First model from new Toyota plant to roll out in 2026.
Toyota has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Government of Karnataka to set up a third manufacturing plant in India, thereby increasing its production capacity by 1 lakh units per annum. The upcoming plant, which will also be situated at Bidadi near Bangalore just as the existing two, will attract an investment of around Rs 3,300 crores and is said to generate about 2,000 new employment opportunities.
- Toyota to invest around Rs 3,300 crore for new plant
- Will be the production-base of an all-new three-row SUV
- Will have a production capacity of 1 lakh units per annum
Toyota’s existing plants at Bidadi have a combined output of about 4 lakh units per annum. With 1 lakh more units, the new plant will add about 30 percent to Toyota’s production capacity in India, and will be operational by 2026. This announcement comes on the occasion of the brand completing 25 years in India.
The addition of a third plant will be of key importance as Toyota’s partnership with Suzuki has brought it much greater volumes, especially in India. In fact, Toyota manufactures both the Grand Vitara and the Invicto at its own plant for Maruti Suzuki, apart from also handling production duties for the Hyryder and Innova Hycross, and all four models regularly witness unreasonably high waiting periods for certain variants.
This new plant will be the primary production base for an upcoming three-row SUV, which, as we have reported previously, will be a longer version of the Corolla Cross sold overseas. It’s codenamed the 340D and Toyota is expected to produce 60,000 units annually with a launch likely by 2026.
Toyota three-row SUV to roll out from new plant
The Corolla Cross-based SUV for India will be underpinned by Toyota’s TNGA-C platform which is also used by the Innova Hycross. Globally, the Corolla Cross has a wheelbase of 2,640mm, but the India-spec version will likely be lengthened by about 150mm, enough to add a third row of seats.
Not much is known on the styling front, but Toyota could choose to differentiate it from the Corolla Cross with a new nose and new soft parts, including a plastic bumper, grille and headlights. Given the additional length, it will also have a completely new rear end. The upcoming 340D SUV, however, will not be specific to India, and is likely to be exported to other markets as well, although it’s not known if it will spawn a Maruti derivative.
Future IMV 0 platform-based models headed to India
At the Japan mobility show that concluded last month, Toyota showcased the new IMV 0 ladder-frame platform that’s meant to be a low-cost version of the IMV platform that underpins models like the Innova Crysta and Fortuner. Now this IMV 0 platform is India-bound as well, and will spawn a pickup truck and an SUV as a cheaper alternative to the likes of the Hilux and Fortuner. It, however, remains to be seen which of Toyota’s plants it will be produced in.
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