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TOYOTA FIRST TO EXPORT 100,000 CARS
Date: Fri, Dec 19th, 2008 17:17:08 pm

Toyota Australia is set to become the first Australian carmaker to export 100,000 vehicles in a calendar year.

The milestone car is due to be shipped from Melbourne on Christmas Eve, bound for the Middle East.

It will be among more than 2,100 Australian-built Toyota cars leaving Australia that day aboard the Positive Leader.

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TRD - OPERATIONAL CHANGE
Date: Fri, Dec 19th, 2008 17:17:01 pm

Toyota Australia has announced an operational change to its TRD performance brand. TRD vehicle conversions will cease from March 31, 2009. Read More...

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TOYOTA AUSTRALIA SERIOUS ABOUT COUNTERFEIT PART IMPORTS
Date: Mon, Dec 15th, 2008 17:17:01 pm

A significant seizure of counterfeit parts in Melbourne earlier this year has given Toyota Australia added impetus in the fight against the illegal imports.

A shipment of approximately 4300 parts was confiscated from the importer, who owns a small repair workshop in the Melbourne area.

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TOYOTA TO INCREASE PRICES FROM 1 JANUARY
Date: Tue, Dec 2nd, 2008 17:17:24 pm

Toyota Australia has advised its dealers that new-vehicle recommended retail prices will increase from 1 January 2009 due to adverse currency movements.

Price increases will average 2.4 per cent or about $900 across the range with variations by model and by grade.

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50 PER CENT PRICE CUTS ON TOYOTA GENUINE STEEL WHEELS
Date: Fri, Nov 21st, 2008 17:17:01 pm

Toyota 4x4 owners can enhance the strength and versatility of their vehicles by taking advantage of 50 per cent price cuts on a selection of Toyota Genuine steel wheels.

Steel wheels for new and older Prado and LandCruiser models are available at $120 to $130 per wheel - half the normal price.

Toyota Genuine steel wheels are priced competitively compared with aftermarket brands and backed by the Toyota reputation for quality, durability and reliability.

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TOYOTA iQ WINS CAR OF THE YEAR... IN JAPAN
Date: Sat, Nov 15th, 2008 21:21:11 pm

The revolutionary Toyota iQ, the world's smallest four-seater passenger car, has won the 2008 Japan Car of the Year award by a landslide over rivals such as the Citroën C5, Audi A4 and Jaguar XF.

The innovative iQ scored more than double the points of the second placed, receiving top marks from 39 of the 65 jurors who voted.

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BATES TAKES FOURTH TITLE
Date: Sat, Nov 15th, 2008 17:17:01 pm

Team TRD Rally's Neal Bates has secured an historic fourth Australian Rally Championship following a measured drive in tough conditions in Heat 1 of the Coffs Coast Rally.

Bates and co-driver Coral Taylor finished eighth for the Heat and scored enough points to take the title on the penultimate day of the season.

However, heavy rain during the last two stages meant an anxious wait for the now four-time champions as they battled their way through the slippery, clay-based roads of the Coffs-area forests.

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GENUINE SERVICING A TIMELY MATTER
Date: Tue, Nov 11th, 2008 20:20:12 pm

Toyota Australia advises that Toyota owners should service their vehicles on a schedule which reflects their driving conditions and habits, rather than adhering strictly to logbook kilometre based intervals.

Australian drivers travel an average of 14,600 kilometres a year* and have become accustomed to automotive manufacturers' scheduling services by time and distance milestones, whichever occurs first.

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COUNTERFEIT PARTS OF CONCERN TO TOYOTA AUSTRALIA
Date: Mon, Nov 10th, 2008 20:20:26 pm

Toyota Australia is concerned that counterfeit parts are being fitted to Toyota vehicles and putting lives at risk.

The counterfeit trade in vehicle parts is largely un-traceable. However Toyota Australia has evidence of parts entering Australia illegally, and is taking an active role to limit their dissemination - before they end up in Toyota vehicles.

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TOYOTA AUSTRALIA WELCOMES RELEASE OF INDUSTRY POLICY STATEMENT
Date: Mon, Nov 10th, 2008 20:20:01 pm

Toyota Australia has welcomed the release today of the Federal Government's automotive industry policy.

The announcement by the Prime Minister in Melbourne today represents the formal response to the review of the Australian automotive industry conducted by former Victorian Premier the Hon Steve Bracks. It sets the guidelines for automotive industry policy direction for the next decade.

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TOYOTA UPGRADES RAV4 SAFETY AND COMFORT
Date: Tue, Oct 21st, 2008 20:20:01 pm

Toyota has upgraded its RAV4 range with a package of active and passive safety features, as well as new technology and comfort features.

Active front-seat head restraints have been adopted as standard equipment across the nine-model RAV4 range - to reduce the chance of whiplash injury in a rear-end collision.

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YARIS SHOWS OFF NEW HANDS-FREE
Date: Tue, Oct 21st, 2008 20:20:01 pm

A new Toyota Genuine Bluetooth^TM* hands-free system makes the newly updated Toyota Yaris even more appealing and convenient to drive.

The small, unobtrusive Bluetooth^TM device operates via the vehicle's audio system and connects wirelessly with Bluetooth^TM enabled mobile phones*.

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YARIS HAS ADDED SAFETY AND COMFORT
Date: Sat, Oct 18th, 2008 20:20:01 pm

Toyota has increased the active safety, comfort and convenience of its Yaris hatch and sedan range as part of an overall model facelift.

At the same time, manual versions of the Yaris have been awarded the maximum five-star rating on the Federal Government's Green Vehicle Guide.

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EXPANDED HILUX RANGE HAS NEW WORKMATE AUTOMATIC MODELS
Date: Wed, Oct 15th, 2008 20:20:08 pm

Toyota has expanded its HiLux range, for the first time offering entry-level WorkMate with automatic transmission.

The new WorkMate Single Cab and Double Cab automatic models take the HiLux 4x2 range to 16 models.

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TOYOTA EXPLORES ITS HYBRID FUTURE
Date: Tue, Oct 7th, 2008 20:20:01 pm

Three cars that explore new frontiers for hybrid cars of the future will be unveiled by Toyota Australia at this year's Australian International Motor Show in Sydney.

The cars, which reveal Toyota's plans for Prius and its other Hybrid Synergy Drive vehicles, represent vital steps in Toyota's quest to develop the ultimate environmentally friendly car.

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WORLD PREMIERES FOR TOYOTA AT PARIS MOTOR SHOW 2008
Date: Fri, Oct 3rd, 2008 20:20:15 pm

New Toyota models have made their world premiere at this year's Paris Motor Show.

Heading the line-up is the final production model of the new iQ, Toyota's radical city car.

Carrying four people, for instance three adults and a child in less than three metres in length, in comfort and safety at freeway speeds up to 110km/h is just the beginning of the iQ story.

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TOYOTA CRACKS DOWN ON COUNTERFEIT PARTS
Date: Wed, Oct 1st, 2008 20:20:24 pm

Toyota Australia warns that repair workshops selling and fitting counterfeit Toyota vehicle parts are putting their businesses at risk.

There is evidence of counterfeit Toyota parts being imported illegally, which can be sold locally for a fraction of Toyota's retail price.

These parts are not made to the standards of quality, reliability and durability Toyota Genuine Parts are renowned for, says Matthew Callachor, divisional manager for Toyota customer service.

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TOYOTA DEVELOPS WORLD'S FIRST REAR WINDOW CURTAIN SHIELD AIRBAG
Date: Wed, Oct 1st, 2008 20:20:01 pm

Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) announced it has developed the world's first* SRS (Supplemental Restraint System) rear window curtain shield airbag to protect rear passengers' heads in the event of a rear-end collision.

The innovative airbag deploys from the roof lining above the rear window in the form of a curtain-like barrier.

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AURION CELEBRATES SUCCESS WITH SPECIAL EDITION
Date: Tue, Sep 30th, 2008 20:20:19 pm

Toyota is celebrating the market success of Aurion by adding even more value to the award-winning Quad Cam V6 model.

Toyota Aurion has captured 17.9 per cent of the Australian large-car (under $70,000) market year-to-date August, according to industry statistician VFACTS.

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TOYOTA HIGHLIGHTS ITS LOCAL HYBRID FUTURE
Date: Tue, Sep 23rd, 2008 20:20:09 pm

Toyota's decision to produce Australia's first hybrid car will headline the company's motorshow presence in Sydney next month.

This first close-up for local motorists of Toyota's hybrid Camry occurs a little over 12 months before the start of local production.

The display model is a left-hand-drive US-specification car brought specially to Australia for evaluation and public display of Toyota's Hybrid Synergy Drive technology.

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LOCAL CAMRY COMES OF AGE
Date: Tue, Sep 16th, 2008 20:20:08 pm

The Australian-made Toyota Camry has officially come of age by celebrating its 21st anniversary.

Since the first Camry rolled off an Australian assembly line in 1987, more than 1.3 million have been produced in this country.

This makes Camry the most successful vehicle Toyota has produced in 45 years of local manufacturing, which began with Tiara in 1963.

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TOYOTA BRINGS HYBRID CONCEPT TO AUSTRALIA
Date: Mon, Sep 8th, 2008 20:20:09 pm

Toyota will provide a vision for the future of hybrid cars when it unveils the Hybrid X concept car at this year's Australian International Motor Show.

Hybrid X proposes a new design language for Toyota's hybrid models while also acting as a technology showcase for future hybrid cars.

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TOYOTA TO BEGIN LEASING ADVANCED FUEL CELL HYBRID VEHICLE
Date: Wed, Sep 3rd, 2008 20:20:01 pm

Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) has begun leasing its new fuel cell hybrid vehicle model, the TOYOTA FCHV-adv (Fuel Cell Hybrid Vehicle-advanced), to Japan's Ministry of the Environment.

TMC also plans to lease the TOYOTA FCHV-adv, which improves on the cruising distance and low-temperature start-up performance of the previously leased TOYOTA FCHV, to other national government entities, local governments and companies in or related to the energy industry.

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TOYOTA WELCOMES RATE CUTS
Date: Wed, Sep 3rd, 2008 20:20:01 pm

Toyota Australia says yesterday's easing of interest rates could be the stimulus the local new-vehicle market needs to reach one million sales in 2008.

The company's senior executive director sales and marketing David Buttner said business and consumer confidence would be helped by the Reserve Bank's decision to cut the official cash rate by 0.25 points.

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NAVIGATION MADE EASY WITH FOLLOWME
Date: Fri, Aug 29th, 2008 20:20:01 pm

Toyota Australia has made travelling in unfamiliar territory easy - whether driving or on foot - with a new fully integrated and portable navigation system.

Toyota partnered with electronics industry leader Fujitsu Ten and Tom Tom to develop FollowMe, a dashboard-embedded satellite navigation unit that also operates in 'pedestrian' mode when removed from its dock.

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RECYCLING OF TOYOTA HYBRID BATTERIES
Date: Thu, Aug 28th, 2008 20:20:22 pm

Toyota Australia has had a recycling process for the battery packs of its hybrid-technology vehicles for more than seven years.

The process was put in place ahead of the Australian launch of the world's first mass-produced hybrid, the petrol-electric Toyota Prius, in 2001.

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CAMRY, AURION AND COROLLA NOW EASIER TO PARK
Date: Mon, Aug 18th, 2008 20:20:01 pm

Toyota Australia has added more optional Toyota Genuine safety accessories to the range available on Camry, Aurion and Corolla - making these cars even safer to drive and easier to park.

Toyota Genuine ParkAssist clearance parking sensors are mounted left and right on the front bumper of the vehicle, with a similar set of four ParkAssist rear parking sensors mounted across the rear bumper.

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TOYOTA UNVEILS THE 'WINGLET' PERSONAL ROBOT RANGE
Date: Mon, Aug 4th, 2008 20:20:01 pm

Toyota has unveiled the "Winglet", a personal transport assistance robot ridden in a standing position.

The Winglet, still under development, is a compact everyday transport tool that is easy to operate and allows users to expand their range of mobility.

The Winglet consists of a body (with a projected area the size of an A3 sheet of paper) that houses an electric motor, two wheels and internal sensors that constantly monitor the user's position and make adjustments in power to ensure stability.

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SUV BUYERS LOOK BEYOND PETROL PRICES
Date: Fri, Aug 1st, 2008 20:20:28 pm

Sweeping statements that fuel prices are forcing motorists to buy smaller cars are too simplistic, according to market leader Toyota Australia.

The company's senior executive director sales and marketing David Buttner said the generalisation ignored the strong growth in sales of sports-utility vehicles (SUV).

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TOYOTA WINS FOUR 4WD AWARDS
Date: Tue, Jul 29th, 2008 20:20:01 pm

Toyota vehicles have won four of the 10 annual 4WD awards announced in the August issue of leading magazine Overlander.
The publication said LandCruiser 200 Series is the best large petrol wagon in Australia.

It also said HiLux is the best diesel ute and LandCruiser Prado offers both the best petrol and best diesel medium wagons.

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TOYOTA CAPPED-PRICE SERVICING ACROSS ENTIRE RANGE
Date: Thu, Jul 24th, 2008 20:20:01 pm

Toyota Australia's capped-price servicing is now available on every vehicle in the range, significantly reducing overall vehicle costs for all Toyota owners.

LandCruiser 70 Series is now eligible for Toyota Service Advantage when sold with July 2008 compliance plates - an addition that completes the range.

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AURION TOPS RACV RUNNING COSTS SURVEY
Date: Fri, Jul 18th, 2008 20:20:06 pm

Toyota Aurion is the least expensive Australian-built large car to run, according a recent survey conducted by the Royal Automobile Club of Victoria (RACV).

The RACV survey makes a variety of calculations to determine the vehicle running costs of a range of models. These include the cost of finance, depreciation, scheduled services, registration, insurance, fuel and tyres.

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TOYOTA THE 'WORLD'S MOST RESPECTED COMPANY'
Date: Mon, Jul 7th, 2008 20:20:01 pm

Toyota is the world's most respected company - and also the most trusted automotive brand in Australia - according to two recent studies.

A global survey of consumer attitudes ranked Toyota first among the world's top 1,000 companies on perceptions of trust, esteem, admiration and good feeling.

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HILUX, COROLLA PUSH TOYOTA TO QUEENSLAND RECORD
Date: Fri, Jul 4th, 2008 20:20:01 pm

Toyota has had a record-breaking six months in Queensland with unprecedented sales including the state's two best-selling vehicles, HiLux and Corolla.

Official figures released yesterday show Queenslanders purchased 29,148 Toyota vehicles in the first half of the year - an industry record.

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TOYOTA AIMS TO REPEAT SA SUCCESS
Date: Fri, Jul 4th, 2008 19:19:08 pm

Toyota is aiming for its second consecutive year as the most popular automotive brand in SA following a record-breaking first six months.

Official figures released yesterday show Toyota is the market leader in SA by almost 1,000 sales - the first time it has established such a lead at the half-way point of the year.

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TOYOTA BREAKS RECORDS IN VICTORIA
Date: Fri, Jul 4th, 2008 19:19:29 pm

Toyota has had a record-breaking six months in Victoria, extending its lead as the state's most popular automotive brand.

New official figures show Toyota is the market leader in Victoria by more than 10,000 sales - the first time it has established such a lead at the half-way point of the year.

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TOYOTA DEALERS TAKE CUSTOMER SERVICE INTO THE FUTURE
Date: Fri, Jul 4th, 2008 19:19:01 pm

Toyota's national dealer and service network has invested $100 million per year in new facilities over the past three years and will continue to invest similar amounts each year until 2012, the company says.

This substantial existing and ongoing investment is occurring across all elements of the business - from updating showrooms to developing new and expanded service centres, and continuing to provide expert training for technicians.

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COROLLA LEADS TOYOTA TO SALES RECORDS
Date: Thu, Jul 3rd, 2008 19:19:14 pm

Toyota has capped a series of industry sales records with news that its four-cylinder Corolla is Australia's best-selling car this year.

It is the first time Corolla - or any Toyota - has topped the country's new-vehicle sales chart at the half-way point of a year.

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SPLIT BOOT TECHNOLOGY A MAJOR ADVANCE
Date: Wed, Jul 2nd, 2008 19:19:01 pm

Toyota Australia has introduced an innovative Toyota Genuine part designed to significantly reduce service times on constant velocity (CV) joint boot replacement.

Toyota Australia, Australia's top-selling vehicle manufacturer, is the first company to introduce the technology to this country as a Genuine replacement part.

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TOYOTA SETS ALL-TIME INDUSTRY RECORD
Date: Tue, Jul 1st, 2008 19:19:01 pm

Toyota has become the first car company in Australia to sell over 25,000 vehicles in a month.

Sales figures released today show the company set an all-time industry record with customers buying in excess of 25,600 Toyotas in June.

The result included more than 5000 Corollas, 4500 HiLuxes and strong contributions from Yaris and the locally produced V6 Aurion and four-cylinder Camry.

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PRIUS HYBRID PASSES ULTIMATE 'BLOOD TEST'
Date: Tue, Jun 24th, 2008 19:19:01 pm

Toyota's petrol-electric Prius has passed the ultimate "blood test" - performing a potentially life-saving role as a long-haul courier vehicle for Australia's oldest established private pathology practice.

The Prius hybrids are used to transport urgent blood supplies, tissue samples and test results bet

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TOYOTA DOUBLES RANGE OF FUEL-CELL HYBRID VEHICLE
Date: Fri, Jun 20th, 2008 20:20:01 pm

Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) has developed a fuel-cell hybrid vehicle that can travel 830km* on a single fuelling - more than double the range of its predecessor.

The Toyota FCHV-adv (fuel-cell hybrid vehicle - advanced) is equipped with the newly designed high-performance Toyota FC Stack.

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TOYOTA TO PROVIDE HYBRID AND OTHER VEHICLES TO G8 SUMMIT
Date: Fri, Jun 20th, 2008 20:20:31 pm

Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) announced it will provide 78 conventional hybrid and other environmentally friendly vehicles for official use and demonstration at the July 7-9 G8 Hokkaido Toyako Summit.

The vehicles will be used to transport participating country officials, shuttle media and government representatives and serve as next-generation test ride vehicles as part of the summit's Environmental Showcase of environmentally related displays and demonstrations at the venue's international media centre.

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TOYOTA PRIUS WINS INAUGURAL ECO CAR AWARD
Date: Fri, Jun 20th, 2008 20:20:01 pm

Australia's first car magazine devoted to the environment has presented its inaugural technology and innovation award to the world's first mass-produced hybrid vehicle, Toyota Prius.

ECO Car magazine publisher Chris Mullett said Prius is "the product that encapsulates hybrid in its best form".

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TOYOTA ANNOUNCES AUSTRALIAN HYBRID PRODUCTION
Date: Tue, Jun 10th, 2008 20:20:03 pm

Toyota Australia will begin manufacturing a hybrid Camry sedan at its Altona plant from the beginning of 2010.

Toyota Motor Corporation President Mr Katsuaki Watanabe reported the decision to introduce hybrid manufacturing to Australia to the Honourable Kevin Rudd, MP, Prime Minister of Australia at a meeting in Nagoya, Japan earlier today.

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THE ULTIMATE TRD AURION
Date: Fri, Jun 6th, 2008 20:20:14 pm

Toyota unveiled the TRD Aurion Pro-Factory Xtreme (Pro-FX) drag car at Willowbank Raceway in Queensland today ahead of its debut outing at the biggest event in Australian drag racing, the 2008 Winter nationals.

Run by former Australian champion Tony Wedlock and his Ultimate Motorsport team, the TRD Aurion Pro-FX has a top speed of more than 350km/h.

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TOYOTA CRACKS THE 'TON'
Date: Wed, Jun 4th, 2008 20:20:26 pm

Toyota Australia has become the first car company to exceed 100,000 sales in the first five months of a calendar year.

Australians bought a record 101,816 Toyota cars and trucks between January 1 and the end of May this year.

This was almost 10.7 per cent higher than the previous record of 91,984 vehicles sold by Toyota in the same period of 2007.

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TOYOTA CAMRY IS THE BEST-SELLING AUSTRALIAN-MADE CAR
Date: Tue, May 27th, 2008 20:20:23 pm

Toyota Camry has claimed the title of the best-selling Australian-made car.

A record number of 111,891 Camry sedans were produced last year at Toyota's Altona plant in Melbourne's west and sold on domestic and export markets.

Camry was the only Australian-built car with annual production exceeding 100,000 vehicles.

Of these, Australian motorists bought more than 26,300 Camry sedans - making it the country's best-selling mid-size car by a margin of more than two-to-one over its nearest rival.

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TOYOTA GEARS UP FOR A "RUSH" ON YARIS
Date: Mon, May 19th, 2008 20:20:24 pm

Toyota Australia has upped the ante in the competitive light-car segment by releasing a special-edition model with added value, the Yaris RUSH.

Available for a limited time, Yaris RUSH is based on the YR 5-door hatch version of Australia's most popular light car.

The special-edition model adds value to the Yaris by providing more than $1000 of added specification for just $500.

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TRD HILUX ACCESSORIES INCREASE VERSATILITY AND APPEAL
Date: Mon, May 19th, 2008 20:20:13 pm

Toyota Genuine accessories for TRD HiLux have been designed to increase the versatility of this inherently practical vehicle as well as enhance its styling.

Toyota Australia's divisional manager of customer services Matt Callachor said TRD HiLux comes standard with an array of accessories, including side steps, alloy wheels, sports bar and floor mats.