• The virtual auction will benefit the El Monte City School District, El Monte Union High School District and Vision To Learn organization

EL MONTE, Calif., Oct. 13, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Longo Toyota, the world's largest Toyota dealership, is auctioning a 2023 Toyota GR Corolla MORIZO this month and donating all its proceeds to the El Monte Schools and Vision To Learn. Toyota only produced 200 units of this limited-edition performance GR Corolla and Longo Toyota will auction badge no. #001, as designated by Toyota. The auction will take place virtually, Oct. 18-24, and the winning bidder will be announced on Oct. 24. Additionally, the final bid will be matched and donated to the charities.

The dealership is collaborating with digital auction platform Bring a Trailer (BaT) to list the vehicle for auction. BaT will also donate their buyer fee to the participating charities following the auction. The GR Corolla will be delivered cost-free to the winning bidder anywhere in the continental U.S. by RunBuggy, a car transportation technology platform.

"Longo Toyota has long been a proud supporter of our community and we are thrilled we can put 100% of the proceeds from the sale of this monumental vehicle back into the community to serve our students in El Monte," said Doug Eroh, president and general manager of Longo Toyota. "We can't wait to share more about the GR Corolla MORIZO Edition with automotive enthusiasts and showcase the power and performance behind this very limited-edition vehicle."

El Monte City School District and El Monte Union High School District serve approximately 15,000 students across TK-12 public schools. The student population is incredibly diverse in El Monte, representing more than 20 different language backgrounds in the eastern part of Los Angeles County.

Funds allocated to El Monte City School District will help create STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art & Math) labs and makerspaces at each of the district's schools. These dedicated STEAM spaces will provide students with experiential learning through hands-on activities focused on design, audiovisual components, coding, and much more.

"Educating students does not start or end in the classroom. It takes a community to mentor young scholars and one of our goals is to cultivate relationships to provide the best opportunities for our students," said Dr. Maribel Garcia, superintendent of El Monte City School District. "With our Longo Toyota partnership and the proceeds from their auction, we can continue to empower our students to tap into their interests and showcase the importance of community support in local education."

El Monte Union High School District will utilize a portion of the proceeds from the auction towards supporting a transportation career technical education program that gives students hands-on automotive industry experience. Training includes vehicle diagnostic testing, brake system adjustments and electronic computer component testing.

"Our partnership with Longo Toyota serves as fuel that propels our students toward a future filled with possibilities," said Dr. Edward Zuniga, superintendent of El Monte Union High School District. " We are proud to have a partnership with Longo Toyota that allows us to provide our students with the skills and resources they need to reach academic and personal achievements. Together, we are paving a path for our students to be successful in high school and their post-secondary endeavors."

Additional proceeds will go toward supporting local efforts from Vision To Learn, a nonprofit organization that provides vision screenings, eye exams and glasses at no charge to students from low-income communities throughout the U.S. Vision To Learn was founded in Los Angeles more than a decade ago and now serves students in dozens of communities, including East Los Angeles County.

"Our mission at Vision to Learn is to make sure every child in every school, everywhere in the country, has the glasses they need to succeed in school and in life," said Austin Beutner, founder and chairman of Vision to Learn. "We're grateful to the team at Longo Toyota for their support of Vision to Learn and the children in El Monte Public Schools."

The first-ever GR Corolla debuted successfully in 2022, followed by the introduction of the GR Corolla MORIZO Edition that same year. Developed by TOYOTA GAZOO Racing, this special edition model boasts exclusive specs and a dynamic design. The MORIZO Edition was named for Akio Toyoda, a GR Master Driver and chairman of Toyota Motor Corporation's board of directors, and designed to meet specifications desired by Toyoda himself, with tight handling, a high power-to-weight ratio, and a highly rigid body. 

To learn more about the auction please visit https://www.longotoyota.com/morizo-auction.html.

About Longo Toyota

Longo Toyota was founded in 1967 in El Monte, CA and has been the number one volume Toyota dealership in the USA for 56 consecutive years. Longo operates on over 50 acres and has 550 team members who collectively speak over 40 languages and dialects. Longo continues to grow, innovate and achieve industry leading sales and guest satisfaction results every year.   

About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in the U.S. for more than 65 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands, plus our nearly 1,500 dealerships.

Toyota directly employs more than 49,000 people in the U.S. who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of more than 33 million cars and trucks at our nine manufacturing plants. By 2025, Toyota's 10th plant in North Carolina will begin to manufacture automotive batteries for electrified vehicles. With more electrified vehicles on the road than any other automaker, Toyota currently offers 26 electrified options.

Through its Driving Possibilities initiative, the Toyota USA Foundation has committed $110 million to create innovative educational programs within, and in partnership with, historically underserved and diverse communities near the company's 14 U.S. operating sites.

For more information about Toyota, visit www.ToyotaNewsroom.com.

Media Contacts:

Christine Henley
Toyota Motor North America
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Jessica Moerbe
Penske Motor Group
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