Lexus Post Best-Ever May Sales

                                         FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
                                                 LEX-24-01

                        Lexus Posts Best-Ever May Sales
                      Passenger Car Sales Up 74.1 Percent


     TORRANCE, Calif., June 1, 2001 $B!>(B Today Lexus reported best-ever May sales

of 20,281, up 19.9 percent from May 2000.  Year-to-date sales of 90,625 outpaced

last year by 17.0 percent.

     Passenger car sales continue to surge with May sales of 12,513 units, an

increase of 74.1 percent from last year.  The new-for-2001 LS 430 premium luxury

sedan posted sales of 2,807, up 183.0 percent from a year ago.  The ES 300

entry-luxury sedan had an excellent month with 3,637 units sold, an increase of

4.0 percent from May 2000.  The hot-selling, all-new SC 430 convertible hardtop

ended the month with sales of 1,288, while the performance-oriented IS 300 sport

sedan posted sales of 2,285.  GS 430/300 high-performance sport sedan sales of

2,496 were down a slight 5.0 percent.  Year-to-date passenger car sales of

55,749 were up 65.4 percent.

     $B!H(BIn economic times like these, it pays to have quality products and a

reputation for value and customer service,$B!I(B commented Denny Clements, Lexus

group vice president and general manager.  $B!H(BWith the addition of three new cars

in a year and customers$B!G(B confidence in what Lexus has to offer, our sales are

stronger than ever.$B!I(B

     After two years of phenomenal sales performance, RX 300 mid-size luxury

sport utility vehicle (SUV) sales have leveled off at a very respectable 6,990

units in May, down 16.7 percent from last year.  The LX 470 premium luxury SUV

ended the month with 778 units sold, down 41.8 percent from 2000.

     The Lexus Certified Pre-Owned program reached record-setting levels in May

with best-ever sales of 2,977, up 26 percent from last year.  Overall pre-owned

sales of 5,446 were up 32 percent from last May and also set an all-time record

for the luxury nameplate.

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Contacts: Nancy Hubbell            Holly Ferris
          (310) 468-3282           (310) 468-3279
          nancy_hubbell@toyota.com       holly_ferris@toyota.com