Toyota South Africa Motors (TSAM) and shipping lines K Line and NYK Line today celebrated the arrival of the first volume consignment of Toyota Etios in South Africa.
Etios is Toyota's new entry-level model. The sub-B segment model is produced in India by Toyota Kirloskar Motors (TKM), the Indian affiliate of the global Toyota Motor Corporation. TKM is set to become a major exporter of Etios vehicles with export volumes expected to exceed 20 000 units per year.
When it makes its official debut in May, Etios will be offered to buyers in hatchback or sedan body styles with power provided by a 1,5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine.
Speaking at the arrival ceremony Nigel Ward, Senior Vice President for the manufacturing support group at TSAM, highlighted the global nature of vehicle manufacturing and the role played by Toyota:
“Today’s event is further evidence of our role as a key manufacturing and export hub in the global Toyota Motor Corporation,” says Ward. “Through our major export contracts of Hilux, Fortuner and Corolla vehicles to 57 countries across the world, we are able gain significant economies of scale and ensure optimal quality. This has ensured our position as a key manufacturing hub in the global Toyota Motor Corporation’s operations and enabled us to take advantage of the volume manufacturing of Toyota affiliates in other parts of the world.”
According to Calvyn Hamman, Senior Vice President for Sales and Marketing at Toyota South Africa Motors the new Etios will bolster Toyota’s line-up in the entry-level segment. “The Etios will complete our entry-level line-up and will be sold alongside A- and B-segment offerings in the form of the Toyota Aygo and Toyota Yaris. Both these models are already major volume sellers in their segments, while we believe that the Etios’s combination of space, value for money and specifications will soon make it a favourite in the sub-B segment.”
