next year. In all likelihood, cars will ship with the THS II hybrid system on board, as well as 1.0- and 1.5-liter gasoline three-cylinder engines mated to CVT front-wheel drive transmissions. The new model should enable Toyota to raise its Europe sales to 1.5 million annual units.