Toyota introduces new models to boost car sales in Chinese market

Shanghai, November 27, (Gasgoo.com) - Toyota displayed 42 car models at the recent auto show in Guangzhou and it is planning to start local production of Yaris and new Vios in China next year, Chinese media reported.

Toyota's hot-selling compact sedan Yaris will be locally produced in Guangzhou by the middle of next year, Guangzhou Toyota announced.

The new Toyota Yaris has achieved best safety performance in the latest round of Euro NCAP safety tests. It has been awarded a 5 star safety rating and 35 points for adult protection, the company announced on its Ireland website.

The compact hatchback to be produced in Guangzhou next year, will come in two versions based on different displacement: a 1.3L engine and a 1.5L engine. And the model will be priced at a range of 60,000 yuan to 80,000 yuan ($8,000-$10,000).

FAW Toyota Automobile Co has also showcased its redesigned Vios at the Guangzhou Auto Show. The model will be produced at Toyota’s plant in Tianjin.

In the first ten months of the year, FAW-Toyota sold 33,202 Vios vehicles and the company expects to sell 40,000 Vios vehicles this year. But Mao predicted that Vios model sales will increase 150 percent or 200 percent next year. 

"Our sale goal for new Vios, Corolla, Reiz and Crown, is to reach 400,000 units by 2008," said Mao Liwu, general manager of FAW Toyota Motor Sales Co at the Guangzhou Auto Show, adding Corolla will account for a half of the total sales.

Mao said  FAW-Toyota will sell 280,000 vehicles this year and will see a significant sales increase in the coming three years thanks to new model introductions and a robust sales channel.