Japan's biggest automaker Toyota said on Friday that it would begin exporting vehicles from India to South Africa next year as it looks to boost activities in emerging markets.
Under the plan, gasoline-engine versions of the Etios Liva hatchback and Etios sedan will be shipped to South Africa, subsidiary Toyota Kirloskar Motor Pvt. Ltd. said without disclosing the size of the shipment.
The Etios is a low-cost sedan aimed at emerging markets, where Toyota wants to achieve 50 percent of its worldwide vehicle sales from 2015 compared to 40 percent in 2010.
Toyota Kirloskar, based in the outskirts of Bangalore, plans to boost production to 310,000 in 2013, almost double current levels of 160,000 annually.
While maintaining a strong industrial base in Japan, Toyota is looking to boost production abroad to be closer to demand, reduce logistics costs and limit exposure to the strength of the Japanese yen.