Japanese automobile major Toyota, in response to the Mahindra & Mahindra Scorpio, is planning to launch a new version of the Qualis with the promise of additional features and a lower price tag.
Currently, the Qualis variants are priced about Rs 60,000 higher than comparable variants of the Scorpio. Toyota's strategy is also be aimed at pre-empting a strike by its other rival in the utility vehicle segment, Tata Engineering, which is giving the finishing touches to a new variant of the Sumo to counter the Scorpio.
While the Scorpio is priced in the Rs 5.5-7 lakh range, the Qualis is priced in the Rs 5.6-8.5 lakh range. Telco's Safari falls in the Rs 7.6-8.5 lakh range and Sumo, its low-end utility vehicle, costs Rs 4-5.9 lakh.
A Toyota spokesperson said it was