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Friday, 30 April 2010
The Toyota Fortuner had been launched in August 2009. This macho SUV has been working its magic on the Indian roads since then. The number of prospective car buyers interested in buying this new car is only increasing by the day and Toyota is finding it difficult to manage the demands of the ever-growing consumer. The Fortuner has received robust response from the market and has so far sold around 6,500 units. The company has already increased production to more than 950 vehicles per month from the initial 500 units per month.
What more could Toyota do? The car maker has now suspended bookings for this SUV till July in India. It intends to clear the backlog of bookings by this time. The move comes at a time when the company's Indian subsidiary Toyota Kirloskar Motor is undertaking an exercise to change faulty brake kits of the vehicle following complaints from 220 customers.
"The average waiting period for the SUV Fortuner is around six months and we have closed bookings as we do not want our customers to wait. We will re-start bookings in June -July once we are able to clear the backlog," Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) Deputy Managing Director Sandeep Singh said. The company would be resuming the bookings only when the waiting period comes down to three months. As of now, Toyota has pending orders of over 6,000 units.
Just yesterday we said that Toyota was already into rectifying brake problems on the Fortuner based on customer feedback on a case-to-case basis. The company had to do this as some of its customers, especially those shifting from sedans and MUVs to the Fortuner, a four wheel drive, may have felt that the brakes were a little different.
Toyota feels the actual performance of the SUV will be different from what the traditional car drivers are used to. The brakes are perfectly fine. But, Toyota does not want to take chances. Though there has been no recall, the auto maker has been replacing the brakes. Toyota says that it has received feedback from 200 customers till date.
The hybrid car, Toyota Prius has also been doing great. The company plans to sell 200 units in India this year and has already received 80 bookings for the vehicle. Isn’t that great? While the Fortuner is India’s best selling SUV, the Prius stands as the best-selling hybrid from Toyota's stable. The car was introduced in India in January and it has received great fame as Toyota’s test vehicle for the alternative fuel technology in India.
While the Toyota Fortuner has a long waiting period of around six months, the Toyota Prius too comes with a three-month waiting period. For this year, Toyota has already ordered a consignment of 200 units and lined up the month-wise dispatch figures. TKM has delivered 12 units of the car in the Indian market since its launch.
The Toyota Prius is a car that’s imported from Japan as completely built units and is available in India in two variants at a price range of Rs 26.55 lakh to Rs 27.86 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi). So, if you want to buy a Fortuner or Prius hybrid, there’s no other go. Wait a little longer for the car to reach your porch. The best things do take long to come, but it’s always worth the wait. Labels: New-Car, Prius-Hybrid, Toyota-Cars, Toyota-Fortuner, Toyota-Prius, Toyota-Recalls
Thursday, 29 April 2010
 Recently, we have been hearing lots about the Toyota recalls. Now, the car maker has admitted to replacing the brake kits in its bestselling SUV, the Toyota Fortuner. The sports utility vehicle was launched in August 2009 and soon after, the car buyers had started complaining about poor braking. Automobile maker Toyota Kirloskar Motor Ltd is now replacing the kits only on a case-by-case basis and not approaching customers to get them changed. The drama happened. Only later, i.e., cars manufactured after February 2010 carried the new brakes. Those who own the Fortuner car built before this will have to get the brakes replaced. Toyota is doing it free of cost of course. At least 180 customers who had bought the car have complained to the company regarding the brakes. “We did receive queries from consumers regarding the brakes and merely returned them to give a better feeling of braking to the driver. The quality of braking and the distance it takes for the car to stop remains the same. As the returning required changing the whole kit, hence the brakes were changed. There is absolutely no compromise on the safety of the consumers,” said Sandeep Singh, deputy managing director, marketing, TKML. Singh emphasized that “there is no case of a recall in the Fortuner as the brakes are perfectly fine”. Really? The company has seen and borne enough. If we consider the car maker’s inventory across the globe, nearly 8 million Toyota cars have been recalled in the past year for various defects. Have the recalls marred the company’s reputation? TKML claims that the kind of problems it is encountering with the Fortuner is common in the business. It didn’t put a number to the costs it is incurring on account of changing the braking system, but said it had a budget for warranty-related expenses. Toyota is right. The defects may be common in the business. Also, it is surprising to note that the Toyota Fortuner has come out as the country’s best selling SUV just eight months after its launch. The roads have already seen 8,000 units and the figure is more than all other comparable SUVs put together during the period. A Delhi-based Fortuner owner said that he had bought the new SUV in December. Since day one, he had a feeling that there must be some braking problem until finally in January he bumped into a biker after the car refused to stop in time in spite of applying the brakes. After persistent haggling with the dealer, they fitted the brakes of the Prado, Toyota’s other SUV, in February. But Singh said, “Within a month of its launch (August 2009), we decided to educate consumers on what to expect from a 2 tonne vehicle”. He explained that a new SUV would definitely have a different feel than a new car. “It will not perform like any other sedan and it needs to be driven in a different way. Much of the problem is not technical but in the mindset of the customers. The car is a big success and had there been any major issue, customers would not be buying it like this,” he said. India has an active consumer redressal system involving consumer courts. However, we do not have any recall laws. Labels: New-Car, New-SUV, Toyota-Cars, Toyota-Fortuner, Toyota-Recalls
Wednesday, 28 April 2010
Recently, we had Volvo playing games. Car makers have started promoting their brands through sports, and now, Toyota too wants to play along. The National Junior Golf Tour has found a long term sponsor in Toyota Kirloskar Motors. The quest to explore India’s talent, to discover potential Olympians to represent our country at the 2016 Olympic Games has already kicked off. The Toyota Etios Tour 2010 at the Golden Greens Golf Resort Gurgaon has begun. 120 junior golfers in the age group of 10 – 18 yrs will be participating in this elite level national ranking championship. National and international junior team selections are entirely based on the performance of the junior golfers during this tour. Toyota indeed has done a great job sponsoring the tour. The development of junior golf in India gets high support here and the annual golf tour encourages the Indian junior golfers to focus on intensification of their preparation for training programs. There’s nothing more encouraging than the Etios Junior Golf Tour to nurture young talent. The Toyota Etios Junior Golf Tour does what it can to inculcate in today’s young players the focus and the drive required to emerge as winners in prestigious international forums such as the Asian Junior Amateur Championship and ultimately, the 2016 Olympic Games. “We welcome Toyota as the new title sponsor of the IGU’s National Junior Tour. We are very pleased to have Toyota and Rishi Narain Golf Management associated with this tour which will surely lift the tour to a new level of professionalism. We see huge potential in our juniors and there is no doubt that this is the training ground where we will find the players for the 2016 Olympics and beyond”, said Maj Gen Parmar, Director General, Indian Golf Union. The Toyota Etios Junior Golf Tour consists of seven 4-day tournaments every year. The seven tournaments have been spread across regions all over India with one of these tournaments in April, three in May, two in November and one in December. Following one practice round on day one, this 4-day event begins on April 27th and is the Indian Golf Union’s official National Junior Tour. The schedule will be exciting. Top ranked IGU merit list players will be competing in 4 age group categories, “16 – 18”, “14 – 16”, “12- 14” and “10 -12”. The Toyota Etios Junior Golf Tour marks a new epoch in junior golf. The current National Men’s Champion, Chikkarangappa from Bangalore will be leading the charge at age 16. He will play at least four tournaments on the Junior Tour. Ashbir Saini, the recent Nepal Open winner who beat several top professionals in Kathmandu, will also be joining. Top juniors participating would be Manu Gandas ( #1 ) from DLF GC Gurgaon, #2 Shubhankar Sharma from Army GC, Delhi and Honey Baisoya #3 from Delhi GC from the 14-16 yr age group. In the 12 – 14 yr category, in action will be #! Piyush Snagwan from DLF GC, #2 Virad Madappa from Kokota, #3 Firoz Garewal from Chandgarh and #4 Vidhit Singh from Delhi. In the 10 – 12 Yr category, #1 Karandeep Kochar who won 6 tournaments last year leads the field from Chandigarh, #2 Arjun Puri of Delhi and #3 Arjun Prasad from Hyderabad are the top ranked players. If the Volvo S80 was presented to the man of the series at the India-South Africa ODI tournament, here we have the entire golf event sponsored by Toyota. Way to go Toyota! Labels: Olympic-Games, Toyota, Toyota-Cars, Toyota-Etios, Volvo-Cars, Volvo-S80
Wednesday, 21 April 2010
 The automotive major, Toyota Motor Corp is all set to launch the Prius hybrid minivan using lithium ion batteries at a very reasonable price by early 2011. A Japanese business daily, the Nikkei just reported so and we just can’t wait to experience a drive in the special hybrid. Will new car ever come to India and when? Well, as of now, we only know that the hybrid minivan will be launched with the lithium ion batteries. With the launch of the Prius, Toyota has been very enthusiastic about demonstrating its commitment to provide India with greener automotive technology and now we may have the new Prius minivan. Ever since the Prius became the world's first mass-produced hybrid vehicle in 1997, it has received worldwide acclaim. Today, the current Prius is already the most successful hybrid in the world with rising sales of around 1.5 million. The car maker has pledged to promote eco-friendly vehicles in India and contribute towards saving the environment. It’s very surprising to note that Toyota would be keeping the price of the new Prius model at a level similar to those of current models. It is looking at strengthening its lead in the hybrid market. The new Prius minivan will offer roomy interiors and better mileage. It may also have three rows of seats for carrying five to seven people. Don’t you think that’s really great? Toyota will initially produce the lithium ion batteries at its Teiho factory in Aichi Prefecture. Later the production may shift to Panasonic EV Energy Co, a battery joint venture with Panasonic Corp. A lithium-ion battery can pack more electricity than its nickel-metal hydride counterpart. That only means that the hybrid car will run longer on a single charge. Prius in Latin means ‘to go before’. Staying true to the meaning of its name, the Prius sports the latest technology. It is equipped with the Toyota Hybrid System II or the Hybrid Synergy Drive. The Prius, with one of the best aerodynamic performances, has an amazing fuel economy. The third-generation Prius that we currently have in India comes with three driving modes - Power Mode, Eco Mode and Electric Vehicle Mode and a host of dynamic features that offer outstanding driving pleasure with superior environmental performance. The Toyota Prius 2010 has been completely redesigned but still has four doors and can seat 5 persons. It is packed with a 1.8 litre gasoline engine along with two electric motors and a planetary gear set. In case of full acceleration both these power sources work in combination offering the maximum benefit. The Toyota Prius’ fuel efficiency is estimated to be about of 20 kmpl which is way better than most hybrids and regular cars. The lithium batteries are only going to add to the minivan’s performance. The current Toyota Prius includes beautifully sculpted exteriors and more conventional interiors which hybrid car lovers just love. The digital speedometer, climate control buttons and stereo buttons are positioned in a more traditional way. Labels: Eco-Friendly-Vehicles, New-Car, Toyota, Toyota-Cars, Toyota-Motor-Corp, Toyota-Prius
Friday, 6 November 2009
All of you would be waiting impatiently for the Delhi Auto Expo. And being a major auto event that will be hosted by India very shortly, we are all excited about the auto show. Now, we here are Carazoo.com had already covered the exciting news about how more and more manufacturers are flooding towards the Auto Expo. And the most interesting fact is that the auto makers find the Delhi Auto Expo the most significance and popular one. And that could be the one reason why the auto makers, at least a few of them, declined to continue in the Tokyo Motor show and was keen to join in the Delhi Auto Expo.
Toyota is expected to be showcasing two of its much awaited models, Toyota Avanza and Toyota Prius, Interesting, uh? And we still can’t confirm whether these are the only two models the car manufacturer will be showcasing or will there be new cars announced to be showcased at the Auto Show by the manufacturer, you never know.
Avanza is an MPV from the Toyota stable. It is a five seater and once launched in India, the Japanese auto maker expects it be a bigger hit than its most-popular model Toyota Innova. One reason behind this expectation could be its low price, it is priced lesser than Innova.
The Avanza will be equipped with a 1.5-litre petrol engine. Wait, the Show is promising a real car raining season in India. Labels: Delhi-Auto-Show, MPV, New-Toyota-Innova, Toyota, Toyota-Avanza, Toyota-Cars, Toyota-Prius
Thursday, 5 November 2009
Toyota became the second major Japanese car manufacturer to quit F1. We have been anticipating Toyota's withdrawal from F1 for quite some time but were waiting for the car honcho to declare it officially.
Toyota Motor Corporation has announced its plans to withdraw from the FIA Formula 1 World Championship at the end of the 2009 season because of its 'current severe economic realities'. The latest pullout would be yet another blow to Formula One, which is already bogged down by scandals, disputes and falling number of sponsorships.
Toyota's association with Formula One began in 2002 and it had raced for eight seasons. The Toyota F1 team competed in 141 F1 races and accomplished 13 podium finishes. The team could never manage to win a race during its tenure with F1 despite having an annual budget of around US$300 million. But the Toyota F1 team was fifth in the 2009 Constructors' Championship.
Toyota’s season promised much after long-term driver Jarno Trulli finished third in the opening race of the season in Australia and followed that with another third in Bahrain, after starting race four from pole position. His team-mate Timo Glock also stood on the podium after finishing third in the rain-affected second race of the season in Malaysia. But neither driver would reach the podium again until race 14 when Glock finished second behind Britain's Lewis Hamilton in Singapore, equaling the team's best finish to a race. One week later, in early October, Trulli also came second at the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka. Japanese driver Kamui Kobayashi joined Trulli, who finished the season eighth in the standings, for the final two races of the season after Glock.
Trulli is tipped to join Lotus while Glock is expected to move to Renault later this week but Kobayashi's future is less clear. Germany's Ralf Schumacher, France's Olivier Panis and Britain's Allan McNish have also all driven for Toyota over the years.
Toyota noted that it would actively contribute to further development of motorsports by supporting grassroots races and planning events in which it is easy for people to participate. Now, the world's largest car manufacturer will concentrate on its core business.
We guess it’s all about making hybrids and electric cars now! Labels: F1-Cars, F1-Racing, Formula-1, Toyota-Cars, Toyota-Formula-1-Team, Toyota-Motor-Corporation
Thursday, 22 October 2009
Toyota has many plans for India. The Japanese car honcho is all set to launch the Prius in India early next year. World’s numero uno car maker Toyota also plans to expand in the Indian car industry. It is planning to foray into the small car segment by 2011. Toyota has secured its ground in India with sedans and SUVs and its sales chart topper Innova MUV. And now, for the first time, the car giant is going to make inroads in the small car segment in India. For this, Toyota is bringing in its small car brand Daihatsu in India and India is going to be Toyota’s base for all of its future global small cars. The upcoming Toyota small car will stand against the Maruti Suzuki Swift and the Hyundai i20. It will be positioned at the premium end of the small car market. The car will comply with needs and tastes of the Indian buyer. It has been revealed that the Toyota small car will be within four metres in length and come with a 1.2-litre petrol engine. The company is planning to launch both the hatchback and sedan versions of the car. The sedan will come with a 1.5L engine and a 1.5-litre diesel engine may follow the petrol version. The base model of the car will also have options to select various high-end safety features like Anti Braking System (ABS). Toyota is keen to give the proposed car a contemporary international look while keeping the price as low as possible without any compromise on quality. The company is looking at sharing components from other models with the proposed compact car to reduce the production cost. The small car will also be at least 10 per cent more fuel-efficient than a similar-size competing car in the present Indian market. Moreover, Toyota will introduce the car with a four-cylinder engine that will be Bharat Stage IV emission norm compliant. Toyota has a minimal market share of 3 per cent in India. It is evaluating to increase its market share by 2015. Toyota also expects that sales from India will contribute up to 4 per cent to its total global sales by 2015 on the back of its proposed small car launch. With the launch of the Prius and the above mentioned upcoming small car, Toyota is looking to add another product to its portfolio. The company is looking to position this car between its proposed small car and the Innova. This car will be priced somewhere between Rs 6-8 Lakh. This car model is likely to go on sale in the next two years. The all-new car will accommodate five-six persons comfortably and feature a sub 2.0-litre diesel engine. As Toyota Kirloskar Motors Limited wants to play safe with the new car and not affect Innova sales, the proposed new car is classified as “a ‘people mover’, not an SUV.” The parent company has been evaluating certain models for India, including the Toyota Avensis Verso MPV and the Toyota Avanza for benchmarking purposes. Labels: Toyota, Toyota-Cars, Toyota-Kirloskar-Motors
Tuesday, 5 May 2009
It is nice to know that Toyota has selected India to introduce its futuristic concept showroom. Named as Galaxy, this is the third showroom of Toyota in Delhi which is created with the DIVA (Distinctive, Inviting, Value-added services, Advanced) concept. The concept of DIVA will assist the company to complete its future models range like MPV, SUV, passenger car segment, and the upcoming small car. Toyota realizing the potential of its product and further to strengthen its position in the Indian car market has come up with this concept that offers customer centric services like faster test drives and incorporated value chain services (exchange, registration, insurance and finance) all under one roof. The DIVA concept will be employed by the Toyota dealership across the country. The new showroom will display Toyota’s constant quest for a unique and futuristic concept. This state of the art showroom is built utilizing high-tech displays and interactive delivery that will ensure customers’ convenience and satisfaction. It is a great concept and expected to create a benchmark in the automobile history of India. The success of the concept depends upon the evaluation of the customers. After all, customers are considered as the king in the commercial world, and contented consumers can only lead the company towards victory. Labels: Car-Showroom, Indian-car-market, Toyota-Cars
Monday, 4 May 2009
In recent times, India has been witnessing a bunch of luxury car brands in the market. Now Toyota has decided to bring the Lexus cars in India eyeing the buyers’ inclination for Lexus models. The commendable growth of the luxury car market in the country has also prompted the car manufacturer to go forward with the decision. Last year also the company had announced its plan to introduce the car in India but this time the launch is confirmed. However, no exact date is revealed by the company for the debut of the car. Lexus car in India are individually imported directly by the customers. Lexus is a famous brand from the house of Toyota that present in many international markets including U.S., Japan, Russia, China, and Europe. It is one of the leading luxury car brands in U.S. that has been tagged as the most reliable car brand in the U.S. fourteen times by J.D. Power and Associates. Additionally, it has been the top selling automotive luxury brand for last 7 years in U.S. The brands includes the IS, ES, GS, and LS series of sedans, the SC convertible coupe, the RX, GX, and LX ranges of luxury SUVs in its product line up. With such an impressive record and alluring car models, Lexus will certainly be able to rule the Indian car market. Labels: Lexus-Cars, Luxury-Car, Toyota-Cars
Friday, 3 April 2009
Toyota pioneers the rear-seat center airbag to enhance safety and security of rear-seat car passengers. It sounds strange as how can an airbag be fitted in the rear seat but that’s where Toyota has showed its potential and technological creativity. This innovative airbag is fitted in a large, fixed center console in the back seat. When the car is hit from the sides, the airbag will deploy from the top of the centre console and act as a barrier restraining rear seat passengers from colliding with each other. This introduction by Toyota has embarked a new journey in the path of innovative discoveries positioning it again in the global automotive map. Toyota does not stop here when it comes to safety. The car manufacturer is still innovating technologies that will respond more effectively in case of accidents. Curtain shield airbags and knee airbags are also introduced by Toyota to enhance safety of the drivers as well as passengers. Labels: Airbags, Car-Manufacturer, Toyota-Cars
Tuesday, 24 March 2009
At a time when the recession is continuously hitting the U.S. car industry and consumers are indefinitely deferring their high investments on car purchase, dependable cars are extensively in demand. J.D. Power and Associates has come up with a study that ranks the dependable cars for the year 2009 to help car manufacturer to get consumers’ feedback and consumer to select the best car. J.D. Power and Associates has ranked Buick and Jaguar as the most dependable cars for the year 2009. The leaders are followed by Lexus sibling Toyota and Mercury. Surprisingly, in the last year rating Buick was in the sixth place whereas Jaguar was in10th place and this year both the brands reached the top position beating the Lexus. The ratings were given depending on the dependability study made by J.D. Power and Associates on 46,000 original owned cars. The study focuses on the problems faced by the owners of 2006 model year vehicles and rates 202 different problem symptoms across all aspect of a car. This year’s study covers overall 202 problems, split into eight major problems categories such as exterior, driving experience, features/controls/displays, audio/entertainment/navigation, seats, interior, and engine/transmission. Interestingly, the research revealed that engines components of the car models belonging to the car brands like Buick, Lincoln, Mercury, and Jaguar do not demand any replacement compare to other car brands. Labels: Car-Industry, Dependable-Cars, Toyota-Cars
Tuesday, 17 March 2009
It’s time for all Toyota car owners to experience quality revolution with an attractive summer campaign called Suhana Summer that offers 7 special packages and free check-up for all Toyota models. Toyota car owners can avail this service from March 16 to April 15 which will be conducted in 69 dealerships across the country. Toyota being the pioneer in the `Customer First' approach throughout the world has introduced this campaign to coincide with the vacation season in India. Customers who are planning for long trips for summer holidays can tune up their cars in advance to ensure a hassle free journey. The company is trying its best to surpass other car manufacturers in every aspect. It’s understandable that Toyota wants to hold its consumers in the wake of the recession by providing this type of customer-centric services. Moreover, the company smartly expresses its concern over the relationship that its shares with the buyers which still continue even after a car is sold. Labels: Car-Manufacturer, Car-Owners, Toyota-Cars
If you are an ardent fan of Toyota cars then you should get ready to spend more on them. Following the current price hike trend in the industry, Toyota has recently announced a hike of up to Rs 50,000 on the Innova and the Corolla Altis. As both the Innova and the Corolla Altis are the two leading cars from Toyota’s stable, the price hike has become essential for the company to successfully roll out the required numbers of cars. The price of the Toyota Innova is increased in the range of Rs 10,000 to Rs 25,000 whereas the price of Corolla Altis is raised in the range of Rs 10,000 to Rs 50,000. Toyota reveals that the decision of price hike is taken eyeing the recent changes in the rupee/dollar and yen/dollar exchange rate. The rising operational costs are also one of the key reasons behind the price increase. Till date somehow the company was able to absorb the cost. Now it’s really become tough for Toyota to absorb the costs. And in order to survive in the fluctuating market and to maintain a steady growth, it has pushed some of the pressure towards the buyers. Labels: Car-prices, Toyota-Cars, Toyota-Innova
Monday, 2 March 2009
Now you can expect more from the Innova as Toyota has introduced the CNG powered Innova. Delightfully, the car will now provide more mileage, increased engine oil life, and reduced maintenance costs. Toyota marks a significant milestone in the history of Indian car industry by introducing the first energy efficient multipurpose vehicle in the country. Toyota Innova, since its inception in 2005, has carved its individual niche in the market. CNG being an ecofriendly, reliable, and economic fuel will further increase the popularity of the car. With the CNG kit the driver of the car can switch over from petrol to CNG using a manual switch. All the existing petrol variants of the car are fitted with a 12 kg CNG tank that holds an advanced Lambda control system to meet Euro III emission norms. The running cost of the Innova on CNG is amazingly around Rs 1.6 per kilometer or may be even less than that based on the driving habits and situations. The CNG Innova will gradually become the need of hour with about 50% saving over diesel in running cost and also around 90% less emission. Highly economical and eco-friendly CNG kit adds an extra cost of Rs 85000 to the existing price. But you can rejoice the experience of driving a CNG Innova only if you reside in cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Surat, Hyderabad, and Ahmedabad. Vadodara and Vijaywada will also witness the launch soon. Presently, the company has plans to introduce the CNG powered Innova only in these 7 cities. But we are sure that the car will do wonders in a short span of time and then the launch of the car will spread across the lengths and breadths of the country. Labels: Innova-CNG, New-Car-Launch, Toyota-Cars
Thursday, 19 February 2009
Technologies have become the fate of auto industry and so do in-car entertainment systems. Innovations have brought in a host of entertainment systems that have taken car electronics to new height. The introduction of wireless ipod car adaptors by Apple has begun a new revolution in in-car entertainments. Apple’s first ipod car adapters are luring many music enthusiasts with its unique features. Music lovers can enjoy their favourite tunes behind the wheel without the involvement of wires and cables. The company has launched the iPod car adapter in three different options. The first one helps the ipod adaptor to connect to FM stations to transfer signals directly to the car audio system. It comes with a voice monitoring system for tuning the voice clarity and selection option to enjoy high-quality, wireless, sound tracks. The second one is the iPod's jack adapter which offers the highest sound quality available for car stereos. Many car manufacturers like Mazda, Toyota, and Chevrolet have even built-in iPod's jack adapters in some of their popular car models. And the third type of car adaptors are the cassette adaptor that is perfect for old car models. Though the sound quality is not much impressive, it is good choice for a price conscious buyer. Whatever you choose for your car, the ipod adaptor, jack adaptor, or the cassette adaptor, the rhythmic music of your favourite tunes can soothe you in all your car journeys. Labels: Auto-Industry, iPod Car Adapter, Toyota-Cars
Monday, 2 February 2009
India is becoming a hot spot for many car companies as well as component manufacturers. Many car manufacturers are gradually establishing their production facilities in the country with a vision to produce the best at minimal cost. That's what India is known for! India has a large pool of talents, input resources, and easily available low-cost labour that can be intelligently utilized to produce world-class cars at a comparatively less cost. Many car manufacturers like the Maruti Suzuki, General Motors, and the Fiat have already made India their hub for car production and others like Toyota are following their footsteps. Toyota’s plans to manufacturer Camry in India would not only reduce the cost of production but would also help the company escape the huge import duty. At present the car is being imported from Japan and sells at a price starting from Rs 21 Lakh. If the company starts its production in India, the price tag of the car is likely to be reduced by about 20-25%. But the price would be reduced only if Toyota decides to pass the entire benefit to its valued customers. Once the local production of the Camry starts and it gets available at competitive price, the car would face rivalry from leading executive sedans in the country like the Honda Accord, Honda City, and the Skoda Laura. Labels: General-Motors, Sedans, Toyota-Cars
Friday, 2 January 2009
Japanese car major Toyota Motors is secretly working on a new green project. Yes a green project! this time it is not developing any hybrid technological but a solar powered car. The electric car which will get its power from the solar cell fitted on the car can be recharged with the energy generated from the solar panels that can be fixed on the roof of homes. These panels takes up to the size of of 60 tennis courts and carries the capacity to produce enough electricity to power 500 homes. If the solar powered car takes its shape, it would be one of the best innovations that can happen to the car industry. Completely eco-friendly in nature, solar cars can have a great future. It is a unique concept initiated by Toyota which would further help the company to boost its struggling business building a brand image at the same time. The company has already started using the solar panels at its Tsutsumi plant in Japan to generate some of its own electricity. Even at this stage of downturn, Toyota being a market leader in green technology wants to proceed with its green conscience. Fueled by its passion to introduce more eco-friendly cars, Toyota is sure to come up with something exceptional and distinctive which will place the brand at top position. The project is still under development and will take some more time to implement on cars. Currently, the solar powered car is reported to roll out only in the international markets. Hope India also experience these cars soon on its roads. Labels: eco-friendly-cars, Solar-Powered-Car, Toyota-Cars
Wednesday, 24 December 2008
The J.D Power Asia conducts various surveys and researches to deliver customer's insight to car manufacturers. This insight plays a two way role by helping car manufacturers improve on their product quality and by aiding customers make a perfect car buying decision. With the advent of modern generation cars, there are many Indian cars that have lost their worth in the car market. But there are car brands that are still shining above all in terms of car design and performance. The recent India Automotive Performance Execution and Layout (APEAL) study revealed that Maruti, Honda, and Toyota rejoice winning presence of their new cars in the market. The study was based on 10 vehicle factors including vehicle exterior, interior, storage and space, audio/entertainment/navigation, seats, heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC), driving dynamics, engine/transmission, visibility and driving safety, and fuel economy. Excitingly, four of the Maruti car models topped their respective car segments. WagonR stood the first in compact car segment, Swift topped the premium compact car segment, Swift Dzire ranked first under entry mid-size car segment, and the Maruti Suzuki SX4 topped the mid-size car segment. Even Honda and Toyota rejoiced success with their winning car models. Honda Civic ranked highest in the premium mid-size car segment and the CR-V holds the highest position in the SUV segment. Toyota experienced the top position of its highly running Innova ranking first under the MUV segment. The ranking clearly reflects customer's delight with respect to design and performance of these cars. This delight further transforms to favourable word of mouth recommendations, which directly helps in brand promotion. Labels: Honda-Cars, Indian-cars, Maruti-Cars, New-Cars, Toyota-Cars
Monday, 22 December 2008
Toyota is thinking of entering the 'green belt' in India with the introduction of CNG version of Innova. Toyota's eco-friendly car Prius has been a great success in the international market registering many awards and appreciation in its credit for the 'Hi-tech' hybrid technology. It is the world's first mass production hybrid petrol-electric vehicle. Eyeing the popularity of this green car, Toyota now plans to bring in CNG version of the Innova to further boost its eco-spirit. Toyota Innova from the MUV segment is one of the popular models in the Indian car market. Available in both petrol and diesel version, Innova flaunts with its sturdy design, comfort, safety and unmatched performance in its class. It holds the capacity to accommodate eight people and with the price ranging from Rs 7.8 Lakh to Rs 10.8 Lakh. The CNG version of Innova is expected to cost Rs 75,000-90,000 more including the warranty and installation charges. The plan of introducing a CNG version of Innova is a right step amid growing customers demand for green cars in the country. The trend of alternative fueled cars is slowing taking prominence in India due to rising air pollution to which automobile industry contributes about 70%. Even the CNG version of Corolla is speculated to launch in the India market. Hope these new versions will further help to improve the sales figure of the Innova which is already a market leader in its segment and the premium sedan Corolla which saw a slight dip in sales in October. Labels: Indian-car-market, MUV, Toyota-Cars
Thursday, 20 November 2008
Toyota was very excited about the launch of its highly successful hybrid car, Toyota Prius Hybrid. Prius Hybrid is a leading hybrid car across the globe and is adorned with superior technology, lower emission levels and excellent fuel efficiency. This hybrid car if launched would be a tough competitor of Honda’s only hybrid car in India, the outstanding Honda Civic Hybrid. But, at present, the company has revised its plan to introduce Prius Hybrid in India. The company may have been decided to push back the launch date seeing the recent discount on Honda Civic Hybrid. A hybrid available at Rs 13.6 Lakh can easily beat a hybrid priced at Rs 22 Lakh. Well, Toyota has made a right move by postponing the launch date. The company is also not satisfied with the infrastructure and duty structure. Now, the wait goes longer for another hybrid car in India. Labels: Hybrid-Cars, Toyota-Cars
Friday, 24 October 2008
Like other car manufacturers, the Toyota is also eyeing the festive season to boost car sales. It also aims to catch customer’s sentiments by providing free service campaign. Exciting news is that the company has introduced the ‘Drive n Zoom’ free service campaign conducted at all Toyota car dealerships across India exclusively for Toyota customers. The key motive of introducing such kind of campaign is to spread the importance of periodic car maintenance essential for long and healthy life of cars. Good to know that the company offers 25-point free check up coupled with value-added packaged services. Underlining the campaign you’ll also get a chance to win assured gifts with the service and maintenance campaign. So, the month of October is for the Toyota car owners. Don’t waste your time and grab this excellent opportunity with open hands. Labels: Car-Manufacturers, Car-Sales, Toyota-Cars
Monday, 20 October 2008
Energizing the body, soothing the soul – That is what Toyota says for the all new Toyota Camry. It’s true! Toyota offers a golden opportunity to all the car consumers to soothe their souls by offering a blend of car and jewels. If you buy  the Camry this festive season, the company promises to give you Tanishq gift voucher worth Rs 50,000. Much for buying a whole new neckline and ear-ring set, right? Infact, buying a Camry is no less than buying a jewel with a fresh and inspiring design. Meeting the global standards, the car with its dynamic appeal and exhilarating performance stimulates the desire to buy the car. The contemporary comfort and relaxing ambience coupled with the aerodynamic curves speak to the inner soul. This seems to be the best way to buy two set of jewels under one price tag. Labels: Car-Offers, Indian-Car, Toyota-Cars
Saturday, 18 October 2008
It has not been a month of the launch of the all-new Corolla Altis and there are speculations that Toyota is planning to launch a diesel version of the Corolla Altis for the Indian market. The current model comes with 1.8-litre petrol. However, the diesel version if launched is likely to come with a 2.0-litre engine for the European market. Toyota is working earnestly on the engineering changes to use the European Corolla’s diesel to the Altis. Toyota is also considering one more alternative, its smaller 1.4-litre turbo-diesel that powers the Yaris hatchback for the Corolla. However there is no official confirmation of the launch of new diesel Corolla Altis but is expected to hit the Indian roads by mid-2009. Like many other car manufacturers, even Toyota is stepping ahead and is launching the cars that suit the Indian car buyer’s needs. Labels: Diesel-Cars, New-Car-Launch, Toyota-Cars
Friday, 29 August 2008
Is Toyota Fortuner really in a queue? The fact whether Toyota Fortuner will make its debut in the Indian market is questionable. Toyota is towing away the launch of Fortuner from the past several months. There were rumours that the Fortuner is to be launched by the end of 2007. But unfortunately the car has not passed through the Indian boundaries. Even the idea of launching the Fortuner is still behind the veil. Toyota now plans to give final shot to its thought rather than playing away with the idea. The company has used the same IMV platform as used in Toyota Innova to produce its remarkable Fortuner SUV. Toyota Fortuner is loaded with an impressive 2.7 litre petrol and 3.0 litre common rail diesel engine. The car if launched will be available at a price tag of Rs 16-20 lakh. Still there is news that the car will be launch in 2009. But will the car seriously launch in 2009? Or is it still a speculation? Labels: New-Car-Launch, SUV, Toyota-Cars
Wednesday, 13 August 2008
The competition among the auto players in India is so high that every car manufacturers is on the verge of rolling out new car models to India. This time it is Toyota who is in news for introducing new Corolla by September end. The new Corolla Altis will be propelled by a 1.8L engine churning out around 140bhp. The engine is a carryover from the existing Corolla and expected to provide better performance. The body of the car will be 10mm longer, 60mm wider and 20mm lower than the current model that will add up an extra interior space and Altis will be 50mm taller than the Civic. The car will resemble Camry in design. Initially, it will be available only in petrol version and is likely to carry the price tag of Rs13 lakh. So all those Toyota fans wake up and book your all new Corolla right away as the bookings are already opened in Chennai with the initial amount of Rs 2 lakh. Labels: New-Car-Launch, Sedans, Toyota-Cars
Monday, 11 August 2008
Toyota is shooting new models to India. The company is testing on its model called Yaris, a cute small car for India. The car is known for its style and design. It’s a compact little car with short overhangs on both ends, stout hood and large headlamps. The rear of the car is also unique in its class. Yaris will be motorized with 1.0L VVT-i or the 1.3L VVT-i engine. Inspite of being small in size, it can comfortably accommodate five occupants. The company is also looking forward to increase its market share and to give a shape to the plan it’s likely to roll out a couple of new models in India. The hybrid version of Prius is one of them. Toyata is in the right path to establish itself in the India market. Well in this era of inflation, Yaris is surely going to lure the India consumers. Labels: Small-cars-market-in-India, Toyota-Cars, Yaris
Thursday, 26 June 2008
Six new cars are coming to lure the Indian consumers from Toyota’s portfolio. The expected models will belong to different car segments including compact sedan, hatchback, diesel and SUV. Toyota is willing to have its car battle with other car models in their respective segments. The first launch among the six models would be a compact sedan powered by a 1.3L engine has a desire to compete with Tata Indigo CS and Maruti Suzuki’s Swift Dzire. Other models would be hatchbacks and sedans in competition with Suzuki’s Swift and Hyundai’s Getz. The next generation of Corolla is expected to roll in by September this year and diesel corolla in 2010. The company also has plans to drive Fortuner SUV, with a price tag of Rs 16 lakhs, to the Indian market in 2009. So many cars! It would be really difficult to judge the best car in this portfolio. Labels: New-Cars, Toyota-Cars
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