Last month, Toyota revealed the new Vellfire to the world. In its fourth generation now, Toyota still has the previous generation model listed on its India website for sale for just under Rs 1 crore (ex-showroom). However, carandbike can now confirm the all-new Vellfire will be launched in India as early as end of July 2023. This is one of the first instances where a global Toyota model has reached Indian shores in just over a month since its world premiere. Built in Japan, the new Vellfire will be sold as a completely-built-up unit (CBU) in India.
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The fourth-gen Vellfire made its world premiere in May.
The Vellfire has been a surprisingly successful vehicle for Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) thanks to its positioning and exclusivity. This may surprise some, but TKM sold more than 100 units of the Vellfire in India on a monthly basis. Also, what has worked in the Vellfire’s favour is the fact that there is virtually no alternative for someone wanting a super-luxurious, chauffeur-driven MPV in that segment. Globally, the Vellfire has proven to be a practical alternative to a limousine, as it offers more useable space. Of course, it’s attractive to only those who don’t mind the boxy appearance compared to the sleekness of a luxury sedan.
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Toyota sells roughly 8,500 units of its Alphard family every month in Japan, a third of which is made up by the Vellfire. The latter is a slightly sportier-looking derivative of the Alphard that is also sold alongside, globally. While the Vellfire attracts a slightly younger audience than an Alphard, in India, due to its positioning, the Vellfire’s audience is a bit older, comprising mostly politicians, actors and businessmen. It clearly stands out, and in its latest avatar, is probably amongst the flashiest Toyotas on sale anywhere. You can find more details on the newest-generation model here.
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The outgoing Vellfire has done exceedingly well for Toyota in India, and has proven to be popular among celebrities and politicians.
The Alphard story began in 2002 but remained restricted to Japan. It only started being sold in other markets with the introduction of the third-generation model. India got the third-gen model, too, which has a 2.5-litre petrol hybrid powertrain. With this new one, Toyota has decided to start selling the Vellfire in twice the number of countries it was previously available in. This could also be one of the reasons why TKM has managed to wrest an early launch for the model in India, too.
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It is likely that the new Vellfire’s price will be higher than that of the outgoing model given the high interest. While there is a petrol-torque converter powertrain option internationally, India will get the hybrid with an e-CVT. That too in top spec. Expect the new Vellfire to have a sticker price that is upwards of Rs 1 crore (ex-showroom) when launched here.
