Toyota India to use TNGA platform in upcoming models. Toyota plans to move away from using low-cost platforms in India, and switch to the new Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA) in upcoming models. According to shifting-gears.com, Toyota also plans to bring more upmarket products to India rather than low-cost, Asia-specific models.
With the brand successfully finding buyers in the premium segment and struggling in the lower segment, Toyota will be working on bringing in cars which could cost over INR 2,000,000 (US$29,703.55). Toyota is not happy with how the Etios twins have fared in India, and have learnt that cost cutting is not the way forward in the market.
This new platform will be similar to the Volkswagen MQB and could be shared across multiple products in various segments.
But to bring such expensive and high end platforms to India, Toyota will need to make heavy investments.
A Toyota rival to the Honda City is three to four years away, the report said.
Now, what is the TNGA? This is what Toyota says about it : Quote:
Our Always A Better Way philosophy is an expression that continuous improvement is possible, in fact it’s an essential part of any successful organisation. That’s why we’ve developed the Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA). TNGA is an extension of the famous Toyota Production System, which is widely studied and admired for its efficiency. TNGA will help us build cars using standardised platforms, powertrains and major components, to make cars that require fewer resources to build, give a safer and more enjoyable drive, and have even greater fuel-efficiency.
A platform is the basic core around which the rest of a car is built. Globally, Toyota currently uses more than 100 uniquely modified platforms and sub-platforms, and 800 powertrains, including engines modified to fit those different platforms. But, with TNGA, just five layouts will be needed for the whole range, from compact sports cars to SUVs. The size and position of other key components will be standardised, too.
But that doesn’t mean that the cars will all look the same. Far from it, in fact. The standardised TNGA elements will be largely out of sight, giving Toyota designers the freedom to produce cars that are visually distinctive, as can be seen in the all new Prius and the C-HR Concept car – both of which were designed using TNGA.
As well as cutting-edge design, the TNGA-developed cars will give a significantly improved drive experience. The TNGA platform means low-stance designs, giving the cars a lower centre of gravity than before, which, in turn, will give better suspension, stability and handling. Strategic use of high-strength steel gives the new Prius a 60 per cent more rigid body shell, which also contributes to greater responsiveness as well as safety. And the new TNGA powertrains will increase fuel-efficiency by up to 15 per cent.
As TNGA-built cars will be able to use many uniform parts, fewer components will need to be designed, produced and shipped. The cars will also need 20 per cent less manpower to build – freeing up a significant amount of time that can be devoted to designing new cars. Fewer components and less manpower will make factories greener too, which is obviously better for the environment.
Looking to the future, TNGA will be the foundation for all Toyota’s powertrain and vehicle development, and by 2020 half of Toyota’s will be built using TNGA.
| Just Auto and World of Toyota |