Toyota India chief says global recalls not to hit India sales

6 Feb 2010, PTI

MUMBAI: A day after the Japanese automaker's chief apologised for global recalls, Toyota India's Head said the situation in the US would not affect the Indian market.

"The situation in the US does not affect the models being sold in the Indian market. The recent recall had absolutely no link to India," Toyota Kirloskar Motor's Managing Director, Hiroshi Nakagawa, told PTI on the sidelines of an event here today.

Toyota has recently recalled more than 7.5-million cars worldwide. The company also announed that it will suspend US sales of eight models including the Camry and the Corolla.

"The company's recall of more than 7.5-million cars had absolutely no link to India. We think this is a good chance for us to review quality-related activities here," Nakagawa said, adding the company is undertaking a review of its quality processes.

While the Camry is imported to India from Japan, the company assembles the Corolla at its Bangalore-based facility.

Toyota Camry is one of the largest selling cars in the American market and Corolla is another popular car.

"There has been absolutely no impact of the global recall on our Indian product line-up. We import the Camry from Japan and sell it here as a completely built unit, while the Corolla is manufactured in India with 40 per cent localisation," Nakagawa said.

"There is no defect in either of these models and so no recall in India," he said.