The new, facelifted Toyota Innova. Prices start at Rs 7.66 lakh
Within a few days of M&M having launched its all-new MPV, the Xylo, Toyota has responded with a facelifted version of its own MPV, the Innova. The ‘new’ Innova is priced between Rs 7.66 lakh (base version) and Rs 11.06 lakh (top end model), ex-showroom Delhi. The vehicle remains unchanged mechanically, and only features minor cosmetic upgrades externally, and slightly updated interiors.

Apart from the revamped Innova, Toyota is also said to be considering the possibility of assembling the Camry sedan in India. The car is currently imported into the country as a CBU, which makes it considerably more expensive than its main rival, the Honda Accord...

Maruti cars rank highest in the 2008 India APEAL study…

Four Maruti Suzuki cars, as well as cars from Honda and Toyota, each rank highest in their respective segments in new-vehicle design and performance in India, according to the J.D. Power Asia Pacific 2008 India Automotive Performance Execution and Layout (APEAL) Study released today.

Now in its tenth year, the APEAL study provides an analysis of what excites and delights owners about their new vehicle’s performance and design during the initial two to six months of ownership...

Given the slowdown in car sales in India, Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) is scaling back production by 30% for the month of December. TKM, which produced 2,886 units last month, will only be making around 2,020 units this month and based on its performance in December, the company will decide on its production figures for the next 2-3 months.

TKM, which had earlier announced a sales target of 60,000 units for 2008 (against 54,181 units sold in 2007), posted a decline of 48.55% in its sales in November this year, selling only 2,087 units as against 4,056 units sold in November 2007.

However, Toyota is holding firm on its investment plans for India, which will entail pumping in around Rs 3,200 crore...

A Toyota-Subaru rear-wheel-drive coupe with 220bhp? Yes!
Pic: Edmunds

This one isn’t really very relevant for India, but we couldn’t resist posting this bit of news about Toyota working with WRC specialists Subaru, on an all-new, rear-wheel-drive coupe lineup.

According to a report on Edmunds, Toyota and Subaru are co-developing a new lineup of rear-wheel-drive sports coupes that employ a reworked version of the Subaru Impreza platform, boxer engine and transmission. Toyota’s contribution to the mix will be product planning and quality control.

The Toyota coupe will only be sold in Japan (hey, maybe they’ll bring a few units to India as CBUs…?), while the Subaru car will be offered worldwide. The cars will be mechanically identical, but the styling would be different for both cars...

More than a million Prius cars have been sold worldwide, over the last 11 years!

Even as other carmakers are trying to hurry up and follow Toyota’s example, sales of the Toyota Prius – the world’s first mass-produced petrol-electric hybrid vehicle – have passed the one million mark. At the end of April this year, Toyota had sold approximately 1,028,000 units of the Prius.

While Toyota has no immediate plans of bringing the Prius to India (though Honda says it will get the Civic Hybrid here very soon!), the Prius is sold in more than 40 countries already. Toyota claims the Prius has significantly reduced vehicle CO2 emissions worldwide.

The Prius was launched in Japan in 1997, and was introduced in Europe, North America and other markets in 2000...