With almost all major international car makers aiming for a piece of the Indian small car pie, Japanese giant Toyota is not far behind. New details about its global small car project, known only by its codename EFC (Economical Family Car) thus far, have surfaced - and from the looks of it this car which will be revealed in a few weeks' time will have enough firepower to shake up the Indian hatchback market.
To begin with, the car will be called the Etios, and the concept version which will be seen at the Auto Expo will be about 90 percent close to the car that will actually hit the streets. The car is expected to have the current segment-king, the Maruti Suzuki Swift squarely in its sights, and hence will have both diesel and engine options. The diesel engine will be the same 1.4-litre mill found in its Yaris hatch internationally, and the jury is still out on whether Toyota will downsize its current international 1.3-litre petrol engine to a 1200cc mill for excise benefits.
Toyota will downsize its current international 1.3-litre petrol engine to a 1200cc mill for excise benefits.Cost seems to have been a major consideration, and Toyota seems to have cut manufacturing costs on many counts to keep the pricing competitive with the Swift. Sources have revealed that the car will have just one wiper blade, and cut costs in terms of plastics as well. Reliability of the car should not take a hit on account of the cost cutting however, since Toyota is unlikely to sacrifice its rock-solid reliability image for small cost gains.
Toyota's new Indian plant will be the first to begin with the production of the Etios, followed by Brazil. The car will be available in a hatchback and a notchback version, but come launch time around December next year Toyota will launch the notchback version first, to make sure all the creases are ironed out and the more important hatchback version comes out as a killer product. We're keeping our eyes fixed on this one, so stay logged in!
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