More than the announcement Tuesday of a $106 million investment by Toyota at its Huntsville plant that prompted a "Lordy mercy" celebratory statement from Gov. Kay Ivey, it's what that announcement might one day mean for the state of Alabama.

What does that investment in Alabama mean for the state as it seeks to land the $1.6 billion Toyota Mazda manufacturing plant that the companies are planning?

Ivey declined to comment Tuesday on the Toyota Mazda pursuit but indications are that the updates to the Huntsville plant - which introduces new Toyota technology to the facility and creates 50 new jobs - may bolster the state's efforts.

"Absolutely," said David Fernandes, president of Toyota Alabama, when asked if this expansion would help Alabama's efforts. "This is the new Toyota global architect engine so that platform is a future business for Toyota. That platform are the engines with the highest technology and the best designed engines. This is our new technology.

"To put that new technology in this plant is another testament to the confidence that Toyota has not only in the safety produced in this plant but the quality with our engines."

Fernandes said one-third of all American-built Toyota engines are produced at the Huntsville plant.

The Toyota Alabama president said the state that lands the plant expected to generate 4,000 jobs is expected to be announced early next year.

"I can't speculate," about the project, Fernandes said. "What I can tell you is our Toyota team from our North America headquarters is actually doing site visits and they've committed to make an announcement in early 2018 for the state that gets selected for that new joint venture between Toyota and Mazda."

A smile flashed on the face of Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle when he was asked about the Toyota Mazda plant.

"It's just the confidence that Team Toyota has placed in us by expanding this plant here and doing more here," Battle said. "It just shows they have confidence in the area. Our job now is to go out and make sure we have all the qualifications in place that can make this maybe a reality one day. It's a competition. We hope to be in the competition.

"We hope to be working with them and making sure they understand our position in the world. And the great thing is, we already have a reputation. When you have a reputation, they know that day to day, you will do what you say you will do. And that reputation may carry us a long way in this competition."

The investment in the Huntsville plant will create 50 new high-paying jobs, Hernandes said. It's the fifth upgrade of the Huntsville plant by Toyota since the 2001 groundbreaking.

"This is not only an exciting day for Toyota Motor in Huntsville and Madison, but Lordy mercy, this is exciting for the whole state of Alabama," Ivey said.