Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[REPORT: Toyota U.S. president Lentz believes Prius could supplant Camry as brand's best seller]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/18/report-toyota-u-s-president-lentz-believes-prius-may-supplant/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/18/report-toyota-u-s-president-lentz-believes-prius-may-supplant/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/18/report-toyota-u-s-president-lentz-believes-prius-may-supplant/#commentsFiled under: , ,

2010 Toyota Prius - Click above for high-res image gallery

The Toyota Camry has been the best selling car in the US for 11 of the past 12 years, and only a total industry meltdown has managed to slow the Japanese automaker's bread-and-butter sedan. Even with that impediment, the Camry still has a comfortable lead versus its archrivals, the Honda Accord and Nissan Altima. In fact, the only vehicles to routinely beat the Camry in overall vehicle sales are the Ford F-Series and Chevrolet Silverado, and those vehicles need dozens of configurations and both regular and heavy-duty variants to retain their overall sales leads. Conversely, the Prius isn't even the second best-selling Toyota right now (that would be the Corolla), but it wouldn't surprise Toyota USA President Jim Lentz if the ubiquitous hybrid hatch passed the Camry for sales supremacy sometime next decade.

Lentz reportedly told Wards Auto that he envisions the Prius passing the Camry in the next decade, but not because he foresees the midsize sedan slipping. Instead, Lentz says, "I think Prius will become just that much stronger." The reason Toyota's top U.S. man sees the Prius taking over Toyota's top sales spot is because he feels that rising gas prices and growing eco-awareness will push more car buyers into hybrids. That, combined with the high regard in which many Americans hold the Prius makes for a very compelling long-term argument. Lentz also says that a full lineup of Prius-badged vehicles is far from a sure thing, though he says he pushes executives in that direction each time he visits Toyota's Japan headquarters

While we can see a future where the Prius overtakes the Camry for sales supremacy, we don't see it happening any time soon. Toyota's world renowned hybrid had its best-ever sales year in 2007, and 2009 numbers promise to fall about 40,000 units short of that bogey. Did we mention that the Camry is still outselling the Prius at a nearly three-to-one clip?


Gallery: Review: 2010 Toyota Prius


[Source: Wards Automotive]

REPORT: Toyota U.S. president Lentz believes Prius could supplant Camry as brand's best seller originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 18 Nov 2009 14:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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There have been subtle signs that demand for new cars and trucks are improving. Several automakers plan to increase production over the next few months, and Toyota is no different. Reuters is reporting that the World's Largest Automaker has raised its sales forecast by 3% to 6.7 million units for the year ending March 2010. Toyota is also reportedly looking to increase production by a not-so-subtle 8% to a total of 6.45 million units. Toyota is neither confirming or denying the report, which originated in the Tokyo Shimbun daily.

Some of the reasons cited for the increased forecast and production center around incentives from governments all over the world. Here in the States, Cash for Clunkers payed a big role in Toyota's sales increase, while low emissions vehicle subsidies of up to $2,800 by the Japanese government has helped spur sales in the automaker's home market.

[Source: Reuters]

REPORT: Toyota increases 2009-2010 global sales forecast by 3% originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 28 Sep 2009 08:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The global auto sales downturn has been as painful as it's been swift, but a report from Yomiuri shows that the worst of times may be over. The Japanese news agency (via Automotive News) reports that Toyota has raised its vehicle production forecast upwards by 3% to 6.5 million units. That's still a far cry from Toyota's amazing 2008, yet the positive adjustment is still worth over 300,000 units of additional production.

That's welcome news to Toyota's manufacturing facilities around the world, as the drop in sales in the first half of 2009 left the Japanese automaker with far too much inventory. With the upward revision of production for the rest of the year, factories could be running more steadily.

While Toyota appears to be back on the upswing, it's facing renewed pressure from General Motors for the top spot in global sales. In the first half of 2009, GM closed the gap in overall production to only 11,000 units versus Toyota, a far cry from the 274,000 unit differential in the first half of 2008. GM, which struggled more than most in the US during the first half of the year, had far stronger results in emerging markets like China and South America, with overall sales down 21% versus 2008. Toyota's sales dipped 26% during the same period. Volkswagen also made a big jump compared to Toyota, as the German automaker's sales dropped only 5.1% in the first half of the year. VW is now within 500,000 units of Toyota during the first six months of the year.

[Source: Automotive News - Sub. Req.]

Toyota raises production forecast by 3%; losing ground to GM originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 10 Aug 2009 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Auto sales in 2009 have been a real stinker, but companies are starting to feel a bit more bullish about the immediate future of the industry. Earlier this week, Ford announced that it was bumping Q3 production by 10%, and now Toyota is getting more aggressive still by adding 65,000 units to its Q2 quota. The Aishi, Japan-based automaker plans to add production to its most popular models. The Camry, Corolla, Sienna, Tundra, Tacoma and Rav4 are all going to see more action during the summer months.

Part of the reason for Toyota's optimism is due to the Japanese automaker's May sales. On the surface, sales were putrid, with a decline of 40% versus May 2008. But last May 2008 was a far better month for Toyota than it was many of its competitors, making the 40% figure a bit misleading. Toyota's sales actually increased by 21% when compared to April 2009.

[Source: Automotive News subs req'd]

REPORT: Toyota sees U.S. turnaround in sight, plans to boost production originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 04 Jun 2009 09:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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With April's sales volume down over 41% and Ford pushing it aside in the numbers race, the Toyota division is motivated to move units in May. At the request of dealers, the automaker is boosting production of its best-selling Toyota Camry and popular RAV4 SUV. In addition, a new ad campaign, called "Perfect Timing," started on Friday. It is an attempt to boost sales on vehicles using reduced interest rates, more consumer cash and a focus on low payment leases. The campaign caters to regional needs with aggressive leases in the East, and zero-percent interest rates in the West and Midwest. Bob Carter, Toyota division general manager, told Automotive News that "there will be an enhanced package of incentives compared with what Toyota currently offers." Carter didn't elaborate, so it seems you'll just have to visit a showroom to get the details. Regardless, it appears that Toyota is willing to make a deal like never before.

[Source: Automotive News, subs. req'd | Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty]

Dismal April motivates Toyota to increase production and incentives originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 04 May 2009 13:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Bob CarterBobCarterIncentiveToyota incentivesToyota LeasesToyota SalesToyotaIncentivesToyotaLeasesToyotaSalesZero percent interestZeroPercentInterestMon, 04 May 2009 13:01:00 EST<![CDATA[Ford sells more cars in April than Toyota]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/05/01/ford-sells-more-cars-in-april-than-toyota/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/05/01/ford-sells-more-cars-in-april-than-toyota/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/05/01/ford-sells-more-cars-in-april-than-toyota/#commentsFiled under: , ,



What's this? Somehow, the natural order of things in the automotive world has been upset to the point that Ford (129,898 total units) has outsold Toyota (126,540 total units) in the United States in the month of April. For those keeping track of such things, this is the first time in over a year that the Blue Oval (consisting of Ford, Lincoln and Mercury, but not including Volvo) has moved more machines than the mighty Toyota.

Normally, posting a 31% decline in sales compared to the same month a year earlier wouldn't be cause for celebration, but that drop is actually considerably smaller than at rival automakers, including Toyota, which saw sales fall by an almost unbelievable 42%. Not a single Toyota nameplate posted sales gains in April of '09.

Ford, on the other hand, found something to hang its hat on with the new 2010 Fusion. Ford moved 18,321 Fusions in April, which is a 21.7% improvement over last April and a record for any month. That success was offset somewhat by the 35.8% decline in F-Series truck sales, but a gain is a gain, and Ford will take anything it can get.

[Source: Ford, Toyota | Image: Jewel Samad/AFP/Getty]

Continue reading Ford sells more cars in April than Toyota

Ford sells more cars in April than Toyota originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 01 May 2009 16:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Over the last several years, few automotive stories have held as much interest as the global fight between Toyota and General Motors for worldwide sales supremacy. Don't look now, but there's a new combatant hailing from Germany ready to take the reigns: Volkswagen. However, VW's ascendancy has less to do with the German automaker's output -- GM and Toyota are shedding sales at a much faster rate than VW.

Toyota - currently the undisputed leader in automotive sales volume - is expected to post about 1.23 million sales in the first quarter of '09, down an amazing 47% from the previous year. Volkswagen's 1.39 million sales represent a much smaller drop of about 11%. We're not yet sure where General Motors will fall in the rankings, but it seems likely to come in third place. What's caused VW's rapid rise in global prominence?

The two largest markets for Toyota are the United States and Japan, and vehicle sales in both countries have been some of the hardest hit by the global economic downturn. In contrast, VeeDub is very strong in Germany, China and Brazil, and, in attempt to boost new car sales, these three countries have recently implemented vehicle scrapping schemes. It's worked, and VW is reaping the rewards.

Of course, if there's one thing that General Motors and Toyota have proven over these last few years, it's that life's not easy at the top. It should prove interesting to see if VW can manage to maintain the market share that it's so recently inherited. Thanks for the tip, Axel!

[Source: Reuters]

Global Dominance Shift: VW may have sold more than Toyota in Q1 originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 17 Apr 2009 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Quick: Who is the world's largest automaker? General Motors or Toyota? Last year, the two brands were in a statistical dead heat after sales for all of 2007 were tallied, and debates raged as to which one of the two global giants had outsold the other. This year, there's no argument. The winner of the 2008 sales crown was Toyota by over 600,000 units (exact figures are due a bit later). This is quite an accomplishment for the Japanese automaker and reinforces the fact that GM's sales have been in decline for the last couple of decades after crushing all competitors and reigning as the worldwide leader in auto sales for 77 years. Still, the mood is hardly one of jubilation at Toyota as the rise to the top has not been without sacrifice. The automaker has lost both money and market share over the last few months, and the outlook for 2009 isn't shaping up to be much better.

[Source: CNN]

No Dispute: Toyota displaces GM as world's largest automaker originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 21 Jan 2009 10:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>general motorsgeneral motors salesGeneralMotorsGeneralMotorsSalesgm salesgm sales 2008GmSalesGmSales2008toyotatoyota salestoyota sales 2008ToyotaSalesToyotaSales2008worlds biggest automakerworlds largest automakerWorldsBiggestAutomakerWorldsLargestAutomakerWed, 21 Jan 2009 10:58:00 EST<![CDATA[Toyota expected to post first annual sales decline in 10 years]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/10/22/toyota-expected-to-post-first-annual-sales-decline-in-10-years/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/10/22/toyota-expected-to-post-first-annual-sales-decline-in-10-years/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/10/22/toyota-expected-to-post-first-annual-sales-decline-in-10-years/#commentsFiled under:

We knew the auto industry was in bad shape and it didn't take long to extend its poisoned-tipped tentacles into the world's automotive juggernaut. In August came news that the Japanese automaker had cut its sales forecast for 2008 from 10.4 million vehicles to 9.7 million. A Japanese newspaper, though, says it expects Toyota to only sell 8.3 million for the year. If true, it would be the company's first year over year sales decline in a decade.

The Nikkei Daily (subscription required) doesn't back up its prediction with any sources, but we'll know how close to the truth they get come in January when Toyota announces official sales numbers.

[Source: Nikkei Daily via The Associated Press via Yahoo News]

Toyota expected to post first annual sales decline in 10 years originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 22 Oct 2008 13:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Further proof that no automaker is immune to effects of the sales downturn in the U.S. comes as Toyota has just announced 0% financing on 11 of its models, including the hugely popular Camry and Corolla and a slew of SUVs and trucks. Last month, incentive-averse Toyota posted a drop in sales of over 30% compared to a year ago and the rest of the year isn't expected to look much better. General Motors, which still posted a decline in sales, fared better than most of its rivals, including Toyota, thanks to aggressive incentives including its employee pricing for everyone.

Toyota itself is calling the move to offer 0% financing "unprecedented," and indeed it is. Historically, the Japanese automaker has not needed to offer such sweeping deals to move its metal. It apparently has the cars, the means to finance them and just needs buyers. If you want in on the deal, it's available until November 3. See the full press release from Toyota for more details after the break.

[Source: Toyota]

Continue reading The end is nigh: Toyota announces 0% financing on 11 models

The end is nigh: Toyota announces 0% financing on 11 models originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 03 Oct 2008 15:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Last September we told you of Volkswagen's plan to overtake Toyota in global sales by 2015. Some Autoblog staffers giggled at the prospect. That was before Toyota reported a 39% drop in profit and began writing down leases, and long before today's news of the Japanese automaker reducing its sales goal for 2009 by almost 7%. Instead of the 10.4 million vehicle sales it predicted for 2009, Toyota says it now may only sell 9.7 million.

While 7% may not sound like a big reduction, consider that Toyota has seen steady growth since its founding in 1934, and any drop is a big deal. Last month, Toyota reported an 18% drop in sales from last July, while VW posted a 4% drop. If those sales rates continue, VW's goal of total domination should be much easier to attain.

[Source: Reuters]

Toyota cuts sales forecast almost 7% originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 28 Aug 2008 10:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toyota is not used to seeing its profit margins drop, as the Japanese auto giant has enjoyed increased profit for nine straight years. Expect that run to end this year, though, as Toyota is discovering that it is not immune to the downturn of the American auto market. For the year, Toyota has revised its sales forecast from 9.06 million units to an estimated 8.74 million. For the first quarter of the year that ended in June, Toyota has also announced that its operating profit took a 39% plunge from lower sales in both the United States and Europe, the increased value of the Yen and higher cost of raw materials. Oh, and then there's the pesky problems of leases. Still, Toyota sales remain fairly strong in this sinking market and a profit is a profit. We'd imagine that this is a problem any one of the Detroit 3 would love to have on its hands.

[Source: Automotive News - sub. req'd]

Toyota's Q1 profit drops 39% originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 07 Aug 2008 18:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>toyotatoyota profittoyota salesToyotaProfitToyotaSalesThu, 07 Aug 2008 18:58:00 EST<![CDATA[Weak June has Toyota reviewing U.S. ops]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/07/05/toyota-reviewing-u-s-operations-in-wake-of-weak-june/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/07/05/toyota-reviewing-u-s-operations-in-wake-of-weak-june/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/07/05/toyota-reviewing-u-s-operations-in-wake-of-weak-june/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Toyota posted a 10% sales decline for its bread-and-butter brand of over the month of June, with numbers that are even worse -- an 11.5% drop -- when the Scion and Lexus brands are added into the equation. In response to these very un-Toyota-like sales declines, the automaker is now revamping its vehicle production in the States. Though it has already introduced measures to slow the production of full-size Tundra trucks and Sequoia SUVs, reports indicate the further cuts will be made at the San Antonio truck plant. The Indiana plant, which also produces Tundras, will see workers transferred to other lines where more popular vehicles are assembled. Even plants in Japan that export vehicles to the U.S. could be affected. Toyota is hardly used to seeing double-digit drops in sales in the U.S., so it will be interesting to see how the giant Japanese automaker responds in the months to come.

[Source: MarketWatch]

Weak June has Toyota reviewing U.S. ops originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 05 Jul 2008 15:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toyota's bet that it could sell more vehicles in 2008 than in 2007 may not have been a wise one. Though Toyota's hybrid models and small cars are selling very well in the U.S., sales of pickups and SUVs have truly tanked, and Toyota had been counting on those sales just as much as its competitors. Of course, the giant automaker from Japan couldn't have known that far in advance just how high gasoline prices would go or the impact that it would have on auto sales and the economy in the United States in general. Booming markets like China have apparently not been able to make up for the shrinking pot in the States.

Even with the acknowledgment that meeting its target of selling more than the 2.62 million vehicles the company sold last year in the U.S. would be "difficult," Toyota's place in the automotive landscape is surely envied by the Detroit 3. After all, even with its sales revised downward, Toyota remains profitable, something which cannot be said of the U.S. automakers.

[Source: AP]

Toyota may miss sales goal this year originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 24 Jun 2008 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The current economic environment in the United States is hurting all auto makers these days, even mighty Toyota, which was once considered immune to so-called market realities. Though its overall performance last year would be considered a stellar achievement for any other automaker, Toyota's 28% profit plunge in the fourth quarter of 2007 points to an expected 27% drop in annual profits in 2008. If Toyota's revised forecast proves accurate, 2008 would break a nine-year stretch of profit growth. In addition to the slowing U.S. market, Toyota also cites high material prices, the worldwide credit crunch and a strong yen as contributing factors in its mild downturn.

Toyota's expected profit drop is certainly newsworthy, but we just have to wonder how the money-losing American car companies will cope in the U.S. market with the same issues. While sales of cars are gaining strength, the SUV and truck markets are sinking with what could be Titanic-like implications for the truck-heavy lines from Ford, Chrysler and GM.

[Source: Toyota]

Toyota expecting profit drop in 2008 originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 08 May 2008 17:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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With Toyota reporting its daily average sales rate fell 6.6 percent last month, it might be easy to think the retirement of nine U.S. executives is a sign that the company is getting ready for a new start. But at least one analyst thinks something else might be happening. Head hunting.

Toyota's February sales drop was nearly as bad as some other automakers, and these nine retirees could be more defectors lured away by other carmakers desperate to salvage their businesses. At least two of the retiring employees have more than 30 years experience with one of the world's most successful companies. Their talents and knowledge would be quite attractive. Hey, it's happened before.

So keep an eye out for these guys to possibly pop up again soon as new hires, like Dave Illingworth, Toyota Motor Sales' senior vice president and chief administrator. He had been with the company for 30 years. Also leaving are 37-year-employee Alan DeCarr, group V.P. and general manager of Toyota Logistics Services; and, after 21 years with Toyota, Jim Aust, VP for motorsports and president of Toyota Racing Development is out, as well.

[Source: AP via AOL Money]

Nine Toyota execs in the U.S. retiring, or are they? originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 05 Mar 2008 14:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Alan DeCarrAlanDecarrDave IllingworthDaveIllingworthJim AustJimAustToyota retireesToyota retirementToyota retirementsToyota salesToyota workersToyotaRetireesToyotaRetirementToyotaRetirementsToyotaSalesToyotaWorkersWed, 05 Mar 2008 14:31:00 EST<![CDATA[Toyota's New Year's Resolution: sell 9.85 million cars in 2008]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/12/26/toyotas-new-years-resolution-sell-9-85-million-cars-in-2008/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/12/26/toyotas-new-years-resolution-sell-9-85-million-cars-in-2008/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/12/26/toyotas-new-years-resolution-sell-9-85-million-cars-in-2008/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

If it were poker, Toyota would have looked at GM, pushed all its chips into the pot and said, "You know what that means." The other marque in the battle for worldwide supremacy has raised its projection for 2008 sales by 5-percent over this year, expecting to sell 9.85 million cars around the world on production of 9.95 million cars. This year, 2007, GM is estimated to have sold 9.3 million cars, compared to Toyota's estimated sales of 9.36 million.

Even with quite a few analysts and outlets predicting fewer vehicle sales in the US next year, Toyota is predicting a 1-percent increase in sales to 2.64 million units. The bulk of the sales growth will, as with every other global player, comes largely from emerging markets: China, Russia, India, and South America. This, of course, means Toyota will be leaning on its smaller models and hybrids to lead the way.

There's no way GM has given up the fight, having held the #1 spot for 76 years, and still holding the record for most cars sold: 9.55 million in 1978. You can be sure they don't want to give up both top slots in one year. To do so, they'll need to deliver on the design, the efficiency, the reliability and promises they've been making to the public for a while. As Big John McCarthy says at the beginning of an Ultimate Fighting match, "Let's get it on!"

[Source: Detroit News]

Toyota's New Year's Resolution: sell 9.85 million cars in 2008 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 26 Dec 2007 08:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2008 vehicle sales2008VehicleSalestoyotatoyota 2008 salestoyota salesToyota2008SalesToyotaSalesWed, 26 Dec 2007 08:43:00 EST<![CDATA[Toyota on track to be No. 1 automaker in '07]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/07/23/toyota-on-track-to-be-no-1-automaker-in-07/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/07/23/toyota-on-track-to-be-no-1-automaker-in-07/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/07/23/toyota-on-track-to-be-no-1-automaker-in-07/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Toyota is on track to meet its target of 9.34 million vehicle sales this year despite fears of plant closures, flagging sales in the Japanese domestic market and lost production from this past week's earthquake. The Japanese juggernaut has already eclipsed closest rival GM in global sales for the first half of the year and is still seeing sales in key U.S. markets where most American manufacturers are actually losing sales.

The U.S. is not the only region where Toyota is experiencing growth. In fact, Toyota is enjoying rising demand in most markets around the globe. Despite this, President Katsuaki Watanabe has revealed that the current sales target of 9.34 million vehicles won't be revised up, down or any which way.

Toyota is yet to topple GM in actual vehicle production but this too is expected to go Toyota's way by the end of the year. However, GM isn't out of the race yet. Its sales for the second quarter were better than Toyota's, and it's yet to reveal any forecast for this year's tally. We know the title of "World's Biggest Automaker" is just so many words strung together, but that hasn't stopped us from starting up the betting pool in anticipation of this year's final numbers.

[Source: Detroit News]

Toyota on track to be No. 1 automaker in '07 originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 23 Jul 2007 15:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Toyota salesToyotaSalesMon, 23 Jul 2007 15:06:00 EST