Toyota's DUO Outlet Sales Exceed 50,000 VW/Audi Units

Tokyo―TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION announced today that its DUO outlets, which handle Volkswagen and Audi cars, reached a cumulative total of 50,000 units during October 1995. From April 1992, when DUO operations started, until the end of October 1995, cumulative sales were 51,100 units (domestic registrations, Toyota survey).

As a part of its international cooperation efforts, Toyota agreed in July 1991 with Volkswagen AG of Germany and its Japanese subsidiary, Volkswagen Audi Nippon KK, to jointly market VW and Audi cars.

Beginning with the first DUO outlet established in Aichi Prefecture in April 1992, Toyota has steadily increased their number. As of October 1995, there are a total of 96 DUO outlets in 41 prefectures.

Along with the establishment of DUO outlets, in April 1993, Toyota implemented a speedy parts supply system mobilizing existing Toyota parts distributors. In July 1993, it also began offering DUO Satellite Service facilities by implementing the use of Toyota Technoshops. With top priority placed on after-sales service, the service network consists of a total of about 300 service shops, including those in DUO outlets.

As of October 31, DUO outlets have sold 19,400 units in 1995, exceeding the 18,600 units sold in all of 1994. Sales for 1995 are thus expected to achieve the annual target of 22,000 units. As a result, cumulative sales have reached 50,000 units, a 20,000-unit increase in the brief period of only 11 months since November 1994, when cumulative sales reached 30,000 units.

By improving the sales and service networks for the DUO outlets, Toyota is increasing, its efforts to obtain greater customer satisfaction from VW and Audi car users. Toyota will continue to introduce even more effective measures in the future to further expand imports.