[landcruiser123]

The Alphard simply lacks value in the eyes of a typical Indian.
I have seen certain 5 star hotels operating the Hiace in Inida, but the Alphard is too expensive. Also, lack of a diesel powertrain is starting on the backfoot.

The Velfire might look good, but with the van silhouette, it ain't going to sell.

[The Adventurer]

From my experience, most merc and bmw buyers buy their cars only to be driven around in something prestigious yet comfortable. If the Alphard can provide both with the low maintenance Toyota DNA, most sensible businessmen would buy one for their daily needs.

[DicKy]

Originally Posted by Sankar

A friend spotted a darkblue metallic current generation Vellfire with TN registration at Trivandrum a month ago. Its a beautiful looking MPV.

Is it the pre facelifted one?

Then it must be of Gokulam Gopalan.

[GrammarNazi]

WHY would anyone buy this for 50 lakhs when the Crysta is available ?

Luxury ? For 25 lakhs more ? Send it to the local interiors modifiers and they'll improve the seats & other bits for less than a lakh. Top end Innova already has decent interiors.

Toyota already has production constraints for Innova. Competition is catching up. Hexa will also launch soon.

Market conditions won't allow them to launch this here. Ever.

Just my two cents.

[RajaTaurus]

I have travelled in an Alphard in Sri Lanka. This is definitely a different animal compared to Crysta. Super Luxury oozes out in every bit of it. There is no MPV in India currently to match it except may be some DC built. My feeling, Toyota will sell at least 100 a month and will only increase.

[Viju]

The Alphard / Vellfire duo is very popular in the premium minivan segment here in Japan. The features Toyota has crammed into the higher end variants is amazing. Also, it costs much much lesser than the INR 50 lakh figure.

Someday when I can afford to upgrade from my '07 Honda Odyssey, the Alphard / Vellfire or the Nissan Elgrand are definitely on my list.

I have not driven the Crysta, but it is definitely nowhere near these big vans - be it in size, comfort, luxury or style.

[jayguar]

The Crysta is no way near an Alphard / Vellfire. I think INR 50 lakh is less considering the price in other markets. Alphard / Elgrand / Odyssey provide the best 3rd row comfort in premium MPVs.

[slicvic]

The best feature of this car is the ability to turn the middle row by 180 degrees.




Image Source : http://eightseaters.blogspot.in/2010_06_01_archive.html

[GTO]

If the news is true (I'm a 50:50 on it), not having a diesel is going to hurt its prospects. The hybrid is good, but in India, big UVs = diesel only.

No chance of it coming at 50 lakhs. The Camry Hybrid is now a 40 lakh car.

Originally Posted by IshaanIan

If you lose the ladder-on-frame chassis

Ladder-on-frames are awesome for offroading & overloading, neither of which apply to the Alphard.

Originally Posted by i74js

Toyota can sell it; as the product has its own niche. Several high end users are compelled to look at alternates because of non-availability of products from Toyota in this category at their disposal.

Originally Posted by The Adventurer

If the Alphard can provide both with the low maintenance Toyota DNA, most sensible businessmen would buy one for their daily needs.

I agree. There is certainly a market for high-end luxury vans in India. Practicality + luxury in one. Who would've imagined an Innova selling at 25 lakhs?

Plus, there are several customers out there who want a 50 lakh car, but not the flashy German badge.

Originally Posted by A M

Companies should not price their products just by looking at people's pockets.

Whether good or bad, that's the case today. A car is priced based on the maximum that the company thinks a customer will pay for it (keeping in mind intended volumes too). The days of cost+ pricing have been left behind in the 90s.

Originally Posted by GrammarNazi

WHY would anyone buy this for 50 lakhs when the Crysta is available ?

Luxury ? For 25 lakhs more ? Send it to the local interiors modifiers and they'll improve the seats & other bits for less than a lakh.

You can do the same to the Skoda Superb. Don't people buy more expensive luxury cars?

[IshaanIan]

Originally Posted by GTO

Ladder-on-frames are awesome for offroading & overloading, neither of which apply to the Alphard.

Umm I was referring to why the Innova is popular (not just because it is a large Van). I know the alphard doesn't have a ladder-on-frame construction which is precisely why I said one may as well buy a couple of Camrys with added driving dynamics and luggage space

Originally Posted by GTO

Plus, there are several customers out there who want a 50 lakh car, but not the flashy German badge.

I think the key word here is car. Our market did not even take to 15 lakh estates, I severely doubt a 50lakh Van will get any takers.

Originally Posted by GTO

You can do the same to the Skoda Superb. Don't people buy more expensive luxury cars?

When one buys an A6 over a Superb it is for the extra tech (alphard doesn't have any extra impressive tech that I can make out), and snob value. An awkward looking Toyota Van has its work cut out for it if they expect to woo anyone over into buying it.

Anyway I am happy to be proven wrong and see this becoming a success. It is always interesting to note market quirks.

PS: do these south-east asian luxury vans undergo any kind of crash testing? I severely hope so if they price such monstrosities at 50lakh rupees

[drmohitg]

Originally Posted by IshaanIan

When one buys an A6 over a Superb it is for the extra tech (alphard doesn't have any extra impressive tech that I can make out), and snob value.

A superb will eat the germans for breakfast, lunch and dinner if it was about tech, features and comfort. But it does not because of the snob value, which you rightly pointed out. But what is Snob value? In India, it is equal to price of your car. So if the Alphard comes in at 50L then it has got the snob value. Same way how an A6 if had been launched at 10L would not have had any snob value.

How many thought that Innova would sell at 25L? But it looks like it is flying off shelves. It is extremely hard to predict how many buyers this may or may not find.

[Yeldo]

Originally Posted by GTO

If the news is true (I'm a 50:50 on it), not having a diesel is going to hurt its prospects.

The Alphard and its sister car Vellfire do not have Diesel engines in their lineup. So we may expect no Diesel. The hybrid Camry is a pretty good sales performer in its segment in India, so Toyota might be expecting this to catchon too.

Originally Posted by GTO

No chance of it coming at 50 lakhs.

If it comes at 50L, I would be surprised too. 2.5L Hybrid variants cost the equivalent of 30L Rupees upwards in its home country, so a 50L price tag here is not going to happen.

Originally Posted by GTO

There is certainly a market for high-end luxury vans in India. Practicality + luxury in one.

Definitely. Looking at the queue for Innova Crystas at 21L apiece, there should be a lot of takers for these.

A handful of these are here in North Kerala and I met with an owner when he visited Muvattupuzha for a function. He has a Land Cruiser and a Pajero SFX along with a Mercedes E Class and an Innova, and told me the Alphard was his best car other than the LC200. BTW, the one I saw had a petrol engine which was offered in the first Prado that Toyota officially sold in India.

Originally Posted by IshaanIan

(alphard doesn't have any extra impressive tech that I can make out), and snob value.

If you apply the same logic as Superb Vs. A6, you would be surprised on how technologically advanced and competent the Alphard / Vellfire is. This vehicle is crammed with advanced technology and has all the creature comforts one may wish.

Originally Posted by IshaanIan

do these south-east asian luxury vans undergo any kind of crash testing?

The Alphard and Vellfire are manufactured and sold in Japan. Japan and not Hong Kong and SE Asia is its primary market.

[Sutripta]

Originally Posted by jayguar

Its an option and I've seen a previous generation Alphard in Chennai.

OT: Should have been an option on the Maruti van and Versa. There would have been takers for this option, if priced sensibly.

Regards
Sutripta

[jayguar]

Wondering if Alphard would affect the Prado's numbers and to an extent the LC200. In my view, the deal breaker would be the front grille. The previous generation Alphard looked better so did the Nissan Elgrand. If I were in the market for a luxury vehicle for my family, Alphard would be my first choice.

[A M]

Originally Posted by GTO

Whether good or bad, that's the case today. A car is priced based on the maximum that the company thinks a customer will pay for it (keeping in mind intended volumes too). The days of cost+ pricing have been left behind in the 90s.

I would still disagree. Case in point being Jeep.

Company thinks Indian customers will pay 1 crore for Grand Cherokee but does it belong to that price point? NO. Will Indian customers pay so much for it? I don't think so.