Will the Toyota small car for India look something like this? We don't know, but we expect the new car to hit the market by 2010
Toyota Motor Corp is said to be considering splitting its Indian arm into two units. One unit will handle only manufacturing, and the other, marketing, sales and distribution.
This development follows the resignation of K K Swamy, Toyota Kirloskar Motor’s deputy managing director. Swamy, who put in his papers on Monday, had been with TKM since 1996, when Toyota first came to India in a JV with Kirloskar. It’s being said that Swamy, who handled finance, marketing and corporate planning functions at a very senior level in TKM, was not happy with his role being curtailed in the recent past. He is expected to make an announcement regarding his next assignment soon.
Toyota has separate units for handling manufacturing and marketing-related activities in Indonesia, and may attempt to replicate that model in India. According to some reports, Toyota will form a new unit, likely to be based in or around Delhi, for its marketing, sales and distribution functions. Meanwhile, the company’s existing facility near Bangalore will be developed solely as its manufacturing hub. This may also be centre of research and development for Toyota’s small car for India and other emerging markets.
