Daihatsu Sees Sales Rise 3% in 2010
In 2010, expects sales of mini-vehicles remain stable at 590 thousand units. Daihatsu Motor, the mini-vehicle unit of Toyota, aims to raise its sales 3.0 percent next year, with growth focused on Indonesia and Malaysia, its president. Speaking at the launch of the new micro-car Exe both in Tokyo, Teruyuki Minoura said he still felt the crisis as the competition heats up in the automotive industry, where his arch-rival Suzuki Motor Corp earlier this month sealed a strategic alliance with Volkswagen AG.
“We need to concentrate all our energies on offering the world’s small mini-vehicles, affordable and fuel efficient,” said Minoura. “If we can not, we will only be a burden for the Toyota group,” he said. However, Minoura denied reports that Toyota and Daihatsu were working on a low-cost car for emerging markets.
Minoura said its engineers wanted to keep the focus on the new concept of mini-vehicles unveiled at the Tokyo Motor Show in October, with an efficiency of 30 km per liter of motor improvements only. “We’re not doing anything with Toyota at this time,” he said. But low-priced cars and small are likely to become big business worldwide Toyota, Minoura said, adding that Daihatsu would need to use its experience to demonstrate their value in the group.
Daihatsu maintained its first place in the Japanese segment of mini-vehicles up to 660cc this year, with a 35 percent, reported. In 2010, expects sales of mini-vehicles remain stable at 590 thousand units. Globally, expects vehicle sales increased 3.0 percent, at 950 a thousand units, from an estimated 921 thousand vehicles in 2009.
