2010 Press Releases

Toyota Reports December and 2009 Sales

Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc., today reported December sales results of 187,860 units, an increase of 22.9 percent over the same period last year, on a daily selling rate (DSR) basis.

Camry #1 With Americans for Eight Straight Years, 13 of the Last 14 Years

When Toyota's Kentucky team members built their first Camry in May of 1988, no one thought about it becoming the number one choice of American consumers, especially the competition. But, according to end of the year data, the Camry was again number one for the eighth consecutive year. End of the year sales figures (2009) indicate Camry was number one among passenger cars with 356,824 units sold. The number two best selling passenger car was the Toyota Corolla (296,874).

Toyota Companies Pledge $500,000 to Haiti Relief Effort

Toyota today announced a total of $500,000 in donations to be divided equally among the American Red Cross, Save the Children and Doctors Without Borders in support of their relief and recovery efforts for earthquake victims in Haiti. In addition, all Toyota companies will match team member and associate contributions to these organizations.

Toyota Dealers Nationwide Have Begun Fixing Accelerator Pedals On Recalled Vehicles

Toyota Motor Sales (TMS) U.S.A., Inc., today announced that Toyota dealers nationwide have received the parts, information and training they need to fix accelerator pedals in recalled Toyota Division vehicles, and that repairs on involved vehicles have begun. The actual repair requires about 30 minutes of work.

Toyota Donates $10,000 To Restore Sadieville Rosenwald School

TMMK donated $10,000 to the City of Sadieville, Ky., to go toward the restoration and preservation of the city's Rosenwald School. The Rosenwald School project began in 1912. Spearheaded by Booker T. Washington and funded by Julius Rosenwald, President of Sears & Roebuck, these schools total 5,300 across 15 southern states including six in Scott County, Ky. Less than 12-percent of these schools are still standing, but many communities are searching for funding to get those left restored. Three have already been preserved in Kentucky (Crittenden, Maysville & Mayslick).

Toyota Reveals Redesigned 2011 Avalon at Chicago Auto Show

Toyota introduced the boldly redesigned 2011 Avalon today at the 2010 Chicago Auto Show. Evoking a time when travel was sophisticated, elegant and comfortable, the new Avalon possesses a distinctive new exterior style while offering a restyled interior rich with premium touch points and practical new technologies.

Toyota Recognizes Top North American Suppliers for 2009

DENSO, Johnson Controls, Inc. and MAHLE, earned top recognition from Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc. (TEMA) at its Annual Supplier Business Meeting (ABM) today. The awards recognize suppliers who exceeded the company’s expectations in several areas.

Toyota/Lexus/Scion Among Industry Leaders in Many February 2010 Sales Categories

February 2010 automotive industry sales results saw Toyota, Lexus and Scion models rank prominently among brand and segment leaders. Overall Toyota sales in February topped all other Asian and European manufacturers. February also saw Toyota claim two of the top three selling passenger cars in the U.S. Toyota once again dominated the hybrid market, while Tacoma continues to overwhelmingly lead the small pickup truck segment.

St. Angelo to Lead Toyota's North American Quality Assurance

Toyota announced today that it has formed a new North American Quality Task Force led by senior automobile manufacturing executive Steve St. Angelo, who is Executive Vice President of Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America (TEMA). He will guide the implementation of regional improvements in concert with the Special Committee for Global Quality led by Toyota Motor Corporation President Akio Toyoda. Mr. St. Angelo was appointed to the new role of Chief Quality Officer for North America. He will serve with counterparts from the other regions on Mr. Toyoda’s committee, which meets for the first time on March 30 in Japan.

Toyota Reports March and First Quarter Sales

oyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc., today reported March sales results of 186,863 units, an increase of 35.3 percent over the same period last year, on a daily selling rate (DSR) basis. On a raw volume basis, unadjusted for 26 selling days in March 2010, compared to 25 selling days in March 2009, TMS sales were up 40.7 percent for the month, compared to the same period last year.

TMMK Celebrates Earth Week

It’s the 40th anniversary of Earth Day and TMMK celebrated with a variety of activities, one of which was open to Scott County students. One hundred second graders from Garth Elementary in Scott County (KY) visited TMMK's Environmental Education Center and Nature Trail to participate in the second annual Environmental Field Day.

Toyota Foundation Grant to Help Develop Math, Science Teaching

Toyota USA Foundation has awarded a $500,000 grant to a University of Kentucky program designed to help K-12 teachers develop more effective methods of teaching math and science in 13 central and northern Kentucky urban school districts. The grant will allow the UK Partnership Institute for Mathematics and Science Education Reform (PIMSER) to provide teacher-driven teams assisted by university and college faculty in developing localized strategies for improving teaching and/or student learning in their mathematics or science programs.

TMMK Donates $5,000 to the Great Saltpetre Preserve

TMMK recently donated $5,000 to the Great Saltpetre Preserve (GSP) of the Rockcastle Karst Conservancy in Mt. Vernon, Kentucky. TMMK’s Roger Wallin, an assistant manager in Facilities, was on hand with several other TMMK team members from the contributions committee to present the check on April 23, 2010. Wallin was born and raised in Rockcastle County and as a youngster spent a lot of his childhood around the Great Saltpetre Preserve.

Toyota Reports April Sales

Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc. today reported April sales of 157,439 vehicles. With equal selling days in April 2009 and 2010, sales were up 24.4 percent over the year-ago month on a daily selling rate and unadjusted raw volume basis. Toyota Division passenger cars recorded sales of 83,506 units, an increase of 18.2 percent over last April. Camry and Camry Hybrid posted combined April sales of 27,914 units, up 10.2 percent over the same period last year.

TMMK Team Members March for Babies

TMMK’s Signature Event of the Year was the March of Dimes March for Babies held April 24 at Coldstream Park in Lexington. Nearly 240 TMMK team members, their families and pets participated in the event.

TMMK Announces Top Volunteers

Berea resident Kenny Merritt, a Skilled Team Member in Powertrain Maintenance at Toyota, has taken home Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky’s (TMMK) top volunteer honor. Merritt was recently recognized with the 2009 President’s Award for Volunteer of the Year. Along with Merritt, four other team members were recognized for their volunteer work. Bethany Giordano - Facilities Control, Dorothy McManigle – Corporate Administration, Mike Miller - Powertrain and JP Switzer - Powertrain were acknowledged for their volunteerism in the community.

Toyota Contributes $25,000 to Help Build Park Lands

Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky, Inc. (TMMK) contributed $25,000 to 21st Century Parks to support the creation of 4,000 acres of new public park lands along the Floyds Fork watershed in southeastern Louisville.

Kentucky Middle School Teacher of the Year Visits TMMK

Nearly seventy students from Mason County Middle School got a lesson in environmental stewardship recently while visiting the Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Kentucky, Inc. (TMMK) plant and Environmental Education Center Nature Trail. The Mason County students were accompanied by Brian McDowell, an eighth grade teacher, who was recently named Kentucky Middle School Teacher of the Year.

2011 Toyota Avalon Earns Insurance Institute for Highway Safety 'Top Safety Pick' Award

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has announced that the all-new Toyota Sienna van and redesigned 2011 Avalon full-size sedan have each earned “Top Safety Pick” awards. The “Top Safety Pick” is the highest safety designation awarded by the IIHS. To qualify for the award, a vehicle must earn the highest rating of “good” in the IIHS’ front, side, rollover, and rear impact tests and be equipped with electronic stability control. The IIHS testing was made more stringent in 2010 with the addition of the rollover test.

Toyota Reports May Sales

Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc. today reported May sales of 162,813 vehicles. With equal selling days in May 2009 and 2010, sales were up 6.7 percent over the year-ago month on a daily selling rate and unadjusted raw volume basis. The Toyota Division posted May sales of 140,597 units, an increase of 3.6 percent over the same period last year. The Lexus Division reported May sales of 22,216 units, an increase of 31.3 percent over the year-ago month.

2010 Toyota Venza Earns Insurance Institute for Highway Safety 'Top Safety Pick'

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has announced that the 2010 Highlander and Venza have each earned “Top Safety Pick” status. The “Top Safety Pick” is the highest safety designation awarded by the IIHS. To qualify for the award, a vehicle must earn the highest rating of “good” in the IIHS’ front, side, rollover, and rear impact tests and be equipped with electronic stability control. The IIHS testing was made more stringent in 2010 with the addition of the rollover test.

Toyota Sets Start-Up Date for Mississippi Plant

Toyota is resuming construction of its Mississippi plant, which will soon hire 2,000 team members and build the Corolla compact sedan beginning in the fall of 2011. Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour plans to visit Toyota Motor Manufacturing Mississippi (TMMMS) today to meet with Northeast Mississippi community leaders and Toyota officials.

Toyota Further Localizes North American Manufacturing Leadership

In an organizational move providing more regional autonomy to Toyota’s North American manufacturing operations, the company is making appointments resulting in increased local leadership at its plants.

Toyota Named Among Best Companies for Diversity by Black Enterprise

Today, Toyota was named among the 40 Best Companies for Diversity by Black Enterprise. The annual list, included in the July 2010 issue of the magazine, recognizes 40 companies that have demonstrated significant representation of African Americans and other ethnic minorities in areas including supplier diversity, senior management, board of directors and total employment. Toyota was recognized for its achievements in the areas of supplier diversity and senior management.

Toyota Reports June and First-Half Sales

Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc., today reported June sales of 140,604 units. With equal selling days in June 2009 and June 2010, sales were up 6.8 percent over the year-ago month on a daily selling rate (DSR) and unadjusted raw volume basis.

Toyota Awards $123,000 in Grants to Six Local Non-Profit Agencies

Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Kentucky, Inc. (TMMK) today awarded $123,000 in grants to six Louisville non-profit organizations, with the money aimed at improving the lives of children and youth.

Toyota Celebrates 10 Years of Prius

Ten years ago Toyota launched a new kind of car in North America. It was the Prius, an affordable car with a hybrid gas/electric powertrain. In the decade that followed, the Prius made an indelible mark on the automotive industry. The car with the signature wedge shape proved to be an agent of change, and a catalyst for innovative ideas. Over 1.8 million units have been sold in the world to date, with nearly 900,000 in the U.S. alone.

Toyota Launches Tacoma Production in San Antonio

Production of the Tacoma pickup truck began last month but was marked today with a ceremony at Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Texas, Inc. (TMMTX). The $100 million investment boosts total investment to $1.4 billion. Tacoma’s production move to TMMTX was announced a year ago and adds 1,000 jobs. Today, over 2,800 team members are employed at TMMTX and the plant is fully positioned to ramp up Toyota’s pickup truck production for the American market.

Wil James Comes Back Home to TMMK

The announcement of Wilbert W. (Wil) James as TMMK’s new president was not a surprise to people familiar with the Georgetown operations or the business community of Central Kentucky.

Toyota's Kentucky Plant Revs Past Eight Million Engines

Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky, Inc. (TMMK) reached a significant milestone when its powertrain facility produced its eight-millionth engine on July 27, 2010.