Reports from Japan suggest that South African-built Toyota Corollas could be exported to Europe by 2006.
Reports from Japan suggest that South African-built Toyota Corollas could be exported to Europe by 2006.
Prospecton-based manufacturer Toyota SA formally launched its first major export project, which is set to grow to an annual R16 billion in 2007, on Monday. CARtoday.com reported last month that the first Australia-bound Corollas had been shipped from Durban.
About 8 000 vehicles are expected to be sent to Australia this year, with an increase in volumes in the years to follow. But a report at the weekend in the suggested that the Toyota Motor Corporation planned to export 30 000 Corollas assembled in South Africa to Europe annually by 2006.
According to , the decision to build Corollas in SA for the European market as well as for export to Australia is due to Toyota’s UK operations having reached full capacity, with the need to source more vehicles from elsewhere.
It is likely that the export programme to Europe will coincide with the launch of a facelifted Corolla model.
“Although the company has been involved in comparatively low volume exports into Africa for many years, the export order from Toyota Australia for a range of Corollas signals the start of much larger export volumes to a First World country,” Toyota SA spokesman Roger Houghton said.