Toyota Motor Corp. is in talks with one of its venture partners in China about the possibility of building another plant there to tap its fast-growing auto market, a spokesman said Thursday.
But no decision has been made about when construction might begin or what capacity the facility would have, said Toyota spokesman Paul Nolasco.
Toyota's joint venture in China with partner Guangzhou Automobile already has one plant in Guangdong Province producing the Camry.
The plant is also due to start rolling out the Yaris by mid-2008 to meet rising demand in China for fuel-efficient vehicles.
Now, “Toyota Motor Corp. is discussing with its joint venture partner for Guangzhou Toyota the possibility of building a second plant and of introducing new models for production,” said Nolasco.
Last week another Toyota joint venture with China FAW Group Corp. began production of the new Corolla at its number three plant in Tianjin.
Toyota, which overtook struggling US rival General Motors in the first quarter of 2007 to become the world's top-selling automaker, has been using some of its record profits to ramp up production in China where demand for automobile is growing briskly as the economy roars ahead.
