Toyota Tops 100,000 Sales for Ninth-Consecutive Month
2 December 1998
Toyota Tops 100,000 Sales for Ninth-Consecutive Month - Records Best-Ever November Sales
TORRANCE, Calif., Dec. 1 -- Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A.
Inc., reported today best-ever November sales of 103,904, up 21.3 percent over
last year. Calendar-year-to-date (CYTD) sales totaled 1,222,305, an increase
of 9.8 percent over the same period last year. TMS also reported best-ever
November passenger car and light truck sales, 64,141 and 39,763 respectively,
giving TMS a record nine-consecutive months of 100,000-plus sales.
"This year is shaping up as one of the industry's best-ever, thanks to
sustained strong sales through the fourth quarter," said Yale Gieszl, TMS
executive vice president. "The key factors of high consumer confidence and
low interest rates should hold steady, well into '99."
The Toyota Division posted strong November sales of 91,195, up 18.5
percent from last year. The Lexus Division set a November sales record with
12,709, up 45.5 percent.
Toyota passenger car sales were led by the hot-selling Camry with best-
ever November sales of 34,091, an increase of 44.9 percent. Camry CYTD sales
now stand at 374,525, up 6.1 percent over last year. Also reporting strong
sales was Corolla with 17,533 units, up 18.4 percent over the same period last
year while Celica sales rose 30.2 percent.
Total Toyota Division light truck sales also enjoyed a successful month
with sales reaching 34,153. Toyota sport utility sales were led by the
legendary Land Cruiser reporting a best-ever November of 1,408 units, up 87.5
percent over last year, breaking a 26-year old record. 4Runner reported a
best-ever November with 9,665 sales, an increase of 2.1 percent. Toyota's
Tacoma compact pickup trucks reported solid sales with 10,978 units, up 2.1
percent.
The Sienna minivan reported 7,201 sales, an increase of 50.2 percent,
establishing a November sales record for a Toyota passenger van.
The Lexus Division continued its record-shattering pace pushing CYTD sales
to 139,411. The all-new RX 300 was the Lexus sales leader with November sales
of 4,373. The GS 300, up 20.2 percent with 1,556, and LX 470, up 337.1
percent with 1,237, each reported best-ever November sales.
Sales of North American-built vehicles made up 63.3 percent of total
November sales, up from 60.3 percent the previous year.
TOYOTA/LEXUS SALES
NOVEMBER, 1998
CURRENT MONTH CALENDAR YEAR TO DATE
DSR % DSR %
1998 1997 CHG 1998 1997 CHG
TOTAL VEHICLE
SALES 103,904 85,665 21.3 1,222,305 1,113,529 9.8
Memo: Total
Toyota Div. 91,195 76,931 18.5 1,082,894 1,024,904 5.7
Memo: Total
Lexus Div. 12,709 8,734 45.5 139,411 88,625 57.3
TOYOTA DIV.
IMPORT CAR 9,414 8,708 8.1 125,883 117,989 6.7
LEXUS IMPORT CAR 7,099 8,451 -16.0 93,370 81,962 13.9
TOYOTA DIV NA
BUILT CARS 47,628 36,078 32.0 555,944 545,469 1.9
TOTAL TOYOTA CARS 64,141 53,237 20.5 775,197 745,420 4.0
SPORT UTILITY
VEHICLES 21,338 15,822 34.9 225,744 196,672 14.8
Memo: Lexus
Sport Utility 5,610 283 1882.3 46,041 6,663 591.0
SMALL VANS 7,201 4,826 49.2 73,736 13,089 463.3
PICKUPS 11,224 11,780 -4.7 147,628 158,348 -6.8
* NORTH AMERICAN BUILT VEHICLES
COROLLA 17,533 14,693 19.3 228,879 200,957 13.9
CAMRY 24,993 15,631 59.9 255,092 280,610 -9.1
AVALON 5,102 5,754 -11.3 71,973 63,902 12.6
SIENNA 7,201 4,794 50.2 73,642 9,338 688.6
PICKUP 10,978 10,747 2.1 139,841 131,028 6.7
TOTAL 65,807 51,619 27.5 769,427 685,835 12.2
N.A. VEHICLES %
OF TOTAL 63.3% 60.3% 62.9% 61.6%
SELLING DAYS 24 24 281 281
DSR = DAILY SELLING RATE