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LOOKING FORWARD: Toyota's popular imports, such as the Prado SUV (above), may soon become readily available in Singapore. -- PHOTO: TOYOTA
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FROM April, Toyota Motor will become the first Japanese carmaker to act as its own importer in Singapore.
Its wholly-owned, Singapore-based subsidiary, Toyota Motor Asia Pacific (TMAP), will take over the role from trading house Toyota Tsusho.
Unlike moves by European manufacturers in recent years to take on a bigger role in vehicle importation, distribution and retail, Toyota's decision will have little or no impact on authorised Toyota agent Borneo Motors, part of London-listed Inchcape.
'There will be no tangible impact for us,' Borneo Motors managing director Mark Choong said.
Instead of going through Toyota Tsusho, 'we will now negotiate prices with and order cars from TMAP', Mr Choong explained.
As TMAP is an overseas arm of Toyota Motor, observers say the regional office will have a bigger voice in Tokyo when it comes to crucial issues, such as model line-up and timeliness of product launches.
Borneo Motors has recently been losing market share to parallel importers. Over the last two years, nearly one in three Toyotas sold in Singapore was not from Borneo Motors.
'TMAP is a profit centre here,' said a motor trader. 'If parallel importers sell more cars, its bottom line is likely to be affected.'
If TMAP is able to wield a bigger influence on Toyota's factory, customers can look forward to seeing popular imports, such as the Wish, Estima, Rush and Prado, becoming readily available from the authorised agent.
Borneo Motors is due to launch the Wish in April - five years after parallel importers introduced it.
The subsidiary, however, played down its new role. In a statement, its spokesman described the development as a 'trade route change'.
'There would not be significant changes from Singapore customers' point of view. It is more for internal operation, which will become simpler and easier, by having one less party involved,' he said.
'This may result in a benefit to customers by having less opportunity for mistakes or inefficiency.'
He added that TMAP is aware of the popularity of Toyota parallel imports, and that it will 'try to maximise the car line-up'.
TMAP, which has close to 300 employees in Singapore, is not new to the game. It has been importing Thai-made Toyotas since 1997.
With the move in Singapore, Toyota will become its own importer in most markets in the Asia-Pacific.
christan@sph.com.sg
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