Toyota Etios Sedan Launched in Hyderabad

- Price of Toyota Etios Sedan starts at Rs. 4,95,467 ex showroom Hyderabad

- Bookings for the sedan started on 1st Dec

- Hatchback to be launched in April 2011

- Hatchback is named 'Etios Liva'

Toyota Kirloskar Motor held a press meet in Hyderabad today to announce the company's entry into the highly competitive B Segment with the launch of the Etios Sedan, the car that has been developed specifically for Indian customers – 'World First, India First, My First'. Toyota had also announced the name of the hatchback version, the Etios Liva.

The Etios sedan will be available in four variants, J, G, V and VX, competitively priced between Rs. 4,95,467/- and Rs. 6,88,535/- ex showroom Hyderabad. The product highlights include innovative styling, best-in-class cabin and luggage space, superior comfort, impressive fuel efficiency and the legendary Toyota QDR.

Mr. Koji Nagata (Executive Managing Coordinator, TKM), Mr. Yugo Miyamoto (Senior Managing Coordinator) and Mr. Sailesh Shetty (General Manager-Sales, TKM) addressed the media.

Mr. Yugo Miyamoto, Senior Managing Coordinator, Sales, TKM spoke about the development of the product, he said: "It was very important to understand the needs of Indian car buyers and this was done by extensive research. We found that our target customers are highly price conscious but at the same time want good mileage, space and style. One of the strong points of the Etios is its True Sedan design. The Etios has been designed as a Sedan platform and not as a Hatch with a boot. It is smartly packaged with all the attributes for Indians who love to travel with their families – boasts best-in-class cabin and luggage space, ergonomic interiors and superior ride comfort."

Talking about the Etios Sales and Marketing strategy in India, Mr. Koji Nagata, Executive Managing Coordinator, Sales & Marketing, TKM, said: "We have an elaborate Marketing strategy planned for the Etios and it all started with the roping in Mr. A.R.Rahman as our brand ambassador who we believe was a perfect fit with the brand values of our product. We are also prepared to provide our customers a one class above experience, what we refer to as the Q Class Experience. In view of this effort, we have undertaken various initiatives: (a) Express Maintenance Service - Services and delivers the vehicle to the customer in 60 mins, (b) eCRB (Evolutionary Customer Relationship Building) - A tool that keeps the customer informed about the status of the vehicle that has been given for servicing, (c) A sales and service network that will be expanded to 150 dealerships by the end of this year."

Mr. Sailesh Shetty, GM-Sales, TKM added by saying, "We started taking bookings for the car on the 1st of December with a booking amount of Rs. 50,000, and as of today we have received 8000 bookings. The deliveries will begin in January 2011. "

The Etios is very important for Toyota and the company believes this launch marks the beginning of a new era for Toyota in India. In fact this launch will enable Indian customers in the middle income group to own an aspirational Toyota vehicle for the first time. The production of the Etios will begin as planned in the new plant which is the most environmentally friendly automobile manufacturing plant in the country today.

Earlier this year Toyota had announced its plans to begin production of engines and transmissions at the Toyota Kirloskar Auto Parts in the third quarter of 2012 that will help in increasing the localisation content of the Etios.

Toyota Etios Features & Specifications:

Vehicle Outline:

(a) Exterior

A distinctive front grille with a smile line, sculpted surface and dynamic character-line in the front and rear, enhance the presence of the Etios. The rear has a fluent flowing C pillar, rounded end and three-dimensional combination lamps that enrich the vehicle's exterior from different angles.

(b) Interior

The seats are ergonomically designed units with integrated head rests. An instrument panel clearly divided into the information area and operation area with a large centre meter provides excellent visibility. The Etios has class best cabin and luggage space of 595L, a spacious 13L cooled glove box, seven one litre bottle holders, mobile holder and many more such useful storage spaces inside the car.

(c) Performance and Comfort

A newly developed 1.5L, 16V DOHC engine coupled with a 5-Speed manual transmission that produces high output for best-in-class driving performance. The torque is available at low rpm for less gear shifting and stress-free city driving.

The Etios has a superior mileage of 17.6kmpl which is ARAI tested.

Electric power steering for excellent maneuverability and tilt steering ensures a good ergonomic driving experience. The steering comes with audio controls for comfort at the driver's fingertips.

The flat type rear floor design offers ease of movement for rear seat passengers. With its rigid body structure and world class Mac Pherson Strut, the Etios has superior dampening performance providing superior ride comfort.

A class-first 'clean air filter' which is standard across all grades for purified air in the cabin.

(d) Safety

The Etios has various active and passive safety features ensuring the car matches global safety standards. The various safety features are (i) Energy absorbing body shell (ii) Driver & Passenger Air bags and (iii) ABS with EBD.

Its centrally located combimeter reduces eye movement and hence the driver can concentrate on the road.

(e) Special Treatment

To adopt to the various diverse climate and usage conditions in India, special treatment and countermeasures have been implemented:

- Good ground clearance of 170mm

- Under body protection to prevent damage to fuel and brake lines

- Anti-corrosion steel sheets at areas prone to rusting and stone hits

- Chipping resistant paint on rocker mould & fender

Source: Toyota Kirloskar Motor

Toyota Etios Sedan Launched in Mumbai

- Price of Toyota Etios Sedan starts at Rs. 4,96,330 ex showroom Mumbai

- Bookings for the sedan started on 1st Dec

- Hatchback to be launched in April 2011

- Hatchback is named 'Etios Liva'

Toyota Kirloskar Motor held a press meet in Mumbai today to announce the company's entry into the highly competitive B Segment with the launch of the Etios Sedan, the car that has been developed specifically for Indian customers – 'World First, India First, My First'. Toyota had also announced the name of the hatchback version, the Etios Liva.

The Etios sedan will be available in four variants, J, G, V and VX, competitively priced between Rs. 4,96,330/- and Rs. 6,82,519/- ex showroom Mumbai. The product highlights include innovative styling, best-in-class cabin and luggage space, superior comfort, impressive fuel efficiency and the legendary Toyota QDR.

The Etios was launched by Mr. Yoshinori Noritake, (Chief Engineer, Toyota Motor Corporation) in the presence of Mr Hiroshi Nakagawa (Managing Director, TKM) and Mr Sandeep Singh (Deputy Managing Director,TKM) Mr. Koji Nagata (Executive Managing Co-ordinator, TKM).

Mr. Yoshinori Noritake, Chief Engineer of the Etios spoke about the development of the product, he said: "It was very important to understand the needs of Indian car buyers and this was done by extensive research by me and my colleagues. We found that our target customers are highly price conscious but at the same time want good mileage, space and style. One of the strong points of the Etios is its True Sedan design. The Etios has been designed as a Sedan platform and not as Hatch with the boot. It is smartly packaged with all the attributes for Indians who love to travel with their families – boasts best-in-class cabin and luggage space, ergonomic interiors and superior ride comfort."

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Hiroshi Nakagawa, MD TKM, said: "The Etios is very important for Toyota and the company believes this launch marks the beginning of a new era for Toyota in India. In fact this launch will enable Indian customers in the middle income group to own an aspirational Toyota vehicle for the first time. The production of the Etios will begin as planned in the new plant which is the most environmentally friendly automobile manufacturing plant in the country.

Earlier this year Toyota had announced its plans to begin production of engines and transmissions at the Toyota Kirloskar Auto Parts in the third quarter of 2012 that will help in increasing the localisation content of the Etios."

Talking about the Etios Sales and Marketing strategy in India, Mr. Sandeep Singh, Deputy Managing Director -Marketing, TKM, said: "We have an elaborate Marketing strategy planned for the Etios and it all started with the roping in of Mr. A.R.Rahman as our brand ambassador who we believe was a perfect fit with the brand values of our product. We are also prepared to provide our customers a one class above experience, what we refer to as the Q Class Experience. In view of this effort, we have undertaken various initiatives: (a) Express Maintenance Service – Which services and delivers the vehicle to the customer in 60 mins, (b) eCRB (Evolutionary Customer Relationship Building) - A tool that keeps the customer informed about the status of the vehicle that has been given for servicing, (c) A sales and service network that will be expanded to 150 dealerships by the end of this year."

Toyota Etios Features & Specifications:

Vehicle Outline:

(a) Exterior

A distinctive front grille with a smile line, sculpted surface and dynamic character-line in the front and rear, enhance the presence of the Etios. The rear has a fluent flowing C pillar, rounded end and three-dimensional combination lamps that enrich the vehicle's exterior from different angles.

(b) Interior

The seats are ergonomically designed units with integrated head rests. An instrument panel clearly divided into the information area and operation area with a large centre meter provides excellent visibility. The Etios has class best cabin and luggage space of 595L, a spacious 13L cooled glove box, seven one litre bottle holders, mobile holder and many more such useful storage spaces inside the car.

(c) Performance and Comfort

A newly developed 1.5L, 16V DOHC engine coupled with a 5-Speed manual transmission that produces high output for best-in-class driving performance. The torque is available at low rpm for less gear shifting and stress-free city driving.

The Etios has a superior mileage of 17.6kmpl which is ARAI tested.

Electric power steering for excellent maneuverability and tilt steering ensures a good ergonomic driving experience. The steering comes with audio controls for comfort at the driver's fingertips.

The flat type rear floor design offers ease of movement for rear seat passengers. With its rigid body structure and world class Mac Pherson Strut, the Etios has superior dampening performance providing superior ride comfort.

A class-first 'clean air filter' which is standard across all grades for purified air in the cabin.

(d) Safety

The Etios has various active and passive safety features ensuring the car matches global safety standards. The various safety features are (i) Energy absorbing body shell (ii) Driver & Passenger Air bags and (iii) ABS with EBD.

Its centrally located combimeter reduces eye movement and hence the driver can concentrate on the road.

(e) Special Treatment

To adopt to the various diverse climate and usage conditions in India, special treatment and countermeasures have been implemented:

- Good ground clearance of 170mm

- Under body protection to prevent damage to fuel and brake lines

- Anti-corrosion steel sheets at areas prone to rusting and stone hits

- Chipping resistant paint on rocker mould & fender

Source: Toyota Kirloskar Motor

Toyota Motors Logs 8,100 Booking for Toyota Etios in Just One Week

Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM), the Indian subsidiary of Japanese auto giant Toyota, has registered 8,100 bookings for its newly launched sedan Etios in just one week. The Etios was launched on December 1 in India. On an average, Toyota showrooms across the country have booked orders for almost 1,150 cars every day since the launch. The company has 130 showrooms in the country.

Speaking to FE, Sandeep Singh, deputy managing director (marketing) of TKM, said the first unit of Etios will be rolled out from the plant in Bangalore on December 20. Deliveries will start either from December end or in the beginning of January. He said the company will execute the orders, which it received in the first week, in the next four months.

He said around 90% of the bookings were registered for top three variants of Etios, which comes out with 1.5 litre petrol engine. Toyota has released four variants of Etios sedan with a price tag in the range of Rs 4.96 to Rs 6.86 lakhs. "It's good response from the customers. We are planning to manufacture 9,000 units of Etios at our Bangalore plant in the first four months," he said. He indicated that the Etios success will not affect any models of other companies. Instead, he said the 'B' segment, in which Etios sedan has been positioned, will expand further.

Abdul Majeed, leader-auto practice in PricewaterhouseCoopers said the 'B' segment has been witnessing phenomenal growth. The number of cars sold in 'B' segment increased by 44% to 8.9 lakh units in the first six months of the current financial year compared to 6.17 lakh units in the same period a year ago. During the same period, overall passenger car sales increased to 1.4 million unit from one million unit.

Source: Financial Express

Toyota Etios Diesel in India By December 2011

Thrilled by the overwhelming response received by the petrol version of its latest sensation Etios, the Japanese auto giant is now eyeing to roll-out a diesel version of this model in the Indian market by the end of next year. As per a recent statement given by Mr. Koji Nagata, Director, Marketing at Toyota Kirloskar Motors, the company hopes that Toyota Etios diesel would be launched in India by December, next year.

It is widely speculated that the upcoming diesel version of Etios will be launched with the same 1.4L, Common Rail Diesel engine that is currently doing duties in premium sedan Toyota Corolla Altis. The engine is capable of delivering a maximum power of 88.4 PS in combination with a peak torque of 205Nm

Interestingly, Nissan, which is one of the closest rivals of Toyota in its domestic market is all set to launch a diesel version of its Micra model in the country this week and it is expected to be one of the biggest competitors of Etios hatchback diesel version in coming years.

Earlier this month, the company had launched its first ever mass segment car – Toyota Etios – in the Indian market on 1st of December. The car comes powered by a 1.5 L DOHC engine that is capable of producing a peak power of 90 bhp with 132 Nm of peak torque. It offers an exceptional mileage of over 17 km/l.

Designed with Toyota’s global quality standards, the new Etios sedan is all set to give its competitors a run for their money. The company has kept it starting price highly competitive at Rs 4.96 (Delhi ex-showroom), in a bid to give it a price edge over its rivals like Maruti Swift Dzire, Volkswagen Vento, Ford Fiesta, Tata Indigo CS and Manza, and Chevrolet Aveo.

Source: Cartradeindia.com

Toyota Etios in India; Price Between Rs. 4.96 to 6.86 Lakh

Toyota Kirloskar Motor launched the Etios Sedan today, marking the company's entry into the highly competitive B Segment in India. The Etios has been developed specifically for Indian customers – 'World First, India First, My First'.

Toyota Etios Price in India:
The Toyota Etios sedan will be available in four variants, J, G, V and VX, competitively priced between 4,96,000/- and 6,86,500/- ex showroom Delhi. The product highlights include innovative styling, best-in-class cabin and luggage space, superior comfort, impressive fuel efficiency and the legendary Toyota QDR.

The Etios was launched by Mr. Akio Toyoda, President of Toyota Motor Corporation and scion of Toyota's founding family, on his maiden visit to India after taking over as the Head of the company. Also present were Mr. Akira Okabe (Senior Managing Director, TMC), Mr. Soichiro Okudaira (Managing Officer, TMC), Mr. Osamu Nagata (Managing Officer, TMC), Mr. Yoshinori Noritake (Chief Engineer - Etios, TMC), Mr. Vikram Kirloskar (Vice Chairman, TKM), Mr. Hiroshi Nakagawa (Managing Director, TKM) and Mr. Sandeep Singh (Deputy Managing Director-Marketing, TKM).

Commenting on the launch of the Etios, Mr. Akio Toyoda, President TMC said: "India is a key market for our overall strategic growth plans, and the launch of the Etios is definitely a milestone not only for Toyota in India but for Toyota globally. Toyota strongly believes in the 'customer first' philosophy, hence it was important to collect valuable feedback from our prospective customers right from the concept stage to what the Etios is today. We at Toyota believe, 'the road makes the car' and the Etios is a product of real-world testing on roads across India. Our testing has covered a hundred thousand kilometers on every kind of road that Indian drivers encounter, from Kolkata to Mumbai, from the Himalayan foothills to the tip of the Indian peninsula.

We at Toyota will continue listening carefully to Indian customers to stay in touch with their changing expectations. We will respond quickly with technological development and continue providing products that Indian customers will love."

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Hiroshi Nakagawa, MD TKM, said: "The Etios is very important to us, and its launch today marks the beginning of a new era for Toyota in India. In fact this launch will enable Indian customers in the middle income group to own an aspirational Toyota vehicle for the first time. I proudly also announce that production of the Etios will begin as planned in our new plant which is the most environmentally friendly automobile manufacturing plant in the country today.

Earlier this year we announced our plans to locally produce engines and transmissions at the Toyota Kirloskar Auto Parts in the third quarter of 2012 that will help us increase the localisation content of the Etios. Toyota in India will facilitate not just economic growth but social growth as well of the region it operates in, and in turn strive to be the most loved and admired company."

Mr. Yoshinori Noritake, Chief Engineer of the Etios spoke about the development of the product, he said: "It was very important to understand the needs of Indian car buyers before designing an India specific car. We learnt that Indian customers are very price conscious but at the same time want space and comfort for their family, and style to enhance their status. One of the strong points of the Etios sedan is its true sedan design – designed on a sedan platform and not as a hatch with a boot – smart packaging that makes it compact at the same time spacious. More than 2000 engineers from Japan and India have worked in close collaboration over the last four years with a vision to offer Etios customers the 'joy of ownership' and 'quality of life'."

Talking about the Etios Sales and Marketing strategy in India, Sandeep Singh, DMD-Marketing, TKM, said: "We have planned an elaborate marketing strategy to warm up to our target customer and through our various campaigns we aim to successfully establish the Etios brand in India. To start with we signed on Mr. A.R.Rahman as our Brand Ambassador to establish an instant connect between the Etios values and Indian masses. We are committed to give our customers a Q-Class experience through a sales and service network that will be expanded to 150 dealerships by the end of this year. The bookings for the Etios sedan start today and deliveries will begin in January 2011.

We would also like to use this occasion to announce the name of the Hatchback version: Etios Liva, which will go on sale in April 2011."

Toyota Etios Features, Mileage & Specifications:

(a) Exterior
A distinctive front grille with a smile line, sculpted surface and dynamic character-line in the front and rear, enhance the presence of the Etios. The rear has a fluent flowing C pillar, rounded end and three-dimensional combination lamps that enrich the vehicle's exterior from different angles.

(b) Interior
The seats are ergonomically designed units with integrated head rests. An instrument panel clearly divided into the information area and operation area with a large centre meter provides excellent visibility. The Etios has class best cabin and luggage space of 595L, a spacious 13L cooled glove box, seven one litre bottle holders, mobile holder and many more such useful storage spaces inside the car.

(c) Performance and Comfort
A newly developed 1.5L, 16V DOHC engine coupled with a 5-Speed manual transmission that produces high output for best-in-class driving performance. The torque is available at low rpm for less gear shifting and stress-free city driving.

The Etios has a superior mileage of 17.6kmpl which is ARAI tested.

Electric power steering for excellent maneuverability and tilt steering ensures a good ergonomic driving experience. The steering comes with audio controls for comfort at the driver's fingertips.

The flat type rear floor design offers ease of movement for rear seat passengers. With its rigid body structure and world class Mac Pherson Strut, the Etios has superior dampening performance providing superior ride comfort.

A class-first 'clean air filter' which is standard across all grades for purified air in the cabin.

(d) Safety
The Etios has various active and passive safety features ensuring the car matches global safety standards. The various safety features are (i) Energy absorbing body shell (ii) Driver & Passenger Air bags and (iii) ABS with EBD.

Its centrally located combimeter reduces eye movement and hence the driver can concentrate on the road.

(e) Special Treatment
To adopt to the various diverse climate and usage conditions in India, special treatment and countermeasures have been implemented:
- Good ground clearance of 170mm
- Under body protection to prevent damage to fuel and brake lines
- Anti-corrosion steel sheets at areas prone to rusting and stone hits
- Chipping resistant paint on rocker mould & fender

Source: Toyota Kirloskar Motor

Toyota Etios To Compete Against Maruti Swift

Toyota Etios is planned to be finally launched in December this year. The company is in final stages of launching the car as its round of display across Indian cities comes to an end shortly. Toyota Etios was in Bangalore recently where Toyota India MD Hiroshi Nakagawa stated that Toyota Etios will compete against models like Maruti Swift and Hyundai i20 in the Indian market.

“It has been a challenge to build quality at a lower price,” Nakagawa said. “The Indian car market is one of the toughest markets in the world. Customers and car owners are very cost-conscious,” he said. Toyota has managed to lower the cost of its cars with sourcing of components from Indian market itself. 70 percent of the components in the car are locally sourced keeping price under control and quality uncompromised.

Toyota is reeling under quality control pressures in the global markets. Thus, while launching Etios it has kept quality and safety as its prime features apart from the price. “Bringing procurement cost to a very competitive level is a do or die challenge for our procurement and production teams,” Executive Vice President Yukitoshi Funo said in an interview.

Toyota Etios will be initially launched in the Indian market first and then will be subsequently introduced in China and Brazil.

Source: CarTradeIndia.com

A.R. Rahman Toyota Etios Brand Ambassador

Toyota Kirloskar Motor announced – two-time Oscar award winner and musical genius – A R Rahman as its official brand ambassador for the Toyota Etios. The much-awaited Etios will be launched in December this year, and Rahman as the brand ambassador will endorse the products through various marketing campaigns of the company.

About roping in the music maestro as the face of the Etios campaign, Hiroshi Nakagawa, Managing Director, TKM, said: “We are extremely happy to sign on Rahman as the brand ambassador for the Etios. There is a very strong connect between the product and its brand ambassador, with both being, ‘Global’, ‘Innovative’, ‘Reliable’, and a ‘Class-above Quality’.

Adding to that, Sandeep Singh, Deputy Managing Director-Marketing, TKM, said: “A.R.Rahman is the pride of the nation and we are delighted to have him as our brand ambassador. In an effort to establish an instant connect between the Etios values and the Indian masses; A.R.Rahman was the perfect fit to synergize with the brand. The Etios is very important and close to us at Toyota, therefore it is but pertinent that its brand ambassador symbolizes what the product stands for.

Staying in line with our ongoing marketing campaign, this association with Rahman will open up a whole new world of higher quality. We are confident that with his musical talents and popularity transcending boundaries and languages, the Toyota brand in India will only get stronger and far-reaching with Rahman in our multi-media campaigns.”

Speaking about his relationship with Toyota, A.R. Rahman said: “I believe real quality is created when skill meets dedication, when insight meets inspiration, when passion meets perfection. This is why I am happy to be associated with Toyota. The same values drive Toyota in whatever they do. Together, we aim to delight India!”

Source: Toyota Kirloskar Motor India