Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) and Daihatsu Motor Company Ltd. (Daihatsu) on September 28 announced that Daihatsu will supply minivehicles to TMC on an original equipment manufacturer's basis for sale in Japan.
Specifically, Daihatsu will supply TMC three models of minivehicles in stages starting in autumn 2011, leading to an expected TMC sales volume of approximately 60,000 minivehicles annually (once all three models are on sale). The models – the first minivehicles to carry a Toyota badge – are to be sold through Corolla and Netz dealers nationwide, as well as through Toyota and Toyopet dealers in regions in Japan in which minivehicles account for a large part of the overall vehicle market.
Recently in Japan, minivehicle sales have been increasing and TMC customers have been asking for minivehicles. The September 28 announcement is the result of a conclusion to take advantage of the resources of the Toyota Group to more quickly respond to consumer demand and to maintain good customer relations. Even with this development, TMC will continue to mainly focus on full-size vehicles and Daihatsu on minivehicles.
Furthermore, again to better use the resources of the Toyota Group, TMC and Daihatsu are to discuss business collaboration in the Japanese market using TMC's environmental technology, such as hybrid-vehicle and electric-vehicle technology, with concrete products and technologies to be decided on by the end of 2011.
Minivehicles are defined as vehicles with an engine displacement of no greater than 660 cc and exterior dimensions no greater than 340 centimeters in length, 148 cm in width and 200 cm in height.
