Toyota Kirloskar Motor today announced the start of exports of its “World First, India First”- Toyota Etios & Toyota Etios Liva to South Africa. The company plans to begin export by March 2012. The export model of Etios will be built on the same platform as Etios and Etios Liva, manufactured and sold in India. However, there would be a few changes in technical specifications/features, pertaining to the different needs of each market. The export model will be customized to suit the local requirements. The company will export only the petrol variants of the Etios.
The Etios is currently manufactured in TKM’s second plant located in Bidadi industrial area on the outskirts of Bangalore. The export model will also be manufactured in the same plant. The current production capacity in the second plant is 80,000 units which has been ramped upto 1,20,000 units by 2012 and 2,10,000 units by 2013. The engine and transmission for the Etios sold in India and export markets will be manufactured at Toyota Kirloskar Auto Parts. Approximately 100,000 engines will be produced per year starting in the third quarter of 2012 and approximately 240,000 transmissions per year starting in early 2013. The engines and transmissions are currently being imported from Japan.
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