Jan. 26, 1995

Toyota Reveals Name of GM-Made Passenger Car for Japan

 

Tokyo―TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION (TMC) announced today that the passenger car manufactured by General Motors Corporation (GM) in the U.S. for sale in Japan will be called the "Toyota Cavalier." Preparations have also begun for sales of the Cavalier in Japan from early 1996.

The Cavalier name is already used by GM for the Chevrolet Cavalier. TMC decided that using the same "Cavalier" model name under the Toyota brand name would properly emphasize the cooperation between Toyota and GM, and would better promote GM's design philosophy directly to customers in Japan.

The project, a new example of industrial cooperation between the U.S. and Japan, began with an agreement reached between GM and TMC in November 1993 for sales in Japan. The right-hand-drive Toyota-brand cars are manufactured exclusively for Toyota by GM. The two companies project annual sales of the Cavalier in Japan at about 20,000 units.

Toyota perceives the project as
  1. An important business opportunity for adding a model with American styling not found in existing Toyota cars in order to boost its product lineup; and as
  2. An innovative business challenge and a new form of venture involving sales of GM-made models by Toyota.

The Cavalier will be manufactured at GM's Lordstown assembly plant in Ohio, exported by Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. (TMS), and marketed through the "Toyota" dealer network in Japan.