Toyota considers more SUV muscle

TOYOTA Australia is seriously considering adding another four-wheel drive to its dominant SUV line-up.

Sourced from the company’s new global IMV (International Multi-purpose Vehicle) project, it would be a separate chassis wagon which would sit between the Kluger and Prado.

The attraction of the IMV SUV would be its rugged construction and cheapness, as it will be built in Thailand, a country with which Australia has a free trade agreement starting in January.

If it does come here, it would follow in the footsteps of the first IMV product, the seventh generation HiLux light commercial, which was launched as the Vigo in Thailand last month with a choice of three petrol and turbo-diesel engines ranging between 2.5 and 3.0 litres.

The new HiLux goes on sale in Australia early in 2005.

A people-mover based on the same IMV separate chassis has also since been launched. The Innova, as it is known, is of no interest to Toyota Australia.

But Australian interest in the IMV SUV was confirmed this week by Toyota Australia executive chairman John Conomos.

"We are looking at the SUV," he said. "Its positioning is curious for us because it sort of sits between Kluger and Prado.

"We are not exactly clear as to what that might be, pricing is not yet determined.

"It is a chassis-based product mainly designed for ASEAN or indeed commercial vehicle markets."A cheaper wagon with real off-road ability and the combination of seven to eight seats or extensive storage space would appeal to Toyota, which no doubt has been unimpressed by the number of HiLux Surf grey imports from Japan that have appeared in this country over the past few years.

News of Toyota’s interest in the IMV SUV comes just weeks after GoAuto revealed General Motors affiliate Isuzu plans to develop a Rodeo-based seven-seater wagon primarily for use in emerging markets.

Holden is investigating the prospects here for a vehicle that is very close in concept to the IMV SUV.

But Holden is approaching the SUV market from the opposite end of the spectrum to Toyota.

While Toyota commands more than 30 per cent of the local SUV market and would use IMV as another brick in an already well-constructed wall, Holden is casting around for every possible weapon it can bring to the fight.

At the moment it has only a three per cent SUV share, although reinforcements sourced from Daewoo are on the way before the end of 2006.

The aim of Toyota’s IMV project is to build vehicles outside Japan and export them to countries around the world.

For now, the plan calls for five different IMV vehicles – three trucks (including Vigo), the SUV and the people-mover.

They are being built in four plants around the globe, with production starting almost simultaneously.

But there is no prospect of the IMV project making its way to the Altona production line in Melbourne. A cross-over based on the Camry platform remains the project under development to join Camry and Avalon, both of which move to new generations in 2006.

"We would not build chassis-based product in this country. It will be Camry-based product," Mr Conomos said.