Toyota India unveils the Etios & the Liva

Finally the much awaited Toyota's made for India Sedan ETIOS is launched. Work of 4000 engineers for last 4 years being showcased to the world, for the first time.

Mr Yoshinori, Chief Engineer behind ETIOS explained how an extensive market research which lead to the design of the new sedan. The research revealed that India is a very cost conscious but image conscious also. Mileage, Price and Style the 3 important factor for the Indian buyer. Toyota decided to leverage on their strong point of Quality and then attack the cliche of being a premium market product company, that Toyota is associated with.

ETIOS stands for Spirit and Principle.

All new design for India and then for the world, its a true Sedan design not a hatch redesigned to be a sedan. Spacious inside and compact outside, smiling front, flat rear floor pan, side skirts, smooth C pillars, chrome boot guard etc

Dash design inspired from aircraft design. Interesting to note that the design won the Good design award in Japan in 2010.
 

ARAI rating of 17.6 KMPL should be music to ears for the Indian customer.

Specific for Indian conditions, points to note are the: anti corrosion steel, Rocker mould (thats the ruff thingie on the running board), protection for fuel and brake lines.  

• Dealership increased from 97 in Dec 09 To 150 by Dec 2010
• Brand ambassador AR Rahman
• USP Premium product at affordable price
• Hatchback planned for launch in April 2011. LIVA depicting Full Of Life.
• TV commercial being aired starting tomorrow
• Booking open today @ 50k and delivery by Jan 2011.

The 1.5-liter gasoline-powered Etios sedan will cost Rs. 496,000 ($10,870) for the base variant at showrooms in New Delhi. The top-end version will cost 686,500 rupees. Suzuki's Swift Dzire sedan costs 488,558 rupees for the base model, while Tata Motors Ltd.'s Manza sedan is priced at 512,732 rupees.

Toyota's decision to make the global launch of the Etios in India, where rising incomes of the country's estimated 300 million middle class is fueling demand for new vehicles, reflects the importance of the world's second-fastest growing major economy for auto makers.

The Toyota team posing with the car.

70% of parts for the Etios are sourced from vendors in India.

Toyota will also introduce the Liva, a hatchback version of its Etios sedan, in India next April.

The hatchback will help Toyota tap small-car buyers, the biggest segment of India's auto market, and compete with Suzuki, which controls about half of the country's car market with its eight small car models.

Nearly two-thirds of the cars sold annually in India are small cars, which has encouraged other auto makers such as Ford, Volkswagen and Nissan to start selling their small cars in the country.

Honda, which currently sells the Jazz hatchback, is expected to introduce its newly-developed Brio hatchback model in India in 2011.

Huge boot 590 liters