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Our Bureau

Bangalore , Feb. 1

TOYOTA Kirloskar Motor on Tuesday said it has withdrawn its best selling model, the multi-purpose Qualis.

In a press statement, Toyota said Qualis will be replaced with a new model which will combine the elements of both an MPV as well as a passenger car.

The new model, Innova, built on the international motor vehicle platform, is expected to be launched towards the end of February.

"The Qualis has been our mainstay in India for the past five years. It has provided the perfect platform for Toyota in this country, but we feel it is time to bring in newer products that will provide better value to the customer," the Toyota Kirloskar Managing Director, Mr A. Toyoshima said. Business Line had reported in 2003 that Qualis was being phased out and would be replaced with a new crossover vehicle.

The statement said Qualis was being replaced because a market research indicated changing needs of the customer and with the Indian automobile market growing rapidly, it was time to replace the model. "Hence the Qualis will now be withdrawn from the market and will give way for a more modern and customer-value driven vehicle," the statement said.

Toyota had stopped production of Qualis towards the end of December and dealers had been asked not to take any more bookings for the model. Launched in 2000, Qualis sold a record 1.4 lakh vehicles and went on to redefine the multi-purpose vehicle segment in the country. Between 2000 and 2004, Qualis was the primary driver of growth in the MPV segment increasing the market share of the segment in the automobile industry from less than 9 per cent to over 11 per cent in a span of four years.

However, share of Qualis which touched 40 per cent share in the MPV segment in 2001 declined to 32 per cent in 2003 even though it continued to lead the segment. In 2004, Qualis sold a total of 36,700 units with December sales, the last month of its production, touching 4,000 units, the highest so far in a single month.

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It is official! Qualis phased out

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