Daihatsu Motor Co. Ltd announced the launch of a new compact multi-purpose vehicle, the Luxio, in Indonesia on 27 February. An event to mark the launch of the new vehicle was held in Jakarta on the evening of February 26.

The new Luxio is designed to attract consumers who value spaciousness and prestige, and are looking to move to more advanced vehicles. Daihatsu aims to expand the market by responding to the increasing demand in Indonesia for multi-purpose vehicles and meeting various customer needs.

The Luxio will be produced at Daihatsu’s Indonesian manufacturing base, Astra Daihatsu Motor, and will be sold by Astra International.

The monthly sales target is 1,000 units and the manufacturer’s suggested retail prices range between 136 million and 165 million rupiah (approximately 1.10 to 1.34 million yen).

The new Luxio offers the following features:
# 1. A unique and highly refined design that establishes a powerful presence
# 2. A highly spacious interior, and a low floor
# 3. Rear sliding doors that facilitate easy opening and closing and ease of boarding and exiting
# 4. Versatile seat arrangements made possible by the spacious interior
# 5. 1.5L DOHC VVT-i engine that achieves both strong driving performance and excellent fuel efficiency

TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION (TMC) and Daihatsu Motor Co., Ltd. (Daihatsu) announce today the nationwide launch of a seven-seater compact vehicle with three rows of seats that will be sold in Japan under the Toyota brand as the “Passo Sette”*1 and under the Daihatsu brand as the “Boon Luminas”*2. The roomy, user-friendly and stylish compacts are small enough to make handling easy and big enough to accommodate seven people. Featuring the driving-assistance features and comforts often favored by female drivers, the Passo Sette and Boon Luminas offer added flexibility for mothers with young children and help support active and exciting lifestyles.

For the Passo Sette and Boon Luminas, TMC and Daihatsu combined their product-planning know-how, with Daihatsu putting to use its extensive experience in compact vehicles to be in charge of development and production.  Daihatsu will supply the Passo Sette to TMC on an original equipment manufacturer basis. *1 Sette: Means seven in Italian, and refers to the seven seats in the Passo Sette *2 Luminas: A coinage drawing on the English words roomy and luminous.  The name is intended to evoke the image of a vehicle that provides new splendor to its occupants.

Monthly sales target for Japan: Toyota Passo Sette: 3,000 units

Daihatsu Boon Luminas: 500 units

Assembly Plant: Kyoto Plant, Daihatsu Motor Co., Ltd.

*Prices listed do not include recycling fees; prices in Hokkaido and Okinawa differ for the Passo Sette.  Prices in Hokkaido differ for the Boon Luminas. Vehicle Outline Roomy interior accommodates seven

• A compact body (length: 4,180mm*¹; width: 1,695mm; height: 1,620mm) allows for easy city driving, while the 2,750mm-long wheelbase makes possible an interior length of 2,550mm that provides a roomy interior.
• In addition to the ample 1,630mm*² between front- and rear-seat rows, the second-row seat features a 150mm*² split seat slide, with the floor in front of the third row of seats lowered to provide plenty of legroom.  This has created a roomy interior that accommodates five with room to spare and seven comfortably.

Superior ingress and egress

• The wide rear-door opening (935mm*²) facilitates ingress and egress to and from the third-row seats and easy handling of child seats.
• The 630mm*² hip point of the driver’s seat aides ingress and egress.

Ease of Driving

• Despite the long wheelbase, excellent handling comes with a 5.2m minimum turning radius.
• Quarter glass set forward of the driver- and front-passenger-side windows, together with the positioning of the side-view mirrors helps reduce front-diagonal blind spots and provides a broad field of vision.

Vehicle Dimensions

*1 Passo Sette S, S C package and Boon Luminas CX Aero trim are 4,195mm *2 Measurements by TMC Flexible seat arrangement and other features

• The second- and third-row seats easily fold down to create a large and flat luggage space.  A variety of seating arrangements can be used to match the number of passengers and the amount of luggage.

A comfortable and relaxing interior

• The bench front seat with a large armrest in the center creates the relaxed feeling of a sofa (standard on the Passo Sette G and G “C package” and the Boon Luminas CX and CX Aero).
• Effective use of interior space provides plenty of easy-to-access storage, including a driver’s side in-dash storage compartment and a zip-able pouch for holding a standard tissue box in the back of the passenger seat.
• The windshield features special infrared-blocking glass that helps to reduce discomfort caused by heat from the sun (standard on all models except the Passo Sette X and the Boon Luminas CL).  UV-blocking glass for the driver- and front-passenger-side windows and UV-blocking tinted glass for the rear-side windows and rear window comes standard on all models.
• An automatic air-conditioner has a pollen-removal mode (standard on the Passo Sette G and S and the Boon Luminas CX and CX Aero).

Amenities that make family outings more enjoyable

• A rear-seat entertainment system, with a seven-inch widescreen monitor, DVD player and headphone outputs, provides a rich audiovisual environment.  Use of this system allows different media to be played for the front and rear (second-row and third-row) passengers (manufacturer’s option on all models).
• A “Music Server” with CD player, AM/FM stereo, and in-built flash memory can store up to approximately 660 minutes of audio content from CD (manufacturer’s option on all Passo Sette models; standard on all Boon Luminas models).
• A “key free” electronic key system with an immobilizer function allows easy locking and unlocking of the vehicle’s doors, and comes with an engine switch knob for turning the engine on and off (standard on the Passo Sette G and S and the Boon Luminas CX and CX Aero) without use of a conventional key.

Driving support features that make driving more fun

• A guidance system for driving in reverse (manufacturer’s option on all models) gives spoken and visual guidance, calculates and displays the projected route graphically on screen, and a reverse-linked side-view mirror (front-passenger side) enhances visibility of the left-rear-wheel area, especially handy when reversing into a parking space (standard on all models except the Passo Sette X and the Boon Luminas CL and CX).
• An HDD navigation system (manufacturer’s option on all models) is compatible with the G-BOOK mX telematics service and is equipped with multi-media functions and other advanced functions such as Map on Demand, which provides automatic updates of maps with the latest information.

A Streamlined and Stylish Exterior and Refined Interior Exterior Design

• The front pillars extend forward to create a smooth, one-motion side silhouette, while the adoption of a concave design around the windows gives the cabin an expanded look.
• The front styling combines sharpness and familiarity and draws a three-dimensional line that flows from the hood down to the front bumper, to create a sense of vitality.
• The rear styling is accented by unique combination taillights, with the resulting wide-track image evoking stability.
• Available in nine colors* to suit personal preferences.

*One color is a manufacturer’s option. Interior Design

• The instrument panel is wide and rounded and its central positioning on the dashboard creates a sense of openness, while the high-quality surface produces an interior space with a special feel.
• The large, dual center gauge offers enhanced visibility, with the thick-acrylic garnish expressing a refined beauty (standard on the Passo Sette G and S and on the Boon Luminas CX and CX Aero).
• The two-tone interior (dark brown and beige-gray) and grade-specific seat color and coverings convey a sense of sophistication.

Models with Aerodynamic Trim Available (Passo Sette S, S C package, and Boon Luminas CX Aero)

• Adopted to pursue a powerful and aggressive design, aerodynamic parts create a bold silhouette for an even more refined image.
• Subdued colors produce a consistent and sporty interior.  Dark brown seat covers with a dot pattern convey a refined and cool image.

Advanced Safety Functions and Outstanding Cruising Performance Advanced Safety Functions

• A Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) system, which monitors lateral traction on slippery road surfaces and automatically controls engine output and distribution of braking force, combines with Traction Control (TRC) that controls wheel spin when starting or accelerating on slippery road surfaces to maintain forward motion and vehicle stability (available as a manufacturer’s option on two-wheel drive Passo Sette models under the name “VSC & TRC”; available as a manufacturer’s option on two-wheel drive Boon Luminas models).
• A six-airbag system features Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) curtain shield airbags that cover all three rows of seats (the SRS side air bags for the driver’s and front-passenger’s seat and SRS curtain shield airbags are standard on all models except for the Passo Sette X* and available as a manufacturer’s option on all Boon Luminas models).
• Headrests for the driver’s seat and front-passenger seat reduce the risk of whiplash from a rear-end collision (standard on all Passo Sette models under the name Active Headrest; available as a manufacturer’s option on all Boon Luminas models under the name Dynamic Support Headrest).
• The vehicle body incorporates the omni-directional compatibility (collision safety) concept and meets the requirements of both Toyota’s GOA (Global Outstanding Assessment) and Daihatsu’s TAF (Total Advanced Function).
• The body has been designed to reduce pedestrian head injuries in the unfortunate event of a collision with a pedestrian.

*Available as a manufacturer’s option on the X Outstanding Cruising Performance

• The 1.5-liter 3SZ-VE engine and a four-speed electronically controlled automatic transmission with a lockup mechanism provide excellent acceleration performance.

Engine Specifications

*Under the 10-15 Japanese test cycle, as certified by Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism

• The long wheelbase and wide track provide excellent cruising stability.
• Optimization of the engine mount position and placement of sound-absorbing and sound-blocking materials achieve quietness in the cabin that aids relaxed conversation.
• An Eco-Drive Indicator lights up to indicate fuel efficient driving.
• Toyota employed the Eco-Vehicle Assessment System (Eco-VAS), its original comprehensive environmental impact assessment system.  This includes setting environmental targets at the start of vehicle development to help reduce factors harmful to the environment by such means as the balanced reduction of CO2 emissions.
• A life-cycle assessment was carried out to achieve a reduction in air contaminants and CO2 from the vehicle throughout its life, from production and use to disposal.

Affordable Price Despite their roomy interior, three rows of seats, ability to accommodate seven occupants and full range of family-oriented functional features, the Passo Sette is priced from an affordable 1,490,000 yen (tax incl.; two-wheel-drive X) and the Boon Luminas is priced from 1,535,000 yen (tax incl.; two-wheel-drive CL).

Daihatsu send Box car as OEM project to subaru set named “Dex” be a square utility compact.

Goal Sale : 500 units/month

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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Japan’s fiscal first-half auto sales slumped to the lowest in 34 years as rising unemployment and decade-high inflation sapped demand for new vehicles.

Sales in the six months through September fell 2.9 percent to 1.54 million vehicles, the lowest since 1974, the Japan Automobile Dealers Association said in a statement today. The total excludes minicars. Sales of cars, trucks and buses in September fell 5.3 percent to 310,992 from a year earlier.

Nissan Motor Co.’s sales dropped 5.3 percent in the six- mohth period as rising food and gasoline prices left consumers with less money for large purchases. The drop in domestic demand comes as Japan’s largest manufacturers turned pessimistic about their prospects for the first time in five years as the deepening U.S. financial crisis stifled demand in the country’s export markets.

“Current economic conditions are getting worse, which doesn’t help car sales,” said Yasuhiro Matsumoto, a credit analyst at Shinsei Securities Co. in Tokyo. “Carmakers are coming out with new minicars, the only models that seem to sell.”

The Tankan index of confidence among big makers of cars and electronics slid to minus 3 points in September from 5 in June, a fourth quarterly drop, the Bank of Japan said today in Tokyo. The negative reading means that pessimists outnumbered optimists for the first time since 2003.

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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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