March 2014: Toyota Motor Sales

[William Maley]

Toyota Motor Sales is No. 1 Retail Manufacturer in March 2014

• Lexus up 28 percent in March; Toyota division no. 1 retail brand in March and first quarter

TORRANCE, Calif. (April 1, 2014) – Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc., today reported March 2014 sales results of 215,348 units, an increase of 8.9 percent from March 2013 on a daily selling rate (DSR). On a raw-volume basis, unadjusted for 26 selling days in March 2014 versus 27 selling days in March 2013, TMS sales increased 4.9 percent from year-ago month.

Toyota division posted March 2014 sales of 186,755 units, up 6.5 percent year-over-year on a DSR basis. Volume-wise, Toyota division sales increased 2.5 percent over March 2013.

For the first quarter, TMS reported sales of 520,997 units, flat versus the same period in 2013 on a DSR basis. With 75 selling days in the first quarter of 2014 compared to 76 selling days in the first quarter of 2013, sales were down 1.6 percent on an unadjusted raw-volume basis.

“Solid March sales pushed first-quarter industry results ahead of last year’s pace despite one of the harshest winters on record,” said Bill Fay, Toyota division group vice president and general manager. “Toyota dealers had their two best sales weekends of the year late in the month, and we’re optimistic that momentum will spring us into April.”

Lexus reported March sales of 28,593 units, a 28 percent increase on a DSR and a 23.3 percent increase on a raw-volume basis, both year-over-year.

Lexus posted first quarter sales of 65,085 units, up 16.2 percent over the same period in 2013 on a DSR basis. Volume-wise, sales were up 14.7 percent.

"New products are driving the growth in the luxury segment," said Jeff Bracken, Lexus group vice president and general manager. “IS sales more than doubled in March and helped push Lexus to one of the biggest increases in the industry for the month.”

Other Highlights:

• TMS is no. 1 retail manufacturer; Toyota division is no. 1 retail brand in March and first quarter
• Camry up more than 11 percent with sales of 42,000 units
• All-new Corolla records sales of 30,000 units
• Toyota division trucks up 10 percent
• All-new RAV4 is truck volume leader with sales of 20,000 units in March; best-ever first quarter
• FJ Cruiser up over 94 percent
• All-new Highlander up 14.3 percent in March; best-ever first quarter
• 4Runner up over 53 percent
• All-new Tundra up 25 percent; best-month since August 2008
• Lexus up 28 percent in March; up almost 15 percent in first quarter
• All-new Lexus IS posts triple-digit gains
• Lexus GS up 32 percent
• Lexus luxury utility vehicles up almost 20 percent
• Lexus RX posts sales of nearly 10,000 units
• Lexus GX posts triple digit gains