At the Tokyo Motor Show Autocar India has learnt that Toyota’s compact family car (code: EFC 800L) will be launched in India in two body styles, a saloon and a hatchback. The saloon will be launched in December 2010 or January 2011 and will be followed by the hatchback four months later. However, the concept will be unveiled at the Auto Expo in January 2010. Both the saloon and hatchback will be powered by petrol and diesel engines. A new range of petrol engines has been developed with capacities ranging from 1.2 litres to 1.5 litres. A 1.4 diesel, similar to the motor that powers the Yaris will be common to the hatchback and saloon though its likely that each will have different power and torque ratings.

According to Toyota engineers, the EFC will offer class-leading space at the back and has been designed with Indian consumers in mind. India is the lead country for the EFC and will be the main global production base, followed by Brazil. Toyota has designed and developed the EFC to strict cost targets which it has managed to achieve thanks to high localization and use of the home grown supply base. For the first time, Toyota has not automatically chosen its traditional suppliers as they have not met the cost targets Toyota has set for the EFC’s components.

Toyota has ambitious plans to sell 350,000 to 400,000 cars in total by 2015 which the company estimated should account for 10 percent of the Indian market.

22/10/09