Toyota's Don Esmond at APA: We have Great Dealers; Sales are Up, Toyota Will Not Put All Future Technology In One Basket; New Prius Models at Detroit Auto Show

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Detroit October 15, 2010; At the monthly APA (Automotive Press Association) meeting held at the Detroit Athletic Club Don Esmond, Toyota Motor Corp.’s North American sales chief, started his remarks off with a positive report on the state of the auto industry, he believes that pent-up demand and attractive new models will help U.S.Auto sales take a big jump next year, and reported that sales this month were at an equivelent over 12 million units, which is a good sign for the future.

In a show of candor he admitted that Toyota's management and communication structure may have gotten "too global" in its zeal for more sales, but that Toyota's Japanese leadership has recognized the problem and restructured lines of the manufacturing, design and sales responsibility and is geting back to basics, so it can continue it goal of becoming the world's number one automaker. To that end U.S. management has been given more direct decision making ability, bringing Toyota USA nearer to its customers

Mr. Esmond also said that Toyota Motor Corp. will reveal new models, in what will become a family of Prius hybrid cars, at the Detroit auto show in January, the Japanese automaker recently showed U.S. dealers two new Toyota Prius gas-electric models – a compact Prius and a lift back that's slightly larger than the current midsize Prius car.

The bigger model will be on display at the North American International Auto Show, according to company officials. "It's an all-new model with more comfort, style, and versatility," said Esmond. The new Prius is one of seven hybrids that Toyota plans to produce before the end of 2012, including a plug-in version of the current Prius car.

Although Toyota is the world's leading manufacturer of hybrids, it is planning to match rivals coming out with extended-range plug-ins and electric cars, such as General Motors Co.'s Chevrolet Volt and Nissan Motor Co.'s electric Leaf car, which go on sale in December. It's not clear, Esmond said, whether the Volt and Leaf will attract the same people who buy hybrids.

When asked about the technology winner for future cars, Esmond said that we should not count out Hydrogen Fuel Cells as the winner, and revealed that Toyota will begin selling a fuel cell model in the U.S. in 2015.

He went on to give big cudos to the Toyota dealers in their "above and beyond" response to the recalls of earlier this year and that retail sales of Toyota models continue to grow.

He praised the Scion brand as entry of future Toyota and Lexus buyers, with the brand having the youngest average owners.

He stated that this is a great time to buy a Toyota or Lexus.