Toyota's new UV by end of the year

The Toyota Avanza


There are unconfirmed reports about a new Utility vehicle code named NVX being launched in India by the end of the year[2008].Remember it is around the same time Toyota would face competition from the Mahindra ingenio and the Tata MPV.

Toyota being Toyota have denied the development and so more details about the vehicle is unknown.

The new vehicle is going to be based on the innova[IMV] platform.Their is a good possibility the vehicle could be the avanza given that the avanza is a much cheaper offering.The avanza is a smaller vehicle than the innova and is a seven seater.I have a feeling it could be the avanza since a toyota dealer had informed me of a qualis replacement just a few months back and infact toyota may even consider the possibility of stopping production of the present innova .

Another possibility ofcourse is an all new innova.

However since the fortuner too is based on the innova platform don't rule out the possibility of the fortuner launch either.

Since everything is so unclear my suggestion is if you are looking for a vehicle in the UV segment,please wait till the end of the year or atleast till diwali[2008].

[Image source:bucksdigger.com]

My wish,how about a seven seater Dahatsu terios/Toyota rush

Update:
The latest is that Toyota plan to launch the fortuner only by 2009[between june-september to be precise],pricing expected within the range of Rs.16-20 lakhs.

Roewe's new MPV

Update:
There seems to be a mixup as far as the manufacturer is concerned.Unlike originally reported this MPV is from Roewe and not GM.So much for the new Tavera dreams.

When it rains it pours,I had not even finished posting about the possibility of Tata and Mahindra competing with Toyota and we have another competitor in the foray and this time its GM.

The spy photographers have some documents from GM which indicate that this would be sold as a Chevrolet MPV in markets across the world and that includes the US.The R&D work for this vehicle has been done in Korea by GMDAT.

This is supposedly a global mass market MPV which can seat seven passengers built on GM's global delta platform. And that is precisely why I feel there is a possibility that this MPV could make it to the Indian markets too as a replacement for the Tavera possibly since the Tavera looks way too outdated in front of its competition.However unlike the Chevrolet BEAT this MPV may not be here in a hurry.

For more pictures of this MPV please visit the Winding road website:
Here

[source,image source:Winding road]

Also read:
Chevrolet Tavera -The difference between GM and Toyota

Chevrolet Captivates The Indian Buyer

The Chevrolet captiva is all set to become a runaway success for GM with approx 1200 now expected to be sold when GM was targeting only 1000.What GM[and other manufacturers in India for that matter] should realise is that they seem to be spending too much time and valuable $$$ on the small car segment when there are other segments still waiting to be tapped.

On a personal level I like the looks of the Captiva and that it gives you a seven seater option plus it being a diesel gives the Captiva the edge over its rivals.

Once again emphasis the importance of diesel in Indian markets and that even the super rich are bothered when it comes to their monthly fuel bills.Whatever manufacturers like Honda tell I believe, our market too has matured like the European markets and accepted diesel and its really important for manufacturers to offer diesel as well no matter what the segment.The Tata nano buyer or the Mercedes/BMW buyer will go in for a diesel if given a choice.

While at the topic of SUV's what I picked up is GM is also looking at introducing new variants of the Tavera[MUV] with even possibly an all new engine to take on the likes of the Toyota Innnova,Tata Sumo Grande and the yet to be launched Mahindra Ingenio.About time since the Tavera is now mostly a Call centre cab and as far as the individual buyer is concerned it has become a strict no no.

[Image source:About.com]

Update:
Honda have responded and shall bring in their diesel CRV soon:
Honda To bring in its diesel CRV soon,Marutis new small car.

Chevrolet Tavera -The difference between GM and Toyota

You want to know why the Japanese manufacturer is such a dominant force in the automobile world and why GM is having such a hard time,look no further than the Chevrolet Tavera.

Toyota India initially identified the MUV space which could get them sales in the Indian market somewhere where they would have no competition but knew prices had to be kept on the lower side since this segment was totally new in India and people had not yet accepted the Toyota brand in India.So they bring the more than a decade old Toyota Qualis into the market and since they have no real competitor establish themselves well and are able to generate a good degree of sales.GM was fortunate enough to have a similar vehicle in its global stables and brought in the Tavera,which was good enough to take on the Qualis.

So what did Toyota do they upped the game brought the latest generation MUV the Toyota Innova into India inspite of very good sales of the qualis and repeated requests not to discontinue the qualis.Toyota realised that they could get into the luxury car segment as well and not only depend on the tourist/commercial segment if they do so.What it also meant that Toyota could make more profits from this luxury oriented and consequently higher priced MUV.

GM has alway had to play the catch up game with Toyota.Today sales of the Tavera have stagnated.The outdated nature of the Tavera has kept it out of the Private buyers radar.This really creates a bad image of the vehicle and the company.It is the Taxi/commercial segment who are the main segment of consumers of the Tavera today.The end result is Toyota is able to sell many more Innova's as compared to the Tavera but at the same time Toyota is making more money from each vehicle it sells.Its not only about fancy management concepts like Just in Time,its things like these what makes Toyota the company it is today.

Its high time GM stops the Tavera in India and brings in something that would be completely out of the box.

Also read:
Chevrolet Captivates The Indian Buyer