Ladies and Gentlemen, start those engines!

Oops! Not your racing engines but the all-new namesake “Apollo” production line at Huntsville’s new Mazda Toyota Manufacturing!

With the push of a button this month, the new $2.3 billion, 3.7 million square foot MTM facility finally begins production on its first ever automobile – the 2022 Toyota Corolla Cross.

Meanwhile, Mazda is marking an industry milestone with an expansion of their SUV lineup.

In November, Mazda will reveal the CX-50, the next midsize crossover to join its lineup in the US. The CX-50 will share its platform with Mazda’s latest generation products, CX-30 and Mazda3, with enhanced all-wheel drive (AWD) capabilities and functionality for consumers with outdoor active lifestyles.

Mazda production will begin on the “Discovery” production line at MTM in January 2022.

Red Toyota Corolla Cross Announced earlier this summer, MTM will be the exclusive producer of the Corolla Cross, what has been described as a “cute pug-dog style mini-SUV”, expected to hold its own in the “fierce American crossover sales wars”.

“This is the moment MTM and our North Alabama community have waited for since we broke ground in November 2018,” said Mark Brazeal, vice president of Administration for MTM. “We are excited to see Corolla Cross in dealerships across the U.S.”

MTM President, Masashi Aihara shares his excitement concerning the new Mazda CX-50 announcement.

“Pre-production is progressing on schedule, and we look forward to the start of production early next year,” said Aihara. “We are committed to producing and delivering high-quality, Alabama-made CX-50s to customers across North America in 2022 and beyond.”

You would think the announcement of two shiny new SUVs being produce here in Huntsville at its new state-of-the-art plant would be the most exciting news, but the announcement comes with strong economic development news for North Alabama too.

MTM will be hiring more than 1,700 additional employees to join its existing workforce, eventually employing as many as 4,000 employees once production is in full operation in 2023. The plant has the capacity to produce 300,000 vehicles a year, evenly split between the Toyota and Mazda nameplates, thanks to a joint venture between the two carmakers.

MTM’s investment increased to $2.311 billion during the summer of 2020, when the parent companies announced an additional $830 million commitment, that allowed MTM to incorporate more cutting-edge technologies into its manufacturing processes.

Janette Hostettler, vice president of Production said she is proud of their existing team members and looks forward to continuing their current hiring plan to add to the MTM family.

“Our team members exhibit a true commitment to safety and quality, and it is a big day for them to watch the Corolla Cross drive off our line ready to be shipped,” she said.

The Corolla Cross will be in Toyota dealerships this month.