Toyota Aims To Sell 30,000 Units/Year Of China-Made "VIOS"

TOKYO - Dow Jones reported Toyota Motor Corp.aims to sell 30,000 units annually of the "VIOS" subcompact, the first-ever China-made Toyota-brand passenger car, Toyota said Tuesday.

The VIOS goes on sale across China from Wednesday.

Tianjin Toyota Motor Co., a 50-50 joint venture between the Japanese auto giant and Tianjin FAW Xiali Corp., Tuesday launched production of the VIOS at an annual capacity of 30,000 units, Toyota said.

Toyota and Tianjin FAW set up the joint venture in 2000 at a total investment of about Y10 billion. Tianjin Toyota employed about 850 workers as of July, Toyota said.

The VIOS, which carries a price tag of CNY115,000-CNY195,000 ($1=CNY8.27) and features 1.3-liter and 1.5-liter engines, will be sold to consumers through 50 Tianjin Toyota-certified dealers across China, Toyota said.

The launch of the VIOS marks a prelude to projects under the broader alliance formed in August between Toyota and FAW Group Corp. on production and sales in China. Starting with a minicar and a sports utility vehicle in the middle of next year, Toyota and FAW jointly aim to sell 300,000 to 400,000 vehicles a year by 2010.

Toyota is the second Japanese carmaker to begin mass production of own-brand passenger cars in China after Honda Motor Co. (HMC or 7267).