Toyota Fortuner Legender

Toyota to set up new Maharashtra plant, SUV production to begin by 2029

Toyota Kirloskar Motor will set up a new manufacturing plant in Maharashtra's Bidkin Industrial Area, expanding its India production network with a 1 lakh annual capacity and a new SUV planned by 2029.

by · India Today

Toyota Kirloskar Motor has announced plans to establish a new vehicle manufacturing facility in Maharashtra, marking a major expansion of its production footprint in India. The upcoming plant will come up in the Bidkin Industrial Area and is scheduled to commence operations in the first half of 2029 with an initial annual production capacity of 1 lakh vehicles.

The new facility will manufacture an all-new SUV as its first product, widely expected to be the upcoming compact off-roader positioned below the Fortuner globally. While Toyota has not officially confirmed the model name, the vehicle is likely to be the much-anticipated Land Cruiser FJ. Along with serving domestic demand, the Maharashtra plant will also support exports to neighbouring markets, further strengthening Toyota’s role as a regional manufacturing hub.

Toyota said the investment is aimed at improving its long-term competitiveness and creating a more flexible production structure capable of responding to evolving market demand in India and surrounding regions. The new plant will include stamping, welding, painting and assembly operations, and is expected to generate around 2,800 jobs at the start of production.

Toyota currently operates two manufacturing plants at Bidadi in Karnataka, which together have a combined annual production capacity of around 3.4 lakh vehicles. The first facility, operational since 1999, produces models such as the Toyota Innova Hycross, Toyota Innova Crysta, Toyota Fortuner and Toyota Legender. The second plant, which started operations in 2010, manufactures the Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder, Toyota Hilux and Toyota Camry. Premium offerings like the Toyota Vellfire and Toyota Land Cruiser 300 are imported as completely built units.

The expansion comes at a time when Toyota is aggressively strengthening its India portfolio. Over the next few years, the brand is expected to introduce several new products, including a more affordable version of the Innova Hycross, a new electric MPV, the Corolla Cross SUV and the next-generation Fortuner.

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