Following its launch in Japan at the end of October, the Toyota Auris has this week received its European premiere at the Bologna Motor Show.
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Toyota is eyeing sales of 200,000 a year in all markets.
The car will be launched across Europe during the first quarter of 2007.
Auris replaces the Toyota Corolla and the name change reflects Toyota’s aims to alter perceptions of Toyota cars in the key lower medium C-segment of the market in Europe.
“Creating a new name for the new car was a key priority for us,” said Andrea Formica, Toyota Europe, Senior Vice President for Sales, Marketing and After-Sales.
“In order to achieve our step change in volume growth in Europe, we needed to change people’s perceptions of our C-segment hatchback”.
“We believe we have succeeded. The different clinics we have conducted showed an enthusiastic reaction across the markets. The main spontaneous reactions from people were the words: futuristic, high class and attractive. These words perfectly match our brand DNA.”
European and Japanese market Auris models will be built in Europe.
The hatchback will be built alongside Avensis at TMUK in Great Britain and alongside Corolla Verso at TMMT in Turkey.
Toyota says that Auris breaks the mould of current C-segment hatchback design because it is ‘short and tall’.
The Auris design was created at Toyota’s European Design Development centre (ED2) in southern France.
See also: JAPAN/UK: Toyota launches Europe’s next Corolla
