Toyota to begin India bookings for Etios early next month

Japanese auto major Toyota will commence bookings for its much-awaited small car, Etios, in India next month and is targeting a sale of 65,000 units next year, a top company official said.

"We have decided to launch Etios next month in Bangalore and will start bookings in the first week of December," Toyota Kirloskar Motor's Managing Director Hiroshi Nakagawa told PTI here.

The Japanese car major, which is present in the country through a joint venture with the Kirloskar Group is investing Rs 3,200 crore to set up its second manufacturing facility in Bangalore to roll-out its first small car in India.

"We are eyeing a sale of 65,000 units out of a total target of 150,000 units across models next year," he said.

The Toyota official, however, declined to divulge the price.

The company, which will launch both hatchback and sedan under the Etios series, has chosen to launch the sedan first in December and then its compact hatch Etios three months later.
   
"We will first launch the Etios sedan variant and later the hatchback. The hatchback variant will be launched three-months after the sedan launch," he said.

Toyota is betting big on its Etios which is being specifically developed for the Indian market and hopes it would be a game-changer for the company.
   
"Etios is a small car which we have never developed earlier. It is specifically made for India. We expect it would be a game-changer for us," he said, adding "Etios has been a challenge for us to build a car at a lower price."
   
The company's second plant will have an initial annual production capacity of 70,000 units, which could be expanded up to 200,000 units. "The second plant will first cater to the needs of Etios," he said.
   
The company has appointed musical genius A R Rahman as Etios' brand ambassador.
   
"A R Rahman is the right person for our product. We hope to take advantage of this musical genius for our Etios," he said.
   
The company is expecting to sell about 65,000 units of Etios next year out of a target of 150,000 units across all models in India.
   
The company sells sedans Corolla Altis and Camry, SUVs Fortuner and Prado and utility vehicle Innova in India.