Toyota/Lexus News for September 2, 2016

Here is your weekly update on Toyota/Lexus news.

Toyota Motor Sales Reports August 2016 Sales

Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc., reported August 2016 sales of 213,125 units, a decrease of 5 percent from August 2015 on a volume basis. With the same amount of selling days in August 2016 compared to August 2015, sales were down 5 percent on a daily selling rate (DSR) basis. Toyota division posted August sales of 182,187 units, down 4.6 percent on a volume basis and DSR basis. Lexus posted August sales of 30,938 units, down 7.6 percent on a volume basis and DSR basis. 

Press Release: https://pressroom.toyota.com/releases/toyota-lexus-august-2016-sales.htm

Sales Chart: https://pressroom.toyota.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=5692

Toyota Engineers Easier Access for Child Safety Seat Mounts; New Design Results in Improved IIHS Child Safety Rating

Toyota already has more vehicles rated as Top Safety Pick and Top Safety Pick + by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) than any other automaker, but now they have yet another rating to add to the list of accolades, an IIHS Good+ rating for Child Safety Seat Ease-of-Use.

Press Release: https://pressroom.toyota.com/releases/toyota-access-child-safety-seat-mounts.htm

Video: Toyota engineer demonstrates how designers and engineers improved child safety seat ease of use for the 2016 Toyota Prius.

Toyota Motor Sales Opens New Lexus Parts Distribution Center in Atlanta

Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. (TMS) has officially opened a new parts distribution center (PDC) in Lithia Springs, Georgia. The new Atlanta PDC will employ up to 30 employees in 107,000 square feet of space. Stocking approximately 43,000 Lexus parts, the facility will serve 27 Lexus dealers in the Southeast, primarily in Atlanta, as well as a five state area that includes Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Alabama, and Tennessee.

https://pressroom.toyota.com/releases/tms-lexus-pdc-atlanta-opens.htm

Rally RAV4 Wins Ojibwe Forests Rally; Ryan Millen and the RAV4 Move into First Place Tie for National Championship

Following nearly three hours of intense racing, Ryan Millen and his Toyota RAV4 earned a first place finish at the Ojibwe Forests Rally. The stellar performance not only put the Rally RAV4 in a points tie with Cameron Steely in the 2WD Class, but it is the first time the team finished on the podium overall, regardless of vehicle class, nudging out more powerful, highly modified competitors. The finish by Millen and co-pilot Christina Fate also sets up a winner-take-all season finale at the next Rally America National Championship round.

https://pressroom.toyota.com/releases/rally-rav4-ojibwe-2016-win.htm

Toyota Engineers Rally Corolla iM to Third-Place at Ojibwe’s 10,000 Lakes Regional Event

Engineers from Toyota’s North American R&D headquarters in Michigan took to the Minnesota wilderness last weekend in a nearly-stock Corolla iM and they left having earned their first-ever podium finish. This was the team’s first appearance in Rally America’s regional rally held during the Ojibwe Forests Rally since the team returned to stage rally in 2014. It was also the second race Rally America appearance for the iM. The team first ran the Spring Green hatchback at the Susquehannock Performance Rally (STPR) in June, but that race was more of an experiment than a competition.

https://pressroom.toyota.com/releases/ttc-2016-ojibwe-forest-rally.htm

Also worth noting…

• Toyota and Lexus are “Full Line Automotive Brand of the Year” and “Luxury Automotive Brand of the Year,” respectively, according to the Harris Poll® 2016 EquiTrend® Study – According to Harris Poll®, the EquiTrend® study analyzes brands that create powerful connections with consumers and “benchmarks how deep those bonds go and honors the highest ranked brands in each award category” using “an academically vetted brand equity model with elements like familiarity, quality, and consideration.” This is the second consecutive year Toyota has topped the Full Line Automotive Brand rankings and it’s the first top honor for Lexus. https://www.theharrispoll.com/equitrend-rankings/2016
• THIS WEEKEND: Toyota Owners Event in Midwest –This Sunday, Sept. 4, Toyota, Lexus and Scion owners from across the Midwest will descend on Kensington Metropark in Milford, Mich. to share their vehicle passion and network with like-minded enthusiasts. The event was assembled by a designer at Toyota’s CALTY Design Research Center in Ann Arbor, Mich. Information is available at:https://www.midwesttakeover.net/
• Toyota launches three new Pixis Joy passenger minivehicle models in Japan – In addition to high fuel efficiency and low pricing, which together constitute the original appeal of mini-vehicles, the Pixis Joy also offers distinctive styling, colors, and other design features.https://newsroom.toyota.co.jp/en/detail/13400423/
• All-new Lexus race car revealed for 2017 Super GT Series – Based on a modified version of the all-new LC 500, the race car is expected to start testing in September 2016 with the new coupe making its race debut in Japan’s Super GT series during the next year, replacing the Lexus RC F in the series. https://newsroom.toyota.eu/pressrelease/5239/1/all-new-lexus-race-car-revealed-2017-super