Toyota after tasting success with the Etios car are thinking of developing new cars on the same platform for the developing Asian nations. We had uncovered the news of the world’s number 1 car maker thinking of a car on the lines of the Etios in Indonesia as well, just a couple of days back. Daihatsu, the company’s Indonesian subsidiary would help them in this regard. It is said that work is already been undertaken in this regard and the company is scheduled to get this car in the Indonesian markets by 2013. Moreover, in Thailand, a new car which would most likely be a hatchback would also be launched at around the same time.
Like the IMV platform that Toyota developed a few years back, the company is looking to project the Etios platform as one of the biggest platforms to come out from the company. The IMV platform is a big hit with the likes of Toyota Innova, Toyota Fortuner and the Hilux truck been built on it. All these cars are the number rakers in their respective categories. Also Toyota is keen on projecting India as their manufacturing hub for the South East Asian region. It is said that once demands in India are satiated, the Toyota Etios would be exported, albeit in the South Asian region first.
By 2012, Japan, which currently supplies the transmission for the Toyota Etios, would hand it over to India. Once the transmission gets made in India, the price of the Toyota Etios would be further lowered resulting in a superb value for money proposition. Moreover, the Brazilian market would be the key target for export of transmissions. Moreover, the engine which is also a Japanese manufactured unit, would also be handed over to Toyota Kirloskar India Limited in due course of time. This should happen earliest by 2012.