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Lexus Ends First Half of 1998 with 54% Increase in Sales

1 July 1998

Lexus Ends First Half of 1998 with 54 Percent Increase in Sales; June Sales Up 82 Percent

    TORRANCE, Calif., July 1 -- Continuing its strong sales pace,
the Lexus Division of Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. reported June sales of
12,862, an 82.5 percent improvement over the same period last year.  For the
first six months of 1998, Lexus enjoys a 54.4 percent sales increase with
sales of 68,368.
    The LX 470 and RX 300 sport utility vehicles (SUV) maintain their strong
pace representing nearly 40 percent of Lexus' total sales in June.  The LX 470
ended the month with 972 units sold, an increase of 48.8 percent over last
June.  The RX 300 posted sales of 3,974.
    Due to the tremendous demand for the RX 300, increased production was
announced last month.  The increased stock will arrive at dealerships
throughout the month of July boosting the sales potential of the fast-selling
mid-size SUV.
    Lexus passenger car sales continue to be very strong.  The LS 400 premium
luxury sedan posted sales of 1,605, an increase of 26.9 percent over the same
period last year.  The high-performance GS series posted sales of 2,308, while
the SC 300 and SC 400 sport coupes finished the month with 230 units sold.
The ES 300 near-luxury sedan reported 3,773 sales in June.
    Lexus' top three best-ever sales months all have been established during
the second quarter of this year with May at the top, June in second and April
in third.   This fast-paced sales performance has prompted Lexus to increase
its sales forecast for 1998 from 120,000 units to more than 135,000.