Skip to Content

New cheap car coming from Toyota under new brand?

Tata Motors may have some serious competition on its hands if Toyota does indeed enter the low-cost automotive sweepstakes as is currently rumored. Renault's Dacia brand may be the most credible cheap car currently on the market, but this particular segment seems to be booming as emerging markets begin their slow and steady crawl towards... well, emerging. They are going to need wheels, so Toyota is said to be teaming up with Daihatsu, its subsidiary in Japan that specializes in small Kei cars for its home market. Those little machines could well prove invaluable in the design and engineering of small, inexpensive cars.

Toyota already owns one factory in Bangalore, India and has another planned. The new low-cost model would likely be built in one of these two plants and would be marketed both in India and in Brazil by 2015. Interestingly, the new car would be badged neither a Toyota nor a Daihatsu. Rumors indicate that a completely new brand would be created for the model so as not to damage the Japanese automaker's carefully cultivated image.

[Source: Automotive News - sub. req'd]

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Add your comments

Please keep your comments relevant to this blog entry. Email addresses are never displayed, but they are required to confirm your comments.

When you enter your name and email address, you'll be sent a link to confirm your comment, and a password. To leave another comment, just use that password.

To create a live link, simply type the URL (including http://) or email address and we will make it a live link for you. You can put up to 3 URLs in your comments. Line breaks and paragraphs are automatically converted — no need to use <p> or <br /> tags.



Featured Galleries

  • 1 Liter Racing League
  • Suzuki Alto in Global Green Challenge
  • Proterra Electric Bus
  • Local Motors Rally Fighter
  • 1916 Woods Dual Power Model 44 Coupe
  • Audi Avatar
  • Global Green Challenge Tesla Roadster goes 313 miles
  • Meyers Motors NMG
  • Cozmo NEV
  • Tokyo 2009: Suzuki Swift PHEV
  • Tokyo 2009: Suzuki SX4-FCV
  • Honda mobility devices

Categories


Autoblog

Daily Finance

Download Squad

Engadget

Joystiq

Autoblog Spanish

Switched.com

FanHouse

Asylum