In the automotive world, badge engineering is a fascinating phenomenon that piques the interest of car enthusiasts. It involves rebadging and selling essentially the same vehicle under different brand names, creating a diverse product lineup. Toyota and Suzuki’s partnership in India has led to several badge-engineered products, showcasing a cost-effective approach to tap into various market segments.
Toyota ‘s Expanding Lineup: A Result of Collaboration
Through their partnership, Toyota and Suzuki have successfully introduced badge-engineered models in India. This approach allows both companies to expand their product offerings without the need for extensive platform sharing or investing in new developments. Let’s delve into some of these intriguing collaborations.
Toyota Rumion: The Affordable MPV
One of the products resulting from this collaboration is the Toyota Rumion, which is essentially a badge-engineered version of the Maruti Suzuki Ertiga. The Rumion serves as an affordable MPV option for Toyota, filling the gap in their lineup for a vehicle under Rs. 10 lakh. This budget-friendly model, priced at around Rs. 8.8 lakh, is expected to attract a new range of customers to the Toyota brand.
The Toyota Rumion retains the familiar exterior and interior of the Maruti Suzuki Ertiga, ensuring a seamless transition for consumers. The only noticeable difference will be a slight redesign of the front fascia. Inside the cabin, the Rumion will maintain identical features and styling.
Under the hood, the Toyota Rumion will boast the same 1.5-liter naturally-aspirated 4-cylinder engine, delivering an impressive 103 bhp of power and 138 Nm of torque. Transmission options are expected to include the new 6-speed torque converter, similar to what is offered with the Ertiga. Moreover, the Rumion is likely to be available in a convenient 7-seat configuration.
Toyota Fronx: Enhancing Toyota’s Portfolio
Another badge-engineered product on the horizon is the Toyota version of Fronx. Toyota already offers the Glanza, which is essentially a rebadged Baleno. With the Fronx, Toyota aims to further diversify its portfolio, offering customers more choices within different segments.
Fronx Features and Powertrain
The Toyota Fronx is expected to share most of its features with the Glanza, while sporting a distinctive coupe profile and body cladding to set it apart. Powertrain options from the Fronx, including the 1.2-liter 4-cylinder NA petrol engine (89 bhp, 113 Nm) and the 1.0-liter 3-cylinder turbo petrol engine (99 bhp, 147.6 Nm), are likely to carry over to the Toyota variant, with potential future CNG options.
Expanding Horizons through Badge Engineering
As the Toyota-Suzuki partnership continues to evolve, badge-engineered products continue to shape the Indian automotive market. The collaboration allows both companies to offer a diverse range of vehicles, appealing to various customer preferences and budget requirements.