Toyota reshoots for 200,000

TOYOTA Australia will release an unprecedented 19 new or upgraded models in its drive to return to sales form and sell in excess of 200,000 vehicles this year.

Two weeks ago at the redesigned Camry Hybrid launch the company said it would improve on last year’s sales of 181,624 vehicles, which was 15.4 per cent down due to stock shortages following the 2011 Japanese tsunami and Thai floods, but declined to forecast a sales target because production was still returning to normal.

At this week’s Prius C launch, however, Toyota Australia divisional manager Peter McGregor declared that the cessation of supply interruptions would see the Japanese giant sell more than 200,000 vehicles for the first time since 2010, when it did so for the seventh consecutive year.

Mr McGregor said Toyota Australia had recovered from the natural disasters more quickly than expected, echoing the performance of its parent company, which sold just over seven million vehicles in 2011 - six per cent fewer than the previous year – but expects to lift global sales by 21 per cent this year to more than 8.5 million.

From top: Toyota Camry Hybrid, Prius C and 86.



“Just as Toyota’s global recovery is occurring faster than we expected, that same confidence exists for our potential in Australia,” he said.

“We are planning to return sales to more than 200,000 this year – a level no other company has ever achieved.

“We have the product and the plans to support these goals. This year, we have 19 new or redesigned Toyota models for Australia – everything from all-new cars such as Prius C to technical upgrades and the addition of the latest audio systems.

“On average, that means we are bringing something new to the market every 19 days. That is unprecedented for Toyota in Australia.”

Fresh from launching the new Camry Hybrid, facelifted Prius and all-new Prius C this month, Toyota Australia will release its redesigned Aurion large sedan in April, the all-new Prius V people-mover in May and the all-new 86 Coupe in June.

Mr McGregor said some HiLux customers had chosen to wait months for flood-interrupted supplies of Australia’s top-selling utility, rather than purchase one of a number of its newer competitors, including Volkswagen’s Amarok and Ford’s homegrown Ranger and its mechanical twin, the Mazda BT-50.

“Since the Thai floods, we have had limited stock, affecting our sales and overall market share,” he said. “Now we are back to full supply, which is good news for our loyal customers.

“Many of them have chosen to wait for months for a HiLux rather than buy a competitor vehicle – and we really appreciate their support. That level of customer loyalty is particularly humbling and makes us determined to do even better.”

To the end of February, Toyota sales were down 1.7 per cent year to date in a market up 5.2 per cent.

Earlier this month Toyota said the slow start to the year would make it unlikely it could return to 2010 levels, when Toyota sold 214,718 vehicles, because the 20,000 or so units of lost sales was too much to recover.

It also predicted Australia’s new-vehicle market would edge up to about 1,050,000 sales this year, about four per cent higher than 2011 and slightly more than 2010’s tally of 1,035,574 vehicles.