The Aygo city car offers the right dimensions and specifications for an A-segment hatchback in the country and would be an ideal reference point for the small car being developed for the Indian market.
Toyota India has imported the Aygo city car last month in the country for research and development (R&D) purpose from its manufacturing centre located in the Czech Republic. Measuring 3455 mm in length, the model imported was a 5-door version sporting a 1.0-litre petrol engine under the hood. With reports suggesting that Toyota is working on a small car for India, the Aygo seems to be a good reference point for the upcoming entry-level affordable small car, which is more likely to be developed in collaboration with the Japanese automaker’s Indonesian budget brand Daihatsu in order to keep costs in check.
The new generation Toyota Aygo currently on sale was unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show earlier this year featuring a major design overhaul, with the interiors being more spacious over the predecessor. Powering the model is a 1.0-litre petrol unit producing 68 BHP of power and 95 Nm of torque, paired to a 5-speed manual transmission, while an AMT with paddle shifters is also available for the European market. In addition, the car gets a load of safety tech including ABS, EBD, Vehicle Stability Control (VSC), curtain airbags, tyre pressure monitoring system and a lot more.
An Aygo based small car running with the same specifications would be an ideal fit for India. However, in order to quantify its sales in the sub Rs. 4 lakh space, Toyota will have to extensively localise the product including the engine and gearbox components. While omission of several features is expected, the company is more likely to stick around with its core values including quality and reliability which is expected to be better than the current offerings in the segment. Basic safety offerings including front airbags and ABS will also have to make it to Toyota’s upcoming entry-level small car to qualify with the upcoming Indian safety standards.
While a timeline for launch has not been initiated, the Daihatsu team is expected to play a crucial role that will determine the end result. The Indonesian manufacturer has also commenced initial studies to understand the Indian market and why the Etios twins performed poorly in the country. If things do fall into place, Toyota might just be able to crack the mass market segment with its smallest offering without having to compromise on its quality standards.
Source – Zauba.com