Daihatsu to enter Indian market within 2-3 years - Report
Products will be sold through Toyota dealerships, initially.
According to a report from Autocar India, the Daihatsu brand will enter India within 2-3 years. First products from the Toyota-owned manufacturer will go on sale by 2019.
The budget car manufacturer has been vying to enter the Indian market since the last decade to take on established rivals like Maruti Suzuki and Hyundai, but plans didn't come to fruition since the Indian market wasn't a priority for Toyota back then. Today, however, the Japanese manufacturer plans to cover the entry-level segments with the Daihatsu brand, while the former focuses on premium segments.
The report states that Daihatsu will not introduce any legacy models in India; rather models currently sold in market like Indonesia and Malaysia. The first product is reported to be a compact MPV, which could be the Daihatsu Sigra. It would rival the Datsun GO+, and appeal to buyers looking for an affordable, spacious MPV. Other products include tall boy hatchbacks, regular hatchbacks and even a compact SUV.
The products will be sold through Toyota dealerships initially, similar to the relationship between Nissan and Datsun. Later on, Toyota will launch Daihatsu as a separate brand with separate sales-and-service network, reportedly.
[Source: Autocar India]