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Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. Named to Fortune's Most Admired List

18 February 1998

Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. Named to Fortune's Most Admired List

    TORRANCE, Calif., Feb. 18 -- Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.
has earned the top spot in the Motor Vehicle & Parts category of Fortune
magazine's list of America's "Most Admired Companies."
    The list, which is featured in the March 2 issue of Fortune, was developed
by surveying business executives to rate companies on eight key attributes of
reputation: innovativeness, quality of management, employee talent, quality of
products/services, long-term investment value, financial soundness, social
responsibility and use of corporate assets.
    In addition to earning the top spot in the Motor Vehicle & Parts category,
Toyota also earned the highest score of any company for its quality of
products/services.
    Toyota was recognized for its well-built vehicles, as well as for its
marketing efforts to support the sales of those vehicles.  As an example, the
magazine cites Camry's 1997 finish as the best-selling car in America.
    Toyota's Executive Vice President Yale Gieszl explained to Fortune,
"Toyota has invested billions in R&D and production in the U.S., enabling us
to match our American-built cars to American tastes with great success."
    Following Toyota in the Motor Vehicle & Parts category was Daimler-Benz
N.A., Chrysler, American Honda Motor, and Ford Motor in positions 2-5,
respectively.

SOURCE  Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.