Toyota to replace the Corolla with Auris in Europe and Japan

23 October 2006

Tokyo: After 40 years of existence and more than 30 million sales worldwide, Toyota Corolla is set to drop the Corolla brand in Japan and Europe including the UK and will compete head on with compact car models like Ford''s Focus and the VW Golf with a replacement named Auris (Latin for gold).

Designed by Toyota''s European design studio, ED2, the Auris is designed to be a more upmarket model than the Corolla. In Europe, it will compete mainly against the Volkswagen Golf and the Alfa Romeo 147, while in Japan it is likely to compete against Nissan Motor''s Tiida and Honda Motor''s Civic.

"Designed and built in Europe, it will join the highly successful Toyota Yaris and Avensis in helping the company achieve its newly announced target of 1.2-million annual sales by 2008 (in Europe)", a Toyota statement said.

Priced between ¥1.62 million ($13,600) and ¥2.3 million in Japan, the Auris essentially replaces Toyota''s hatchback models Corolla Runx and Allex in Japan. The Auris is fairly close to the Auris Space Concept car displayed at the Paris Motor Show last month and its styling is much like the Toyota compact car Yaris, though more conservative.

In Japan the Auris has been launched in the three- and five-door variants, and with a choice of five engines. Two petrol engines variants will be available in a 1.4-litre 96bhp unit and a 1.6-litre version 122bhp version. Three diesel variants comprise a 1.4-litre 89bhp version, a 2-litre, 124bhp unit and another 2.2-litre, 175bhp unit.

The variants with the larger engines are said to be the fastest models in the range designed to hit a total speed of 130mph and touch 60mph in 8.1sec.