Toyota: "Best Deals of the Year' Coming

WASHINGTON, DC - November 4, 2010: The AIADA newsletter reports that Toyota brand boss Bob Carter said Wednesday that the automaker will launch special leasing and purchase deals within weeks to boost flagging volume.

Automotive News reported that Toyota‘s October U.S. sales fell 4 percent from a year earlier. Toyota's U.S. sales are up 1 percent year-to-date, compared to an overall market that is up 11 percent.

Carter told journalists the new Toyota Care campaign that includes routine maintenance as standard for all vehicles has improved showroom traffic. He pledged to follow that with a series of financing and leasing incentives later this month during Toyota's annual Toyotathon sales event.

"You will see an enhancement to marketing and incentives but [they] will remain consistent in the APR and lease arenas," he said. "They will be the best deals of the year; leasing and APR deals are moving the market."

Carter added that some light truck incentives will be cash because that's what is typical in those segments, but most will remain leasing and finance deals to protect the brand.