Toyota Astra to sell Fortuner SUV

Toyota Astra to sell Fortuner SUV

JAKARTA: PT Toyota Astra Motor, a distribution unit of Indonesia's biggest auto seller PT Astra International, has announced it will start selling the Toyota Fortuner sport utility vehicle next month.

The seven-seat vehicle will be sold for between Rp 293 million (US$30,700) and Rp 351 million, the company said in an e-mailed statement. The Fortuner is being made in Thailand as part of Toyota's expansion plan for emerging markets including Indonesia, South Africa and Argentina.

Toyota Astra aims to initially sell as many as 600 units a month, said Jodjana Jody, head of sales at Toyota Astra, the main dealer of Japan's Toyota Motor Corp. cars in Indonesia. Astra holds 51 percent of Toyota Astra.

Domestic car sales rose 36 percent to 483,295 units last year, the Association of Indonesian Automotive Industry said in January. It was the fastest growth in four years.

Indonesia is Toyota's sixth-biggest market in terms of volume sales, it said in March. -- Bloomberg