Daihatsu trucks in Vietnam

Daihatsu trucks in Vietnam

TOKYO (AFP): Japan's Daihatsu Motor Co. Ltd. said yesterday it had started production of medium-sized pick-up trucks at a joint venture in Vietnam with a local partner and Indonesia's Astra group.

Daihatsu, an affiliate of Japan's top car maker Toyota Motor Corp., said in a statement that it had targeted the output of Vietindo Daihatsu Automotive Corp. at 500 "Hijet Jumbo" trucks in the initial year.

Sales of the 1,300-cc trucks will begin in June for the Vietnamese market and the annual output is expected to reach 4,800 units by 2000, Daihatsu said.

Daihatsu holds a 35 percent stake in the joint venture, with 33 percent owned by a company group under the Vietnamese transport ministry.

The remaining 32 percent stake is held by two Astra group firms -- 17 percent by PT Astra International and 15 percent by PT Mitra Andasantika.