Bangalore, June 22: Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKML) plans to increase prices of its Qualis MUV and Camry passenger cars. The company had last effected a 2% increase in prices in July 2002 for Qualis. TKML officials attributed this impending price hike —quantum not known — to the spiralling costs of inputs, including steel and diesel. While steel prices jumped 35-40%, diesel prices increased 15-18% and freight costs 10-15%, over the last year, said company officials. .

The Toyota Qualis is priced at around Rs 7.7 lakh and over 13,000 units of this vehicle were sold this year between Jan-June. During the previous fiscal year (2002-03), the company sold about 26,000 Qualis, taking total sales since its unveiling in January 2000 to 88,000 units.
The company also offers two other cars — Camry and Corolla — in India. The Camry is priced at Rs 18.5 lakh, ex-showroom Bangalore, while the Corollala’s rate varies from Rs 9.8 to Rs 12 lakh. It has sold 334 Camry and 2698 Corolla so far this year.
Meanwhile, TKML officials downplayed reports of the technological obsolescence of the Qualis, saying that they had received few complaints on the vehicle’s performance and had even received repeat orders for the MUV. Bureau Report