The car will be manufactured at Toyota's second Indian plant, the one in Bangalore, operated by the Kirloskar Group-Toyota Kirloskar Motor(TKM) joint venture. The facility has a production capacity of about 80,000 units a year.
"We shall commission our second plant in Bidadi by last week of December this year. Initially we will begin operation in one shift," Toyota Kirloskar Motor Executive Managing Director Koji Nagata was quoted as saying by Business Standard. "From next year it will commence production in two shifts."
The Etios, the over-engineered model developed for the local market (according to Toyota, 2,000 engineers worked on the model), comes equipped with steering wheel with integrated audio controls, Electronic Power Steering (EPS) with tilt function, SRS airbags and Anti-Lock Breaking System (ABS) with EBD.
It is powered by a 1.5l petrol engine, which develops 90 ps and 132Nm of torque at 3,000 rpm.
Driven by the initial success of the vehicle (12,000 orders have been placed for it in just 15 days since the opening of the books), Toyota announced the launch of the hatchback version of the Etios, called the Liva.
This version will be powered by a smaller engine than its sedan sibling, a 1.2l unit (it will also be introduced on the sedan version later in 2011), the Liva is hoped to make the addition of the second shift at the plant both necessary and a smart move.
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