[amit27]

Came across this nice article in Business World on Toyota and its goof ups in India Market link is :

Businessworld - On The Wrong Track

To Sumarise

Aiming for 10% marketshare
Plan hinges on launch of new small car
Lack of C segment offering leading to dealer apathy
Positioning Corolla which is a worldwide VFM Car as Premium Offering

There is also a nice section on how Toyota is training boys from underpriviledged background to be a part of manufacturing operations

[vasudeva]

10% by when. Without a small car, even half of that share is a dream.

Toyota has to focus more on India in addition to China and Thailand and stop ripping Indian customers. Mandate is clear here.

[amit]

Dealer apathy? I don't think so. Toyota customers are among the most satisfied from what I have read here. Whatever is brewing between the company and it's deaers, it's not visible to the customers and thats a very good thing.

We all know Toyota hasn't really cracked the Indian market but I think it's because they didn't want to. They were too busy concentrating on their largest market - North America, to bother about India. Now that the US market has crashed, Toyota needs to push it's India plans 'fast forward'. For all their Toyota management system , kaizens and what not, they too have been caught off gaurd with the sudden economic crash.

The small car is expected in 2010! This means no C segment car till 2010 either since the hatch will in all probablity also sport a sedan variant. I never understood why Toyota insisted on UV and MUV's instead of sedans for the C segment.

[aerohit]

They could have brought in their basic model like Starlet and a RAV4 as a family 4wd.

They would have sold like crazy!

Hopefully they will bring Yaris soon?

[rayygeorge]

Toyota hs really goofed up their Indian operations.They lost their advantage of 10+ yrs operations in India. May be they were not conducting proper market study for product mix , product replacement , appropriate time of launch and Indian need of VFM . The name they have earned here is a "Luxuary Taxi maker" .See how fast VW group is making plants in India and their number of launches.Capturing 10% market share may remain only as a dream for them if Toyota is not getting aggressive .They could have come out with a small car & small VFM SUV as repalcement for Qualis long back to capture and retain the market.Think how their small car expected in 2010 end is going to compete with already established small cars from Maruti, Hyundai, Skoda and the expected ones from Fiat ,Honda etc.Good luck Toyota.
"A Chance lost is lost for ever"

[vasudeva]

I really wish Toyota comes out with a small AT car soon. I can hold for maybe 2 years, but I would dearly love to have a Aygo/Yaris type for me and/or my wife.

I know of some people working at Toyota management, and their dealers; and the sales people are generally organised into segments-Corolla, Innova, etc. From my interactions, everyone wants to sell Innova since more of these sell, which translates into more commissions.

[srishiva]

Toyota being concentrated only on N.A market is not true. For the Indian market, they believed more in value (even if its more money) and thought people will not discount their current line up in respective segments.
In India, most of the numbers happens from mid-size and below and they really need to act fast. Planning for a small car from time immemorial does not vibe well for a company like Toyota. They have been outsmarted by Honda in India.

[esteem_lover]

Originally Posted by amit27

Positioning Corolla which is a worldwide VFM Car as Premium Offering

This most people do in India, nothing new. I just wish that they would get into the B & C segments fast. That is the only way they can penetrate the Indian market.

[amit]

Originally Posted by esteem_lover

This most people do in India, nothing new.

Yea I agree. I don't get why they put that down in the article. Like the Corolla, the Civic and the Octavia (Laura) are also VFM offerings in other markets.

[Sowmya]

There is many thread is running here how this Toyota Company is ripping off Indian Customer.
Many time you can find some old technology/min feature with a highly valued car...

[loving_alaap]

If Toyota can bring;

(1) a nice car in SX4 / ANHC range
(2) i20 / Fabia / Swift?? range
(3) Indian made Camry
(4) A good SUV in CR-V range

But before all these, plz Toyota; you are falling world wide, put the diesel in Indian cars, & I am sure You will get enough revenue to survive from India only.

[avishar]

I have given up trying to figure out toyotas plans.They have been promising us a small car since when.Imagine 10 yrs in india and they havnt even launched a mid-size sedan forget about the a small car.I find their attitude towards india to be a bit arrogant(i think thats taking it a bit too far).Then they go and launch the camry at 20 lakhs way dearer than the segment leading accord.They are really the most laziest auto munufacturer in india IMO.Even HM is has been lauching new models lately!

[vineethvazhayil]

Originally Posted by avishar

I have given up trying to figure out toyotas plans.They have been promising us a small car since when.Imagine 10 yrs in india and they havnt even launched a mid-size sedan forget about the a small car.I find their attitude towards india to be a bit arrogant(i think thats taking it a bit too far).Then they go and launch the camry at 20 lakhs way dearer than the segment leading accord.They are really the most laziest auto munufacturer in india IMO.Even HM is has been lauching new models lately!

It totally beats me why Toyota never launched a C segmenter in India. Not that they have to research and create one! They have the Yaris, the Echo and so many other models in different countries.. Wish they come to their senses soon and stop experimenting, as they admit to have been doing!

[siedo]

The lux taxi maker crown & numbers will also be taken away by xylo if toyota does not change its strategies now