Toyota Reports Best-Ever February Sales
3 March 1999
Toyota Reports Best-Ever February Sales
TORRANCE, Calif., March 2 -- Toyota Motor Sales (TMS),
U.S.A., Inc. today reported total sales of 108,141 units, an increase of
18.9 percent over last year's record-setting month and the best-ever February
in the company's history. Total TMS passenger car and light truck sales also
posted best-ever February sales of 67,100 and 41,041 respectively.
"The economy continues to defy gravity," said Yale Gieszl, TMS executive
vice president. "Industry sales are looking a lot stronger at this stage than
we had anticipated."
Both the Toyota and Lexus Divisions each posted best-ever February sales.
The Toyota Division was up 15.8 percent to 94,028, while the Lexus Division
increased February sales 45.0 percent, to 14,113 units.
Toyota Division passenger car sales rose 23.5 percent en route to a
best-ever February, to 59,461 cars, while Camry continued to hold its tight
reign as Toyota sales leader for the month with 34,290 units sold, up
35.5 percent for a best-ever February.
Corolla also enjoyed a successful February with sales of 19,945, up
20.6 percent for the month.
Toyota Division light trucks also recorded a best-ever February, with
total sales up 4.6 percent to 34,567 units. Toyota's compact pickups posted
12,688 sales for the month, up 8.7 percent compared to the same period last
year. The Tacoma 2WD model was Toyota's best-selling pickup for the month at
6,744 units, up 14.4 percent.
Toyota's Sienna minivan and its full-size SUV, Land Cruiser, both had
strong February sales, up 32.5 and 313.9 percent respectively.
Lexus Division light truck sales rose more than 5,000 percent for a
best-ever February. The RX 300 took sales leader honors for the month with
5,245 units sold. On the passenger car side, the GS 300 increased its
February sales by 22.9 percent, to 1,820.
North American-produced vehicles represented 62.7 percent of February
sales.
TOYOTA/LEXUS SALES
FEBRUARY, 1999
CURRENT MONTH CALENDAR YEAR TO DATE
DSR % DSR %
1999 1998 CHG 1999 1998 CHG
TOTAL VEHICLE
SALES 108,141 90,922 18.9 202,555 168,144 22.9
Memo: Total
Toyota Div. 94,028 81,192 15.8 177,063 150,353 20.2
Memo: Total
Lexus Div. 14,113 9,730 45.0 25,492 17,791 46.2
TOYOTA DIV.
IMPORT CAR 11,470 8,938 28.3 22,738 16,300 42.3
LEXUS IMPORT CAR 7,639 9,606 -20.5 13,992 17,543 -18.6
TOYOTA DIV NA
BUILT CARS 47,991 39,215 22.4 88,623 72,581 24.6
TOTAL TOYOTA CARS 67,100 57,759 16.2 125,353 106,424 20.2
SPORT UTILITY
VEHICLES 21,211 15,245 39.1 40,517 28,410 45.5
Memo: Lexus
Sport Utility 6,474 124 5121.0 11,500 248 4631.7
SMALL VANS 7,101 5,376 32.1 12,713 9,891 31.2
PICKUPS 12,729 12,542 1.5 23,972 23,419 4.5
* NORTH AMERICAN BUILT VEHICLES
COROLLA 19,945 16,540 20.6 37,089 32,949 14.9
CAMRY 23,330 17,000 37.2 42,618 28,634 51.9
AVALON 4,716 5,675 -16.9 8,916 10,998 -17.3
SIENNA 7,101 5,360 32.5 12,713 9,857 31.6
PICKUP 12,688 11,671 8.7 23,824 21,859 11.2
TOTAL 67,780 56,246 20.5 125,160 104,297 22.5
N.A. VEHICLES
% OF TOTAL 62.7% 61.9% -- 61.8% 62.0% --
SELLING DAYS 24 24 -- 49 50 --
DSR = DAILY SELLING RATE