Shanghai, June 23 (Gasgoo.com) Guangzhou Toyota, a joint venture between Guangzhou Auto and Toyota Motor, has confirmed its plan to produce Toyota's 'business-class' Previa MPV in 2012, 163.com reported today.
The Toyota Previa MPV model to be made in China will be code-named "085X" (Previa) and it will be produced on the new "MC-M" platform, which is also to make the next-generation Toyota Highlander SUV in 2014.
After the Chinese production of Toyota Highlander was started last month, the next focus of Guangzhou Toyota is shifting to the 'business-class' Previa, to save this Toyota MPV model from oblivion.
Guangzhou Toyota has produced Toyota's small car (subcompact) Yaris, mid-to-high-end sedan Camry and luxury SUV Highlander, but Toyota MPV is still absent from the venture's product line-up.
Meanwhile, Dongfeng Nissan and Guangzhou Honda, the two other Guangzhou-based ventures of Japanese carmakers, have MPV models as their heavyweight products.
The China-made Honda Odyssey MPV sold 2,174 units in May, as one of the top 3 MPV models in the Chinese market, and sales of Dongfeng Nissan's Livina MPV are making Guangzhou Toyota more envious.
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