Toyota Motor Marketing Europe (TMME) achieved a seventh consecutive record year of sales in 2003, overcoming tough market conditions and strong competition, the company said in a statement.
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With 834,661 vehicles delivered – 21,651 Lexus and 813,010 Toyota – the world’s third-largest car manufacturer saw sales rise by 10% over the previous year, in a total market that decreased by almost 2%. This resulted in a market share of 4.7% – the highest market share ever for Toyota in Europe. In 2003, Toyota also produced 465,946 cars, 430,919 engines and 117,140 transmissions at its plants in the UK, France, Turkey and Poland.
For 2004, Toyota is targeting 850,000 Toyota and Lexus sales in Europe.
The entry-level Yaris supermini (a subcompact known in other markets as the Echo or Vitz) sold an all-time record of 216,453 units in 2003 – its fifth consecutive year of record sales – with a rise of 2% over 2002. The RAV4 small SUV also achieved record sales, with 105,076 units sold – a 10% increase over 2002 – and is claimed to be Europe’s best-seller. The large Land Cruiser SUV line also achieved record sales in 2003, selling 38,495 units, or an impressive 122% over 2002. Sales of the Corolla (including the Corolla Verso mini-minivan derivative) reached 221,503 units. The Lexus RX300 luxury SUV (European versions do not have the enlarged 3.3-litre V6 engine available elsewhere) achieved a new annual sales record, with 9,440 units, 58% higher than last year.
Setting a sales record of 133,776 units (+2%), the UK was Toyota’s largest European market in Europe in 2003, followed by Italy also with a sales record, of 125,369 units (+3%), while Germany was third (106,056 units, +2%). France (73,319 units, +8%) and Spain (43,898 units, +37%) also recorded sales records. More records were also set in: Poland (36,088 units, +52%), Russia (25,110 units, +211%), Hungary (12,145 units, +21%), and the Czech Republic (6,406 units, 26%).
The Toyota and Lexus brands won top marks for customer satisfaction in JD Power owner surveys in the UK and Germany during 2003.
“In 2004, we look forward to building on what was our seventh consecutive year of record sales. We will continue to expand and develop our environmental technologies with the European launch of the second-generation Toyota Prius hybrid car early this year and the revolutionary Toyota D-CAT system which helps ‘clean up’ diesel emissions,” said TMME COO Takis Athanasopoulos.
