After a better-than-expected response to its sedan Etios, Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) says it is well prepared with its upcoming hatchback Etios Liva, slated to be launched on June 27. The company, which had just around 58 units of the Liva produced till March, has managed to build up an inventory of 11,069 units in flat two-and-a-half months, starting from April. The car, with 1.2-litre petrol engine, is expected to be priced around R 4 lakh-5.5 lakh.
The Liva launch was postponed by the company from April to June citing the long waiting period for its Etios. The company sold 80,101 Etios in 2010-11, according to SIAM report, while for April-May 2011-12, it sold 8,069 units.
?We are well prepared to meet the customer demand for the Etios Liva. We postponed the launch from April to June in order to bring down the waiting period for the Etios before we cater to more customers,? said Sandeep Singh, deputy managing director, marketing, Toyota Kirloskar Motor. “Now, we are all geared up to launch the Etios Liva. We plan to target 70,000 units of the Etios and Etios Liva in the first year. We cannot provide the break up as of now.”
?We have delivered more than 20,000 Etios as on date,” said Singh, adding that the waiting period on Etios is less than one month now. The Etios was launched in December last year and soon went to long waiting period that in some cases ran into six months. This had led to company delaying the launch of the Liva.
Later, Toyota had to undertake production cuts across its plants in the world, including India, due to shortage of critical components in the wake of the Japan crisis. It went back to normal production from May 20.
Citing the huge demand for its models, in March, Toyota announced its plants to ramp up its annual production capacity to 2.10 lakh units. The company said it will ramp up capacity at its first plant, where it produces Innova, Corolla Altis and Fortuner, from 80,000 units to 90,000 units in the third quarter of 2011. The annual production capacity for the second plant will be raised from 70,000 to 1,20,000 units. The expansion will be carried out in a phased manner starting in July 2011, extending into the second quarter of 2012.
It also said the production of Corolla Altis will be shifted from the first plant at the moment to the second plant that currently manufactures the Etios alone from the first half of 2012.
“This is a part of the product expansion plans. After shifting the Corolla Altis production, additional 20,000 units of the Corolla Altis will be produced at the second plant. The first plant will also produce additional units of the Innova and the Fortuner,” Singh added.