Darlington Jose Hector

Bangalore

Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) has now sold 4 lakh units in India since setting up shop in 1997 and rolling out its first product, Qualis, in year 2000.

In October this year, the company enjoyed a 50 per cent jump in sales (year on year), during which time it sold 5,650 units. The rise in sales figures can be attributed to the good response for Corolla Altis and Innova, and more so to the introduction of the Fortuner in August.

Said Sandeep Singh, deputy managing director, (marketing), TKM, “This is a big step (achieving 4 lakh units) towards establishing Toyota as one of the major players in the Indian automobile market. This in fact could not have come at a better time for us, with the launch of the compact car in the Indian market next year.”

TKM has now decided to increase output of the Fortuner by 60 per cent from January next year. It had initially planned production of 500 units a month. Since its launch in August 24, TKM has so far sold about 1,200 units of the Fortuner in the Indian market. TKM’s small car, which is its next big hope, is set to debut at the end of calendar year 2010 or early 2011.

TKM has less than four per cent of the Indian market today, but it is hoping that the compact car will help it touch 10 per cent by 2015.

Hiroshi Nakagawa, MD, TKM said, “We are looking at introducing new models in India to enhance our presence in the market, besides providing technologically advanced and environmentally friendly cars for Indian customers.”

Toyota has 93 dealerships at present and has firmed up plans to enhance its dealer network to 150 outlets before the launch of its much awaited compact car. The company, last year, sold about 51,800 units of all of its models in India and is expecting to sell about 53,500 units this year.

dj@mydigitalfc.com