Toyota Australia vehicles bound for left-hand-drive Middle East markets will be fitted with a wide range of options at a new purpose-built facility at Victoria state’s Webb Dock West. Known as Australian Port Install Options (APIO), the new operation is a joint venture between the automaker and Autocare, a division of Toll Holdings.
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Toyota Australia’s senior executive director David Buttner said APIO is similar to operations established by Toyota Motor Corporation in Japan, Thailand and South Africa.
He said APIO would fit options such as satellite navigation, rear-parking sensors and floor mats, and safety items including boot-mounted fire extinguishers, safety triangles, first-aid kits and tyre-pressure gauges.
“We are Australia’s leading exporter of motor vehicles and we plan to export around 80,000 cars next year worth approximately $A1.5bn – most of them to the Middle East,” Buttner said.
“Around 20% of our Middle East exports – all of which are left-hand-drive – will have options fitted at the new APIO facility. APIO is a key part of our plans to grow our exports. It’s a first for Toyota Australia and it’s all about meeting the needs of our overseas customers.”
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By GlobalDataToyota Australia claims its locally-built four-cylinder Camry is the market leader in the Middle East following its launch there on 1 September.
The Aurion, a Camry derivative with a 200kW V6 engine to be launched in Australia later this year, will also be exported.
Both cars are built at the automaker’s plant at Altona in western Melbourne’s, where Toyota has invested $450 million to expand production to 140,000 units a year to meet domestic and export demand.
Andrew Thomas, business planning manager of Toyota Conversions, Accessories and Mobility (TCAM), said APIO would make Toyota vehicles more attractive to customers by providing them with greater choice.
“Customers in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Oman and Qatar have preferences that change from market to market,” Thomas said.
“Fitting these various options at APIO ensures we can provide customers with the widest choice in the most efficient way.
“Toyota Australia has set up the quality processes for APIO and we inspect all cars before they are exported.”
