While Toyota and GM lock horns to be the biggest in unit sales globally, the Japanese automaker has scored a significant psychological victory in Australia, which was one of its first export markets.
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Toyota Australia has, for the first time, outsold the combined totals of its two US-owned rivals, according to official industry sales results issued on Monday.
October sales for Toyota were a record 20,212 compared with the combined General Motors Holden and Ford total of 19,621.
“The result is double-edged,” said Toyota Australia’s senior executive director sales and marketing, David Buttner.
“It has taken us almost 50 years to get to this position in the Australian market – and it is a great achievement for everyone involved with Toyota.
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By GlobalData“We are constantly striving to do better than our competitors by offering targeted vehicles in a wide variety of segments.
“We have always taken the view that customers will determine our success based on our vehicles and after-sales service fulfilling their requirements.
“At the same time, we are taking nothing for granted because we know how quickly the market can change.
“Strong competition is in the best interests of consumers and the industry as a whole due to the inter-dependence that exists between us and the other vehicle manufacturers in Australia.”
So far this year, Toyota has lifted its market share to 22.4% compared with 21.9% at the same time last year.
Toyota’s 10-month sales total of 195,078 vehicles this year is more than 19,000 higher than for the same period in 2006.
Sales of the locally manufactured four-cylinder Camry and V6 Aurion are up more than 59% this year though Australian-made cars accounted for just 17% of total sales last month, according to local media reports.
Last month, Toyota set record October sales for Corolla (Auris), Prius, HiLux 4×2 and 4×4, Kluger (Highlander) and RAV4.
Corolla (4,123 sales of the hatch known elsewhere as the Auris plus a sedan spin-off) is selling at record levels this year. It is Australia’s most-popular small car and the nation’s second best-selling vehicle.
The Hilux light truck line is Australia’s third most popular vehicle with October sales of 3,752 sales – 4×4 (1993) and 4×2 (1759).
Yaris (2,486), Camry (1,994) and Aurion (1,831) are also among Australia’s top-10 bestsellers.
Kluger volume has more than tripled (1,173) with the new model and Prado (Colorado) sales in October (1,273) were up more than 39% on the same month last year.
