Toyota holds back Liva launch to meet Etios demand
05 Mar 2011
Pune-based Toyota Kirloskar Motors announced on Friday that the company has been forced to delay the launch of its first compact hatchback Liva by two months as it struggles to clear the delivery backlog of its entry-level sedan Etios.
The Etios, Toyota's first shot at the mass market segment, has been a runaway success for after its launch in January.
Since its launch the company has sold 4,844, out of the company's total car sales of 9,308 units of the model which now has a waiting period of around five months.
However, the big bookings for the car - 26,500 units so far -have also translated into a huge waiting period, which is running up to six months and more in some cases.
This has caused a lot of frustration with reports, even suggesting that some customers have cancelled bookings, choosing not to wait for so long.
This has forced the company to hold back the launch of the Liva, a hatchback version of the Etios with a smaller 1200cc petrol engine, till June against the earlier scheduled April.
