Toyota launches diesel versions of Etios and Liva

Japanese auto major Toyota on Friday launched the diesel versions of its entry-level Etios sedan and compact car Etios Liva, priced between Rs 554,000 and Rs 787,000 (ex-showroom Delhi).

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The company, which is present in India through a joint venture with the Kirloskar Group -- Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) -- said it plans to sell a total of 63,000 units of the Etios family of cars in India this year.

"Etios has been received well by our customers in the petrol segment. We are now offering the diesel variant to cater to a wider customer choice," TKM managing director Hiroshi Nakagawa told reporters in New Delhi.

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The Etios sedan in diesel will be priced between Rs 644,000 and Rs 787,000 (ex-showroom Delhi), which is Rs 90,000 more than the petrol version.

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The Etios Liva diesel is priced between Rs 554,000 and Rs 589,000 (ex-showroom Delhi), which is costlier by Rs 95,000 vis-a-vis the petrol variants.

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Both the diesel variants will be powered by a 1.4-litre engine and the company claims they offer mileage of 23.59 km per litre.

TKM deputy managing director (marketing) Sandeep Singh said the company has already sold 33,000 units of the Etios family this year and aims to sell 30,000 more units in the remaining four months of this year.

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Earlier, the company had set a target for selling a total of 145,000 units across models this year, but the projection was later scaled down to 135,000 units due to production losses in April-May this year after component supply from Japan was hit by an earthquake and tsunami in March.

Nakagawa said the diesel engines are imported from Japan and TKM has no plans of making them in India in the near future.

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In order to meet demand, TKM is increasing production from its second plant in Bangalore to 210,000 units by 2013 from 120,000 at present.

The firm is also ramping up the number of dealerships it operates across India to 175 from 163 currently.