Claimed the title of No.1 carmaker in world, Toyota is still keen about India, and is thinking to bring in more small cars and compact SUV here. Due to some of the drawbacks it is sitting idle, and as said, the lack of “clear cut” derivations in Indian government’s policy regarding import tariff, fuel policy etc. had tied their hands in the position which they are. “If you look at our portfolio in India, we have just one small car, Liva. We need more if we have to have big volumes in a fast growing market like India,” said Satoshi Ohiso, Toyota Motor Corporation Managing Officer.
Small cars are not the only things of matter here, but the carmaker is also thinking to launch compact SUV on our local shores. They believe this trend is catching very ferociously throughout the world and India is not left behind from the grasping arena, but staying with Etios here will not give them those desired sales figure for which they had started businesses on Indian territory. And basically Etios was launched keeping in mind the India mentality itself, and not the changing taste of Indians; hence the result is clear in front of us.
Well, Toyota is not eyeing some small duration cashing point but is aiming towards the long and a vast future on our homeland, where it will need diesel engine manufacturing facility here. Now the Japanese officials are looking deep into it this issue, slating what will be the cost/tariffs for the imports of components, and many other technical aspects as well.
Back to the top again, Toyota is on the top positions in global automotive industry, and is also doing on numero uno position in Asian countries like Indonesia and Philippines, who shares similar traits to that of us, and so India is flashing in red-beep on the radar of this Japanese automaker to be conquered in priority.
“We would have to see how things are (import tariff) before we decide to launch more hybrid vehicles. At the moment it is a very costly proposition to sell our hybrids in India,” said Bernie O’Connor, Toyota Motor Asia Executive Vice President, which means more of the excitement to barge on our local land soon.