Japanese car maker Toyota Motor (TMC) has started exporting the Etios series sedans and hatchbacks of cars from India to South Africa.
Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) Indian production and sales subsidiary of the Japanese carmaker is aiming to export a total of 20,000 vehicles a year.
The company said that it is only exporting the petrol versions of Etios sedan and Liva and about 250 vehicles were loaded onto a carrier for shipment at the Ennore Port near Chennai, India.
Etios sedan was launched in late 2010 while its hatchback version Liva in India in 2011 and is currently built at the company's Kirloskar's plant at Bidadi, Bangalore and the export model too will be made there.
The start of vehicle exports from India represents an expansion beyond India's domestic market for TKM and a commitment by TMC to develop India into a production and supply base for vehicles and transmissions.
TKM's annual production capacity is scheduled to increase from its current 210,000 vehicles to 310,000 vehicles in 2013, in order to match the growth of India's automobile market.
