EL MONTE, Calif. (Oct. 30, 2023) – Longo Toyota in El Monte, the world’s largest Toyota dealership, sold a limited edition 2023 Toyota GR Corolla MORIZO through an auction to raise funds for charity. This particular vehicle holds the special distinction of badge no. 001 of 200, as designated by Toyota. The online auction took place for a week, starting on Oct. 18 and concluding on Oct. 25. The winning bid was $98,500. Longo Toyota and Toyota made additional contributions, bringing the total charitable donation to $150,000. The donation will benefit El Monte City School District, El Monte Union High School District, and Vision To Learn. Vision To Learn is a nonprofit organization that provides vision screenings, eye exams, and glasses free of charge to students from low-income communities across the U.S.
In a special meet and greet event on Oct. 28, Longo Toyota presented the vehicle to the winning bidder, a local resident named Edison Wang. Attendees at the event included special guests from Toyota’s GAZOO Racing Engineering Division in Japan, the team that helped develop the GR Corolla. Naoyuki Sakomoto, the GR Corolla Chief Engineer, was among those who personally congratulated the lucky winner. Representatives from the El Monte Schools and Vision To Learn were also present to graciously accept the charitable donation.
“We are thrilled that our efforts in this auction have surpassed our expectations. Connecting with the automotive community around the GR Corolla MORIZO edition has been an amazing experience,” said Doug Eroh, president and general manager of Longo Toyota. “The substantial donation will provide valuable support to El Monte Schools and Vision To Learn, helping them further their mission of supporting local students.”
The funds received by El Monte City School District will be used to create STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art & Math) labs and makerspaces in each of the district’s schools. El Monte Union High School District will allocate a portion of the proceeds towards a transportation career technical education program, providing students with hands-on experience in the automotive industry. Additional proceeds will support Vision To Learn’s efforts to serve students in need in East Los Angeles County.
For more information about the auction, the GR Corolla MORIZO Edition, and the auction, please visit www.longotoyota.com/morizo-auction.html
About Longo Toyota
Longo Toyota was established in 1967 in El Monte, CA, and has held the title of the number one volume Toyota dealership in the USA for 56 consecutive years. The dealership operates on more than 50 acres and employs 550 team members who collectively speak over 40 languages and dialects. Longo Toyota continues to grow, innovate, and achieve industry-leading sales and guest satisfaction results every year.