TOYOTA ANNOUNCES YEAR-END PRODUCTION RESULTS,
NEW REGISTRATION AND EXPORT FIGURES

TOKYO―Toyota Motor Co. and Toyota Motor Sales Co. today jointly announced production and sales results for December 1980, and the total performance profile for Toyota in calendar year 1980.

December Production

Production in December was 246,721 vehicles, down 4.8 percent from December 1979 and the second consecutive month of minus growth. The breakdown was 173,183 passenger cars (down 4.3 percent from December 1979) and 73,538 trucks and buses (down 5.8 percent). This slump is attributable to continued sluggish conditions on the domestic market and exports on a par with previous year levels.

January-December 1980 Production

Aggregate production for calendar 1980 was 3,293,344 vehicles, up 9.9 percent from 1979 and a new all-time high. The breakdown was 2,303,284 passenger cars (up 9.1 percent from 1979) and 990,060 trucks and buses (up 11.9 percent).

December Domestic Registrations

Domestic registration in December was 121,683 vehicles, down 10.8 percent from December 1979 to continue the slump at home. Compared to minus 14.9 percent growth in October and minus 14.1 percent growth in November, the December decrease was a slight improvement. The breakdown was 93,163 passenger cars (down 6.8 percent from December 1979) and 28,520 trucks and buses (down 21.8 percent). By size, small-size passenger cars were boosted by full model changes in the Mark II and Chaser to 7.5 percent growth in December over previous year. This was the third consecutive month since October that this size category has gained over 1979.

January-December 1980 Domestic Registrations

Domestic registrations in 1980 were 1,494,470 vehicles, down 7.2 percent from all-time record high 1979. The breakdown was 1,064,241 passenger cars (down 6.8 percent from 1979) and 430,229 trucks and buses (down 8.2 percent). Despite the launching of Vista, the fifth and newest Toyota sales network, and the positive effects of the Cresta and other new Toyota models, a sluggish domestic economy, unusually high interest rates, rising gasoline prices and other adverse factors created a harsh sales climate and demand chilled far more than expected. By passenger car model, the Corolla was the best-selling car in Japan for the twelfth consecutive year, while the Crown was number one in the medium and large-size class.

Regular-size trucks, meanwhile, sold 10,511 units, the first time this vehicle class has sold over the 10,000-unit level. The Vista sales chain, which opened for business on April 1, recorded outstanding results in its first nine months of operation, selling 51,635 vehicles, well above the original target of 40,000 units.

December Exports

Exports in December were 154,699, more or less on a par with results in December 1979. The breakdown was 97,085 passenger cars (down 3.6 percent from December 1979) and 57,614 trucks and buses (up 9.7 percent). While exports to developing nations, such as those in Latin America and Africa, were healthy, the principal market, the United States, slumped 11.0 percent below previous year, falling to double-digit minus growth for the first time since May 1979.

January-December 1980 Exports

Total exports in calendar 1980 were 1,785,445 vehicles, up 29.0 percent from 1979 and a new all-time high. The breakdown was 1,149,420 passenger cars (up 27.0 percent from 1979) and 636,025 trucks and buses (up 33.0 percent). These record results are attributable to the depreciation of the Japanese yen in the first half of the year and a global small-car boom which led to particularly good sales in the U.S. and Europe, as well as to excellent growth in Latin America (up 63.2 percent from 1979), Southeast Asia (up 51.9 percent), the Middle East (up 41.7 percent), Africa (up 41.3 percent) and other developing regions of the world.