Toyota Plans to Start Car Export from India by March

Toyota Motor Corp. plans to start exporting the cars it manufactures in India to South Africa by March.  The company will export India-made gasoline-engine versions of the Etios Liva hatchback and Etios sedan to South Africa. Toyota didn't disclose the size of the shipment to South Africa. It’s the first time that Toyota is exporting its made-in-India cars elsewhere.

Though the cars to be exported will be manufactured on the same platform as those sold in India, but there will be a few changes in technical specifications and features so that the export models meet the specific requirements of the market.

"With the start of exports, Toyota Kirloskar has entered a new chapter of business in India," said Hiroshi Nakagawa, managing director of Toyota Kirloskar.

Toyota Kirloskar is 89% owned by Toyota and the remainder by India's Kirloskar group.

“The start of the export operations of the company denotes the growing role of Toyota Kirloskar in Toyota's global operations," said Shekar Vishwanathan, deputy managing director, commercial, at Toyota Kirloskar.