Entries Tagged 'Daihatsu' ↓

Toyota Motor may be looking to take India and other emerging markets by storm with a $5,000 car in the first half of the next decade. However, it could be a tough task for the famously quality-obsessed Japanese automaker to make a dirt-cheap car that doesn’t damage its brand image. Plus, Toyota would face difficulties as a newcomer to the competitive Indian market, where rivals are readying their own low-cost vehicles amid weakening demand as the economy cools.

The Asahi newspaper said Toyota plans to roll out the $5,000 vehicle in the early part of the 2010s under a new brand separate from Toyota, high-end Lexus, and Scion, which targets younger consumers in the United States.

Toyota and Daihatsu declined to comment on the report.

Toyota has so far only disclosed plans for what it calls an “entry family car”, which is scheduled to be produced in India and Brazil from 2010 and 2011, respectively. That car is expected to cost around $8,000, although Toyota has not officially mentioned a price.

The Asahi said Toyota will likely build the $5,000 car in India, with sales also possible in Brazil.

Toyota executives have so far denied any interest in developing an ultra-low-cost car, arguing that selling such a car under the Toyota badge could hurt its brand image.

Engineering a low-end vehicle could be a challenge for Toyota. “Toyota engineers are used to doing the best. But the best isn’t necessary for an emerging-market vehicle, ” said Andrew Phillips, a Tokyo-based analyst for KBC Securities. “It needs to be basic and sturdy. There are all sorts of features that you want to add on, but they add to costs.”

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Euro NCAP today releases the results for five cars in five different vehicle classes: the Daihatsu Cuore, Hyundai i30, Lancia Delta, Renault Koleos and the Mercedes Benz - ML class. Four of these five cars received the maximum five-star award for adult occupant protection. Yet, not one of them achieved higher than a two star score in Euro NCAP’s pedestrian rating. Euro NCAP plans to address this concern with the launch of a new rating system in 2009.

When Euro NCAP was established in 1997 the achievement of five stars in adult occupant protection did not even seem possible. Ten years later, out of the 34 car models tested and assessed by Euro NCAP in one year, 97% of them achieve either a four or a five star result. Yet there are still areas of safety that Euro NCAP believes need to be prioritised by manufacturers and where lives could be saved. In comparison to these good adult occupant protection results, no manufacturer achieves a four star result in pedestrian protection. In our tests last year, 67% of models were awarded just two stars in this rating, despite approaching legislation. Euro NCAP is concerned that many manufacturers set out to achieve high scores for adult occupant protection to attract consumers, whilst compromising safety investment in other areas. Euro NCAP believes that consumers are interested in the safety offered to all occupants and also to other road users when they are choosing a new car. For this reason, Euro NCAP is developing a new rating system that will reward the overall safety of a vehicle.

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DAIHATSU MOTOR CO., LTD. (Daihatsu) announced on August 25 the nationwide launch in Japan of a new mini passenger vehicle: the MOVE Conte.*¹

The MOVE Conte was designed to have an interior that is both comfortable and relaxing and supports individuality in response to diversifying needs, such as the preference for space comfortability interiors and simplicity. The new vehicle maintains the basic performance of the MOVE, while adding to the refined square-shaped styling a number of functions and furnishings that enhance the level of comfort and relaxation. An additional element unique to the MOVE Conte is the highly attractive MOVE Conte CUSTOM model.

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