Biz Scene: GRAPEVINE

Toyota SUV

Toyota Motor Corp plans to make the RAV4 sport utility vehicle in China from January 2009 to meet the rising demand in the country, the Sankei newspaper said, without revealing the source of the information.

Production of the RAV4 may total about 50,000 units a year at Toyota's venture in Tianjin Municipality, the report said.

Toyota plans to start making RAV4s in Canada from 2008. It now exports them to overseas markets from Japan.

Toyota spokesman Paul Nolasco declined to comment on the Sankei report.

(China Daily 11/15/2007 page15)