http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-15212913

Toyota to export made-in-India vehicles from 2012

By March 2012, Toyota Indian joint venture has announced that it will for the first time ship Indian-made cars to overseas. The cars are specially designed for a South Africa climate, involving any different road conditions, and local preferences. The joint in Indian makes 160,000 cars each year; the expectant number of vehicles that will be produced in 2013 is estimated to be 310,000. Japan Toyota currently holds 89% of the shares to the Indian Joint, while the Indian’s Kirloskar Group holds the other 11%. Many other Japanese companies have already tackled the market such as Honda, and Nissan.

It was a smart choice for Toyota to cement their relationship with their Indian counter part and release a brand new line of products overseas. By aggressively expanding their products into the South African markets; they would be able to gain initial dominance in that area. This move also gives them a way to advertise their products worldwide, while keeping the cheap production costs in India; using this stepping-stone to further established their products. Toyota is able to present the quality of their products to their new consumers, which should be a level higher than the local companies in South Africa.