New Toyota Van Gets Off Production Line in Sichuan

New Toyota Van Gets Off Production Line in Sichuan

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The first new type of Toyota van, manufactured in this capital of southwest China's Sichuan Province by the Sichuan Toyota Motor Co. Ltd., rolled off the production line Friday, December 15.

It took two years for the "Coaster," the new generation of mid-sized Toyota vans, to complete the process from design to being manufactured.

According to the developers, the new van will have the most advanced technology from Toyota and will have two models -- 24-seat luxury and 30-seat standard in various colors.

With a cruise speed of 120 kmh, the vans are specially designed to cope with diverse road conditions and natural environment in China.

The Sichuan Toyota Motor Co. Ltd., was set up in November 1998. The Toyota Motor Corp. and Toyota Tsusho Corp. hold a 50 percent share in the joint venture with total assets of US$99 million. The Sichuan Van Plant holds the remaining 50 percent share.

It will manufacture 3,000 Coaster vans next year at a total sale value of 1 billion yuan. By 2005, the company will have an annual capacity of turning out 10,000 Coaster vans at an expected sale value of 3.2 billion yuan.

Fujio Cho, president of the Toyota Motor Co. Ltd., said the joint venture in Sichuan is Toyota's first overseas plant outside Japan which manufactures entire Toyota automobiles.