Bloomberg Says Toyota May Add Five New North Amereican Plants

TOKYO January 11, 2007; Reuters reported that Toyota Motor Corp., may build up to five more vehicle assembly plants in North America in the next 10 years, Bloomberg news agency reported, citing people familiar with its plans.

Toyota would build at least one plant in the southeastern U.S. and one in Mexico, the report said.

"Consumer demand will determine how many cars we build in North America," Toyota spokesman Paul Nolasco said in response to the report. "If we need to build more, we will build more."

Toyota, which may claim the title of the world's biggest auto maker from General Motors Corp. this year, has said that it is considering expanding its manufacturing capacity and is reviewing locations.

The remarks came after the Wall Street Journal reported last week that Toyota might name a site in the southern United States for its eighth North American assembly plant as early as this month.

The Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun newspaper said on Friday that Toyota was in the final stage of discussions to build the plant in Georgia. The plant would have an annual output capacity of 200,000 units and most likely assemble SUVs, it said.

Last year, Toyota and Honda shipped a record number of vehicles from Japan to the United States as their North American factories failed to keep up with demand.