Bengaluru: Toyota Kirloskar Motor Vice Chairman Vikram S Kirloskar, Managing Director Akito Tachibana, Director and Senior Vice President N Raja during the launch of Innova Crysta in Bengaluru on May 13, 2016. (Photo: IANS)
Bengaluru, May 13 (IANS) Leading automobile manufacturer Toyota Kirloskar Motor on Friday launched its multi-purpose vehicle Innova Crysta in nine Indian cities simultaneously.
"Now with the all new Innova Crysta, we are not only confident of satisfying our existing customers, but I am sure we will win over more customers looking for a perfect blend of sophistication, toughness and luxury in their vehicles," said Toyota Kirloskar Motor vhairman Vikram S. Kirloskar.
Priced between Rs.14,17,740 and Rs.21,12,311 (Ex-showroom Bengaluru), the vehicle is available pan India in seven and eight-seat configurations.
Currently available in the diesel version, Innova Crysta will also come in petrol variant in the future. Engine types include 2.8 L diesel in six speed automatic transmission and 2.4 L diesel in five speed manual transmission.
Some of the first in class features in the new vehicle include automatic LED projector headlamps, ambient illumination, glove box with cooling, one touch tumble second row seat and a rear auto AC with digital display.
Standard safety features in all grades of the Innova Crysta include three SRS airbags, ABS, Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD) and Brake Assist among others.
Innova Crysta is available in three new colours - garnet red, white pearl crystal shine and avant garde bronze.
Director, sales and marketing, N. Raja said they had sold more than six lakh Innovas in India since the car was launched in 2005 and annually sell around 70,000 Innovas in India.
On the Supreme Court ban on registration of diesel vehicles with engine capacity more than 2,000 cc in the Delhi NCR area, he said that the company "will work with them (apex court) towards showing that diesel cars are not the main polluters. And we are working closely with them. We want to be part of the solution".
Addressing the media in Chennai, vice president, customer service, B. Padmanabha said the ban has affected sales as NCR accounts for nearly eight percent of the overall sales.
He also said the company will commission its diesel engine plant in Bengaluru soon.
Questioned about the company's pricing strategy as the upgraded model is priced higher than the older version, Padmanabha said the company has been creating new market segments.
"The new model is loaded with several features and the price reflects that. The price will not be detrimental to the market share," he added.
Company vice president Sailesh Shetty, who launched the car in Kolkata, told reporters there that the petrol variant of the new car is in the pipeline.
"In terms of government regulation and emission norms, this car (Innova) caters to all that. Diesel is not a bad fuel and with right technology a diesel car is as good as petrol car," he said.
