Toyota to boost SUV, CV capacity at Chengdu facility

Shanghai, July 1 (Gasgoo.com) Toyota Motor Corp. has announced its plans to boost its output capacity for large sport utility vehicles (SUVs) and small commercial vehicles (CV) by more than 50% at its joint venture facility in China's western city of Chengdu, said Asia In Focus today.

Sichuan FAW Toyota Motor Co., one of the Japanese carmaker's joint ventures in China, produces the Land Cruiser Prado SUV and the Coaster small bus at a facility opened in the city in 2000. The factory had a two-week production suspension after areas near the city were devastated by a 8.0 magnitude earthquake on May 12, which has left at least 70,000 people dead and more injured. 
 
The venture operation will be relocated to another part of the city in 2010 as part of a redevelopment project. The new facility will start with the same production capacity of about 13,000 units as now, but its annual output will be finally raised to as much as 30,000 units step by step.