Toyota Opens Mall to Boost Japan Sales

YOKOHAMA, Japan (AP) — The new sprawling Japanese shopping mall has the usual restaurants and stores, even a fitness gym. But it's the shiny Camry and other Toyota models that take center stage — not only at the dealers but on display in the walkways.

The indoor shopping mall, with 220 stores and restaurants, opening to the public this week, is being developed, built and operated by a relative newcomer to the business — Toyota Motor Corp.

It's the latest attempt by the Japanese automaker to tackle a serious problem in its home Japan market: Young people are rapidly losing interest in cars. Overseas, however, Toyota is doing so well that it has nearly overtaken General Motors Corp. in global vehicle sales.

UMW Toyota aims to sell at least 90,000 cars this year

UMW Toyota Motor Sdn Bhd aimed to sell more than 90,000 units of Toyota cars this year, up from around 82,000 last year, its managing director, Kuah Kock Heng said.

Kuah said UMW Toyota was confident of securing the sales, in line with the Malaysian Automotive Association’s (MAA) 4.7% growth projection of total motor vehicle sales this year.

Customers had booked 798 units since UMW Toyota began taking orders for the car on March 7, he said.

“The Toyota Corolla Altis was first introduced to the Malaysian market in 2001 and from its introduction until 2007 we have sold a total of 30,787 units,” he added.

Imported in completely built-up form from Thailand, the Corolla Altis is available in five variants, 1.8G sporty, 1.8G, 1.8E sporty, 1.8E and 1.6E. All versions feature Toyota’s variable valve timing with intelligence engine and four-speed automatic transmission with super electronic control transmissions.

Geneva 2008: Toyota iQ

The finished version of Toyota’s new iQ city car has just been launched here at the Geneva motor show. And it's barely changed from the clever, cute concept that we were introduced to in Frankfurt last year.

The iQ is the ‘world’s smallest four-seater car’, boasts its maker, measuring just 2985mm in length. To achieve such tight packaging, Toyota’s engineers have come up with a clever cabin system that allows three adults and one child to sit in comfort, despite the iQ’s diminutive, almost Smart car dimensions.

They’ve also miniaturised components like the air conditioning; developed a flat under floor fuel tank; come up with a new differential that allows the iQ to have short front overhangs, and slimmed down the dashboard and seats. You can read in more detail about the iQ’s packaging on Hilton Holloway’s Geneva blog.

Introducing the assembled global media to the iQ, Andrea Formica, Vice-President of Toyota Europe said it was the most “major milestone” in Toyota’s vehicle development since the Prius. He added that the iQ would have a “large effect on the market, but a small effect on the environment.”

Toyota expects to produce 11.3 mln cars by 2012

Toyota Motor Corp. expects to produce 11.3 million of its own brand vehicles by 2012, up about 30 percent from 2007 amid rapid growth in Russia, China and other emerging markets, a report said Wednesday.

Toyota forecasts that its annual output, excluding affiliates Daihatsu Motor Co. and Hino Motors Ltd., will continue to grow by 600,000 vehicles a year, the Nikkei business daily reported quoting an unnamed executive.

If the goal is met the automaker's global output will have doubled over 10 years from 5.63 million vehicles in 2002.

In 2007, Toyota produced 8.53 million of its own brand vehicles worldwide.