Spotted - Daihatsu Sirion in Kolkata. Is this Toyotas small car for India? - Team-BHP

Wimwian · 13th April 2007, 22:54

Saw this Daihatsu Sirion in Kolkata today... was in a hurry so couldn't get more pics.

Dunno what this means though... does Toyota have any plans of launching the passo in India?

http://img264.imageshack.us/img264/1599/dsc02960ov0.jpg
http://img405.imageshack.us/img405/5086/dsc02959zh3.jpg

theMAG · 14th April 2007, 00:05

This could be a finding far more important that it seems. Its no secret that Toyota's aiming at the B+ segment with vigor. They have been known to have considered various options from their stable including the Daihatsu Sirion -which would cost around Rs. INR 6.3 lakhs for the 1 L version. The latest version is that they are developing a car from scratch to meet pricing expectations.

This Sirion could mean any of the following:

1. A potential small car engine being road tested in the Sirion

2. Toyota seriously relooking at the Sirion due to reasons such as an extending new small car development time, or other cost-cuttings that aim to make the Sirion itself more affordable.

Nice to see signs that Toyota India is alive. Altho I'm unsure how many more Swift/Spark look-alikes this market can take.

adhiraj · 14th April 2007, 00:45

@ wimwian,

its nothing unusual to see these unusual cars in kolkata. If you go to new alipore area you can easily spot one bue and black carrera. There are 5 or 6 R1s, CBR etc. You go down to Camac Street am sure you'll be able to see Audi A8 & BMW 7 series cars.Our housing complex holds around 5 Mercs from C to S class & two BMWs. & yeah get in touch with planetrocker & then u can be a part of the team BHP kolkata group.

1100D · 14th April 2007, 01:25

You are right Wimwium, a few years back we used to spot a couple of Toyota Echo's and Yaris's in Kolkata. Infact there was also a Yaris Verso doing the rounds. A few days back when I was in Kolkata had seen another Diahatsu Cuore (without any sort of camouflaging) flying off the 2nd bridge toll gates. My guess is that Toyota uses Kolkata zone to zero in on Models that would work in India before actual customizing and prototype testing. Someone also spotted an Aygo. I find it hard to beleive that in Kolkata some people import small cars and all of them incidentally from Toyota stable.

1100D · 14th April 2007, 01:28

Hold on the Van right behind is the Toyota Hi-ace, I think this belongs to some embassy, can it have any connections with the car in front?

CrAzY dRiVeR · 14th April 2007, 01:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by theMAG

This could be a finding far more important that it seems. Its no secret that Toyota's aiming at the B+ segment with vigor. They have been known to have considered various options from their stable including the Daihatsu Sirion -which would cost around Rs. INR 6.3 lakhs for the 1 L version. The latest version is that they are developing a car from scratch to meet pricing expectations.

This Sirion could mean any of the following:

1. A potential small car engine being road tested in the Sirion

2. Toyota seriously relooking at the Sirion due to reasons such as an extending new small car development time, or other cost-cuttings that aim to make the Sirion itself more affordable.

Nice to see signs that Toyota India is alive. Altho I'm unsure how many more Swift/Spark look-alikes this market can take.

Seems to be wider, and spacious as well... Might be competition for the fabia even...

mohit · 14th April 2007, 02:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1100D

Hold on the Van right behind is the Toyota Hi-ace, I think this belongs to some embassy, can it have any connections with the car in front?

It has a partially covered hood. The windscreen says San Mateo, which is a county in California. Does not look like an embassy connection to me but hey i could be wrong here.
Maybe its just that they come via the Calcutta port and not the Chennai one.

ggkg · 14th April 2007, 07:23

Lots of NRI may be bringing in cars as trf. of residence duty is less. This could be one of those?

liv2drv · 14th April 2007, 23:47

it can't be one of those. For it to be brought in under a TR, it has to be owned by the nri for a few years in the country where its coming from... so it wouldn't have the brand new wrapping and stuff on it.

manikjeet · 15th April 2007, 04:08

Why would some one import a compact car you can easily get a bigger indian car then why would someone go through the trouble importing a compact

shuvc · 16th April 2007, 20:06

Could it be a car destined for Bangladesh / Nepal ? Those go through Kolkata often. Had spotted what looked like the new Vitara a couple of months back.

Wimwian · 16th April 2007, 21:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by shuvc

Could it be a car destined for Bangladesh / Nepal ? Those go through Kolkata often. Had spotted what looked like the new Vitara a couple of months back.

Yups, that seems to be the most likely answer... for one, there was no effort on the part of the manufacturer to hide the logo/model name etc... secondly, the car was just parked by the roadside with no driver in sight - don't think they will do that if they were seriously testing it!!

GTO · 17th April 2007, 14:23

I agree with Mag and would think that this has far greater implications. If anyone wanted to casually import / forward, why a Daihatsu?

I smell Toyota. Great find, wimwian! Thanks for sharing...

Rtech · 17th April 2007, 14:33

Great find! I suggest you watermark these images ASAP, before they find themselves in someone else's hands.

Its about time Toyota got moving here and expanded their model range to include a small car. Just one question though, why in Kolkatta? There is no manufacturing base near there is there?

wizardofid · 17th April 2007, 20:51

Toyota will do many months of consumer/ prosumer research before they make a launch. They are a conservative company, and happen to have more vehicles in their stable appropriate to each market, than they can actually launch. It should be no surprise if they are using Kolkata and thereabouts for doing their testing and feedback sessions. The roads vary between great to pathetic in short distances. Besides, they are probably looking to create a buzz subtly by letting the car be seen in a few places, and then listen in onto what the wind carries back to them. There are many foreign cars available locally to make this one attract too much attention, something that would have happened in Bangalore (also too close to the Toyota plant) and probably in Mumbai and Delhi too.

13th April 2007, 22:54	#1 (permalink)
Wimwian BHPian Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Kolkata Posts: 181 View My Garage	Spotted - Daihatsu Sirion in Kolkata. Is this Toyotas small car for India? Saw this Daihatsu Sirion in Kolkata today... was in a hurry so couldn't get more pics. Dunno what this means though... does Toyota have any plans of launching the passo in India? http://img264.imageshack.us/img264/1599/dsc02960ov0.jpg http://img405.imageshack.us/img405/5086/dsc02959zh3.jpg

14th April 2007, 00:05	#2 (permalink)
theMAG Team-BHP Support Join Date: May 2006 Location: Bengalooru Posts: 4,586 View My Garage	This could be a finding far more important that it seems. Its no secret that Toyota's aiming at the B+ segment with vigor. They have been known to have considered various options from their stable including the Daihatsu Sirion -which would cost around Rs. INR 6.3 lakhs for the 1 L version. The latest version is that they are developing a car from scratch to meet pricing expectations. This Sirion could mean any of the following: 1. A potential small car engine being road tested in the Sirion 2. Toyota seriously relooking at the Sirion due to reasons such as an extending new small car development time, or other cost-cuttings that aim to make the Sirion itself more affordable. Nice to see signs that Toyota India is alive. Altho I'm unsure how many more Swift/Spark look-alikes this market can take. __________________ Become who you are.

14th April 2007, 01:25	#4 (permalink)
1100D Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Calcutta Posts: 2,646 View My Garage	You are right Wimwium, a few years back we used to spot a couple of Toyota Echo's and Yaris's in Kolkata. Infact there was also a Yaris Verso doing the rounds. A few days back when I was in Kolkata had seen another Diahatsu Cuore (without any sort of camouflaging) flying off the 2nd bridge toll gates. My guess is that Toyota uses Kolkata zone to zero in on Models that would work in India before actual customizing and prototype testing. Someone also spotted an Aygo. I find it hard to beleive that in Kolkata some people import small cars and all of them incidentally from Toyota stable. __________________ ________________________ Every Ferrari is always a Fiat

14th April 2007, 01:28	#5 (permalink)
1100D Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Calcutta Posts: 2,646 View My Garage	Hold on the Van right behind is the Toyota Hi-ace, I think this belongs to some embassy, can it have any connections with the car in front? __________________ ________________________ Every Ferrari is always a Fiat

15th April 2007, 04:08	#10 (permalink)
manikjeet Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: chandigarh Posts: 1,144 View My Garage	Why would some one import a compact car you can easily get a bigger indian car then why would someone go through the trouble importing a compact __________________ *MANIK NANDA*

14th April 2007, 00:45	#3 (permalink)
adhiraj Newbie Join Date: May 2006 Location: Kolkata Posts: 16	@ wimwian, its nothing unusual to see these unusual cars in kolkata. If you go to new alipore area you can easily spot one bue and black carrera. There are 5 or 6 R1s, CBR etc. You go down to Camac Street am sure you'll be able to see Audi A8 & BMW 7 series cars.Our housing complex holds around 5 Mercs from C to S class & two BMWs. & yeah get in touch with planetrocker & then u can be a part of the team BHP kolkata group.

14th April 2007, 07:23	#8 (permalink)
ggkg BHPian Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Bangalore Posts: 113	Lots of NRI may be bringing in cars as trf. of residence duty is less. This could be one of those?

14th April 2007, 23:47	#9 (permalink)
liv2drv BHPian Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Delhi-Goa-London Posts: 451	it can't be one of those. For it to be brought in under a TR, it has to be owned by the nri for a few years in the country where its coming from... so it wouldn't have the brand new wrapping and stuff on it.

16th April 2007, 20:06	#11 (permalink)
shuvc Senior - BHPian Join Date: May 2005 Location: Kolkata Posts: 1,915 View My Garage	Could it be a car destined for Bangladesh / Nepal ? Those go through Kolkata often. Had spotted what looked like the new Vitara a couple of months back. __________________ PIGZILNKILJBSCOMB

17th April 2007, 14:23	#13 (permalink)
GTO Team-BHP Support Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Bombay Posts: 18,824 View My Garage	I agree with Mag and would think that this has far greater implications. If anyone wanted to casually import / forward, why a Daihatsu? I smell Toyota. Great find, wimwian! Thanks for sharing... __________________ GTO Work backward from your imagination, not forward from the past! Please don't PM for support. Use the Contact Form instead. Please read the NEW Team-BHP FAQ section for all your queries.

17th April 2007, 14:33	#14 (permalink)
Rtech Team-BHP Support Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Bombay Posts: 5,633 View My Garage	Great find! I suggest you watermark these images ASAP, before they find themselves in someone else's hands. Its about time Toyota got moving here and expanded their model range to include a small car. Just one question though, why in Kolkatta? There is no manufacturing base near there is there?

17th April 2007, 20:51	#15 (permalink)
wizardofid BHPian Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Bangalore Posts: 185	Toyota will do many months of consumer/ prosumer research before they make a launch. They are a conservative company, and happen to have more vehicles in their stable appropriate to each market, than they can actually launch. It should be no surprise if they are using Kolkata and thereabouts for doing their testing and feedback sessions. The roads vary between great to pathetic in short distances. Besides, they are probably looking to create a buzz subtly by letting the car be seen in a few places, and then listen in onto what the wind carries back to them. There are many foreign cars available locally to make this one attract too much attention, something that would have happened in Bangalore (also too close to the Toyota plant) and probably in Mumbai and Delhi too. __________________ 2005 Baleno LXi 2006 Marina TDi

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