Commitment to the Chinese Market

"We have felt deeply frustrated every time we heard that Toyota is behind in the Chinese market." President Akio Toyoda confessed his feelings up to that point at the Beijing Show presentation. He continued, "Our challenge is our products. And to tackle product enhancement head-on, shifting to local-led management is essential."

He also revealed a policy to actively advance new car development at Toyota Motor Research & Development Center (China) Co., Ltd. (TMEC), which began operations in 2011 in Changshu City, Jiangsu Province. Furthermore, TMEC, scheduled for completion in 2013, will feature one of the world's largest test courses, replicating all types of roads in China to develop new products tailored to the Chinese market.

Toyota's efforts to build cars with the Chinese market in mind are already showing signs of bearing fruit. One such example is the "TOYOTA Dear～亲～" unveiled at the Beijing Show. This concept car is under development as a small global strategic vehicle, and its chief engineer reportedly made numerous trips to China to conduct interviews and listen to the voices of the Chinese market.

The "TOYOTA Dear～亲～" comes in two types: sedan and hatchback. The inclusion of the popular sedan type in China, in addition to the hatchback which is mainstream in this class, reflects Toyota's strong commitment to the Chinese market.



Another concept car, the "Yun Dong Shuang Qing (Yundong Shuangqing)," is equipped with hybrid components developed at TMEC. While it is a four-door sedan, it features a coupe-like silhouette, suggesting it is a vehicle that fuses sportiness with environmental performance, rather than purely an eco-car.