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Toyota's North American Production Soars

23 April 1998

Toyota's North American Production Soars

    NEW YORK, April 23 -- Toyota Motor Corporate Services of
North America, Inc., (TMCS) announced that North American vehicle production
was up 18.9 percent in the month of March as compared to the same period last
year.
    All three of Toyota's North American plants experienced a surge in
production as compared to last year.  Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Canada,
Inc., (TMMC) which produces the Corolla and the soon-to-be-built Solara coupe,
achieved a record increase of 86.2 percent for the month of March and a 63.3
percent increase, calendar year-to-date.  Production at Toyota Motor
Manufacturing, Kentucky, Inc., (TMMK) where the Camry, Avalon and Sienna are
built, increased 8.9 percent for the month and 4.5 percent for the three month
period of 1998.  Production also increased by 12.4 percent in March and 0.4
percent for the three month period of 1998, at New United Motor Manufacturing
Inc., (NUMMI) Toyota's Fremont, Calif., joint venture with General Motors,
which produces the Toyota Corolla and Tacoma pick-up trucks.
    Earlier this year Toyota announced that production capacity will be raised
to 1.2 billion units in North America.  This increase is, in part, due to the
expansion of the company's facility, Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Indiana,
Inc., (TMMI) which is where the recently unveiled Toyota T150 pick-up truck
will be built beginning in late 1998.
    The Princeton, Ind. plant's capacity will be increased by 50,000 units
bringing annual capacity to 150,000 vehicles by the year 2000.  The expansion
represents an additional $500 million investment, bringing the total
investment at Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Indiana, Inc. (TMMI) to
$1.2 billion.  An additional 1,000 people will be hired, bringing total
projected employment to 2,300.
    March was also the best month ever for light trucks with sales of 38,723
units, an increase of 1.8 percent, breaking the record set during the same
period last year.  Leading the way was the strong performance of the Sienna
minivan, which set a sales record for a Toyota passenger van with sales of
7,153.
    U.S. sales of North American produced vehicles was 62.8 percent, of the
total vehicles sold in the first three months of 1998.  This number will
continue to grow with the addition of Toyota's two new facilities; Toyota
Motor Manufacturing, Indiana, Inc., which will produce the Toyota T150 pick-up
truck and Toyota Motor Manufacturing, West Virginia, Inc., will produce
engines for North American built Toyota Corollas.
    Toyota is the fourth largest manufacturer of vehicles in America with
investment in the U.S. manufacturing, sales, research and development, and
parts distribution exceeding $8 billion.  Toyota's directly employs more than
23,000 people in the U.S.

SOURCE  Toyota Motor Corporate Services of North America, Inc.