The speech by Chief Branding Officer Simon Humphries during the premiere event
And greetings to everyone here in Thailand and to all of those tuning in from around the It is a great pleasure to be back here in Bangkok. I’d like to begin by expressing on behalf of Chairman Akio Toyota and all at Toyota Motor Corporation our condolences on the passing of her majesty Queen Siki, the Queen Mother. Now, Toyota has had a close partnership with Thailand for over 60 years. Since the very beginning, this has not simply been about an investment, but a partnership. And that partnership has become a friendship. At Toyota, we talk a lot about our best in town approach, and Thailand is a living embodiment of that philosophy. Indeed, it was the first country in Asia outside of Japan where Toyota produced cars. The seed that was planted in 1963 has been nurtured by the people of Thailand. And thanks to the strong support of the Thai government, our partners and customers, Thailand has become a hub of production, innovation, and above all, collaboration. What we’ve achieved here is proof that global success comes from local strength. People in 133 countries around the world now benefit from the fruits of our partnership. 14 million vehicles have been produced here. Our chairman, Akio Toyota, knows the strength of that partnership firsthand. It was his time working with the team here in Thailand that helped shape that fundamental approach to leadership, respect for local culture, respect for the importance of sharing decision making and the vehicle that best represents AIO’s connection to Thailand is the IMV project over 20 years ago. The Hilux story began in 1968, but in 2004, under Akio’s leadership as head of the Asia region, Hilux became part of the IMV series, a truly global platform that symbolized Toyota’s bestin town approach and our monoturi philosophy. It was the IMV platform that took Hilux global. As the flag bearer of the IMV platform, there is no vehicle that better represents Thailand’s importance to Toyota than Hilux. We are proud to hear that many people even call Hilux Thailand’s national vehicle. At Toyota, we’ve always believed in mobility for all. For us, mobility is about giving people the means to explore, to work, to connect, and to improve their lives. From day one, the IMV project embodied this philosophy to create new vehicles that enrich communities and empower people. For farmers transporting produce, for families heading out on long trips, for workers building the cities around us. Hilux quickly earned a reputation for quality, durability and reliability, tough enough for construction sites, safe enough for a family road trip, trusted around the world. The new Hilux we announce today is the ninth generation of this legendary vehicle. With each generation, it’s only grown stronger, shaped by roads, by engineers, and most importantly, by the voices of customers everywhere. As the world changed, so did Hilux. Because Toyota listened. We listened to the miners who needed toughness. We listened to families who wanted more comfort. We listened to fleet owners who care about fuel economy and to young adventurers who wanted design and technology that match their lifestyle. Dependable transportation connecting people to opportunity with vehicles that were tough, simple, and built to last. Now looking ahead, Toyota is pursuing carbon neutrality not with a single solution but with a multiathway approach because the truth is simple. No two regions are the same and no customer is the same. This extends to the powertrain, the body variations and the customizability all with the aim of leaving no one behind. Each generation of Hilux has evolved, but the promise is unchanged. Hilux is a partner for life. Ladies and gentlemen, Chairman Akio Toyota believes that cars and car making should not only be part of society and economic prosperity, but also part of culture. For Ako Thailand, it’s a home away from home. On a professional level and a personal level, our partnership has become a friendship. He often says he wants to give back to Thailand. And over the years, our relationship with Thailand has grown beyond economic exchange to cultural exchange. As president of the International Sumo Federation, Chairman Toyota found great pleasure in seeing that Thailand recently host the the World Sumo Championship, bringing Japan’s national sport to Thailand for the first time. Now, although he couldn’t attend personally, former Yokuzzuna sumo wrestler Hakor visit Bangkok. Hakhor is known as the greatest sumo wrestler of all time. He dominated the world of sumo for over a decade, winning a record 45 championships. He’s even in the Guinness Book of Records for his total of 1,187 career wins, a feat unmatched in Sumo’s long history. And that’s a history of 1500 years. This all makes him one of the most successful sports people of all time. As a Toyota ambassador, he also stopped by Toyota Motor Thailand. You know, Akio is a former sportsman himself, and over the years, he and Hakaw have become friends through their shared passion for nurturing upcoming generations of athletes. And in that spirit of friendship, ladies and gentlemen, I’d like to welcome back to Thailand, Hakahhore. Heat. Heat. Yeah. Yeah. Fore! Foreign! Foreign! forchech. Yeah, thank you so much. Great speech. Thank you. You know, I couldn’t agree more. And it’s so important looking to the future. Now, speaking of the future, ladies and gentlemen, allow me to introduce to you the new Hilux. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Hey, hey, hey, Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey. Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey.
Toyota City, Japan, November 10, 2025―Toyota Motor Corporation (Toyota) announced that it will globally deploy diverse powertrains, including battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs), based on its multi-pathway approach to achieve a carbon-neutral society. On November 10, Toyota held the world premiere of the new Hilux, which includes a new BEV model, at a new vehicle announcement event held by Toyota Motor Asia (TMA) in Bangkok, Thailand. In Asia, Toyota plans to launch sequentially from 2026 onward. For Japan-bound models, where a diesel version is planned, the launch is scheduled for mid-2026.
More information: https://global.toyota/en/newsroom/toyota/43512628.html
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