NEWS

TOYOTA and Hyundai are two more car makers to claim record results during September’s sales boom. Indeed, Toyota claims to have broken no less than FOUR records! It scored its best-ever monthly retail volume, passenger car retail volume, market share for plate change month and retail share for the same month. Retail volume of 17,267 [...]

HONDA’S Jazz supermini is the most reliable model on the UK’s roads, according to new research. Warranty Direct has discovered the Japanese hatchback suffered the least amount of breakdowns of all. Toyota’s Yaris wasn’t far behind, either. But the 1-in-10 failure rather of 4-7 year old Hondas contrasts to the least reliable car on the [...]

TOYOTA has ‘no plans’ to offer a diesel-engined hybrid model, sales chief Andrea Formica told Car Dealer Magazine. ‘Diesel will continue to evolve hand in hand with hybrid,’ he said. But the two will not be combined together; the cars would end up simply being too expensive! ‘Our approach is meant to make hybrid as [...]

TOYOTA bosses say their premium-priced IQ city car may not have reached volume goals, but it’s still a hit. That’s because cars sold are going for a higher than expected transaction price. Senior sales and marketing vice president Andrea Formica admitted the recent environment is ‘harder for the IQ. ‘We’re selling fewer than we thought, [...]

AUDI, Toyota and Kia are the best car franchises in the UK to hold, reveals the latest NFDA survey. The bi-annual car dealer satisfaction survey has just been published, with big gains for the Korean brand Kia. It’s leapt ahead of more established rivals, as dealers rate highly its advertising, sales incentives, new model introductions, [...]

TOYOTA will show its full hybrid Auris model at the Frankfurt Motor Show, in a ‘milestone’ for the firm. The model will take centre stage – prior to production starting at Toyota’s Derby plant in mid-2010. It’s a massively significant car for Toyota. It is the first time full hybrid technology has come to a [...]

TOYOTA reveals two-thirds of IQ buyers are conquests from other brands… 31 percent of which are premium. The startling statistics have been revealed as Toyota HQ crunches the first run of sales data for the Smart-rivaling city car. Indeed, the conquest rate is the highest of any Toyota on sale: beating even the new Prius [...]

TOYOTA GB has appointed Mark Roden as its new head of fleet and vehicle remarketing for both Toyota and Lexus. The 45 year old has been given the job of helping Toyota GB recover in a very tough marketplace. Already, he has decided a green approach will help take the company forward. He is going [...]

TOYOTA dealers are celebrating after advance orders for the all-new eco Prius topped the 2000 mark. The car is now officially on sale – but the waiting list remains hefty, as demand for the all-new electric hybrid gears up. What’s more, reckons the firm, one in 10 of those orders has come through scrappage. Which [...]

LORD Mandelson is certainly working hard for the automotive industry in the UK. Last week he was at Toyota, following an announcement the maker is to build the first European-made hybrids there. Then, it was off to Nissan Sunderland, after confirmation it will begin building electric car batteries there (a move many see as a [...]

LORD Mandelson used today’s visit to Toyota’s Burnaston Derby car plant to attack MPs and critics. The business secretary said they ‘don’t know what they are talking about.’ Press Association reports reveal Mandelson said critics of the Automotive Assistance Programme were ‘out of touch. ‘I’m equally astounded that these MPs don’t have an idea of [...]

TOYOTA is to build a green hybrid version of the Auris here in the UK, at its Derby production facility. Business secretary Lord Mandelson was on hand to announce the shock news, in what is a significant advance for the hi-tech factory. Until now, hybrid Toyota Prius have had to be imported across from Japan. [...]

NEW marketing directors have been appointed at both Rolls-Royce Motor Cars and Toyota GB. Rolls-Royce has charged Jolyon Nash with succeeding Graeme Grieve. He’ll head up the posh brand’s sales and marketing division, with the huge task of launching the new baby Rolls. He was educated in the UK, but has worked both here and [...]

TOYOTA has praised three UK car dealers, after they triumphed in prestigious company awards. Top Toyota European Ichiban Customer Satisfaction awards were handed out at the company’s Brussels HQ to: •    Beadles Toyota Maidstone •    Border Toyota (St Boswells) •    Minories Toyota Wearside The awards praise car dealers offering superb customer service, and are open [...]

TOYOTA has filled its sales director post, vacated after Michael Cole left to become MD of Kia UK. Richard Baldshaw is the new man at the helm, reporting to commercial director boss Jon Williams. The 40 year old Toyota sales expert has been with TGB for 15 years now, and has already started work in [...]

LEXUS has topped the latest J.D. Power customer satisfaction survey – for the 9th year running! And it was a double celebration at Toyota, as the firm’s Japanese volume counterpart came in second. The Lexus-Toyota 1-2 was down to the owner-pleasing talents of the Lexus RX and Toyota Prius. What’s more, of the Lexus RX’s [...]

TOYOTA former sales director Michael Cole is to take the top seat at fast-growing Korean brand Kia. He replaces Paul Philpott, who has moved to Europe to take the top chief operating officer seat. And it will be UK car dealers who’ll be key to the new man achieving his ambitious aims! Qualified chartered accountant [...]

TOYOTA will take part in the new car scrappage scheme – by incentivising the British-built Auris. Details are yet to be announced – but the maker revealed it plans to structure incentives and finance packages to make the Derbyshire-built Auris a ‘highly attractive choice’. This will be instead of using the incentive to boost appeal [...]

TOYOTA has shocked the world, by announcing its new Prius hybrid OFFICIALLY averages 107mpg! The new model, on sale in May, has just been certified in Japan with the dramatic figure, an all-time low for new cars. It also emits just 61g/km of CO2, thanks to the many innovations of the new 1.8 petrol-electric hybrid [...]