Toyota Plans Fortuner SUV Assembly in Kazakhstan

VIENNA – Toyota signs a memorandum of understanding with the government of Kazakhstan to begin local assembly of the Toyota Fortuner SUV from complete-knocked-down kits.

The vehicles are to be assembled by SaryarkaAvtoProm, a joint venture owned 51% by the distribution company Allur Auto and 49% by state-owned SPK Tobol.

SaryarkaAvtoProm is using the premises of the AgromashHolding plant in Kostanay for its activities.

The company is assembling Ssangyong, UAZ and ZAZ cars and SUVs as well as Iveco light-commercial vehicles from semi-knocked-down kits in small volumes.

Assembly of the Fortuner will begin in spring 2014 in Kostanay at an initial planned rate of about 3,000 units per year. The final contract is to be signed later this month.

The Fortuner currently is not offered in Kazakhstan.

“We strongly believe that the potential for economic growth and a strong automobile market here is excellent,” Didier Leroy, Toyota senior managing officer and president and CEO-Toyota Europe, says in a statement.

While Toyota’s Kazakh partner currently assembles vehicles from SKD kits, it is preparing a CKD project at the AgromashHolding facility.

Plans call for the CKD assembly of a Ssangyong model version that will be assembled solely in Kazakhstan and exported to Russia, other Commonwealth of Independent States countries and likely a few other markets.

The vehicle is called the Nomad in Kazakhstan, but no pictures or technical details are available. The first Nomad models are expected to be assembled this year. Annual output will gradually ramp up to 25,000 units within the first few years, with up to 70% of total production destined for export.

There are plans to use locally made parts in the Ssangyong Nomad.