Toyota, McDonald's, and Takara Tomy team up to put smiles on kids' faces with a golden partnership
In an exciting new initiative, Toyota, McDonald's, and Takara Tomy have joined forces to bring joy to children across Japan. The collaboration, centred around a special TOMICA Happy Meal promotion, features the iconic GR Corolla model as a collectible toy.
The project marks a unique three-way partnership between the three companies, leveraging the popularity of TOMICA miniature cars and the GR Corolla. This special collaboration is part of the 55th anniversary of TOMICA, showcasing special edition toys that connect automotive culture with children’s entertainment.
The GR Corolla Tomica collectible is included as a special gift set in McDonald's Happy Meals. The aim is to make children smile with exclusive miniature car models that replicate the Toyota GR Corolla. This initiative is part of a broader "golden tag team" effort to create joyful experiences for children, combining Toyota’s automotive expertise, Takara Tomy’s toy manufacturing, and McDonald's widespread children’s menu outreach.
Alongside the GR Corolla Tomica, other promotional toys related to Toyota vehicles (like healthcare and clean-up themed toy vehicles) have been released in subsequent waves to sustain interest in this campaign.
The collaboration was publicly announced in early July 2025, and the toys became available during specific Happy Meal promotion periods. The video of Chairman Akio Toyoda's reaction to receiving the golden GR Corolla Tomica toy has been posted on Instagram, while an actual gold GR Corolla and a gold GR 86 were displayed at a McDonald's location in Tokyo.
In the campaign's TV commercial, WRC champion Kalle Rovanperä and drift driver Ken Gushi showcase their drifting skills, with the actions of the child playing with toy cars being reflected by real vehicles and 1,000 synchronized drones. The video has generated buzz, with Chairman Akio Toyoda ordering a Happy Meal and rejoicing at getting a golden GR Corolla Tomica toy.
From May 10, customers can get toy cars from both the first and second rounds in Happy Meals. As the collaboration continues, it's clear that this unique partnership aims to bring joy to children and connect them with the world of automotive culture.
This unique partnership between Toyota, McDonald's, and Takara Tomy not only includes the GR Corolla Tomica collectible as part of the Happy Meal promotion, but also extends to home-and-garden themed toy vehicles, further immersing children in a lifestyle centered around automotive culture. As the campaign progresses, the collaboration aims to inspire and educate children about various aspects of automotive life, thereby bridging the gap between their world and the adult realm of home-and-garden chores and real-life vehicles.
