Fortuner backlog stretches to 6,500

Since reopening bookings for the Fortuner in the country on July 1,world’s largest carmaker,Toyota,has seen an incredible 2,500 bookings made. However,this takes the backlog for delivery of the sports utlility vehicle to 6,500. In India through a joint venture with the Kirloskar Gourp,Toyota Kirloskar Motors (TKM),the company had suspended sales of the Fortuner on January 31 this year due to a huge number of pending deliveries. Said Sandeep Singh,TKM deputy managing director (marketing),”The total delivery pending is 6,500 units. Once it reaches 7,000 units,we will stop taking orders again.”

To make up for the backlog,TKM had in June announced it would increase production of the vehicle to 950 units from 500 units per month. Since its launch in August last year,the company has sold 8,500 units of the SUV. the car is priced at under Rs 19 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi).

TKM also expects close to half of next year’s overall sales in the country to come from its yet-to-be-launched small car,the Etios. “Next year,total sales of the company will be 1,50,000 units,out of which we expect the Etios to be around 67,000 units… If we produce 70,000 (Etios) cars,sales would be anywhere between 65,000 to 67,000 (units),” Singh said. He added that TMK hopes to sell a total of 70,000 units this year. The company had reported overall sales of 63,837 units in 2009-10,a growth of 36 per cent compared with the previous fiscal.