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Toyota Australia reaches one million vehicle exports milestone

By Tim Beissmann
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Toyota Australia has become the first local car maker to export one million vehicles.

The Altona-based manufacturer confirmed its one millionth export vehicle was shipped to the Middle East earlier this month, 26 years after Toyota Australia exported its first vehicle, a Toyota Corona wagon, to New Zealand in 1986.

In 1996, the Japanese company’s local division expanded its export program to the Middle East, and now ships the Toyota Camry, Toyota Camry Hybrid and Toyota Aurion sedans to Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen, as well as New Zealand and the South Pacific Islands.

Toyota Australia executive director of manufacturing Chris Harrod said the export milestone was a significant achievement for the local manufacturer and just reward for the effort invested into the program over four decades.

“We are extremely proud of our ability to build cars that not only suit the needs of our local customers but also those in the Middle East and our other export markets,” Harrod said.

“The Australian-built Camry and Aurion are trusted brands in our export markets and we are known for producing high quality and reliable vehicles.”

Although the Australian automotive industry is facing significant challenges, Harrod said it was important that Toyota continued to focus on its export program and explore new opportunities as part of its overall business strategy.

Toyota Australia exported 59,943 Camry and Aurion vehicles in 2011, and is on track to eclipse that in 2012, with 42,142 vehicles shipped overseas in the first seven months of this year.

The milestone announcement from Toyota comes just days after Ford Australia loaded 100 diesel-powered Ford Territory Titanium SUVs on a boat to Thailand in a program the company’s president, Bob Graziano, says provides “an important base on which to potentially build further exports”.

The export story of the year belongs to Holden, however, which confirmed in May that it would ship the Holden VF Commodore-based Chevrolet SS performance sedan to North America in the second half of 2013.


 

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Karl-Sass/100000921334936 Karl Sass

    Now would be a great time to stop automotive subsidies so that we can stop exporting high value products and become just a hole in the ground. Mining will last forever and employ everyone.

    • sean t

      Sarcastic?

      • http://www.facebook.com/people/Karl-Sass/100000921334936 Karl Sass

        Very.

        • Noddy of Toyland

          Very sassy comment baby!

          • http://www.facebook.com/people/Karl-Sass/100000921334936 Karl Sass

            Noddy you’re a real character you nosey little toy!

    • RobertRyan

       That is all because we are now  part of the “Asian Century” and we have “Billions in  Investment  in the Pipeline”.

  • chook

    Well done toyota for all these exports……..you set an example for ford and holden to follow and expand on . manufacturing here is very important for australias future , whether or not  theres subsidies from the government . The one thing i wish is that the toyotas here on our roads were overseas also , they only suit the nerds !!

  • Robj

    We need a smart industry and great to see exports….

  • peddy.d

    I don’t know what it is about this new camry but for some reason i really like it, it looks like it’s matured design wise especially from the front (maybe not so much from the rear) The design especially in the Atara models has an Australian feel to it, which cannot be said about the new Aurion (what on earth were they thinking?!?!?!) I test drove the Hybrid camry during a campaign they had to win 3 camry’s over a decade, it gathered speed quite nicely on the freeway., the ride was nice and smooth without being bouncy and steering feel was adequate. The hybrid technology really fascinated me. I was always intrigued when i put my foot on the brake pedal, you could feel something was going on as the car is doing something to convert the kinetic energy developed by the braking system to the batteries. All in all as boring as the camry name has become to many buyers I was really impressed by the Hybrid model, and unlike the Aurion i think it has really stepped up. Great job Toyota and congratulations on exporting your millionth car.

  • gt86.com.au

    build the toyota 86 in aus and you will export another million in no time :)

    • Noddy of Toyland

      After the anus that is the new Aurion, anything would be better selling. 

  • Simon Dale

    And Holden claimed a few years ago that they meant a great deal to Australia.

    • Sydlocal

      …whilst building the car with the least amount of Australian made content. Now they build the bottom two!
      However having said that there is no denying their importance to Australian industry and the thousands of people who are employed as a result of their presence. All three manufacturers need each other to survive in this country.

  • DAVIDZ

    STUNNING RESULT BIG.T[tmF/O]

    NOT LONG TO GO AND BIG.T WILL HAVE EXPORTED MORE AUSSIE MADE TOYOTA’S THAN ALL THE OTHER AUSSIE MADE BRANDS COMBINED

    SHOULD MAKE THE HILUX HERE

    • chook

      Agreed ……as long as they send all of them overseas , preferably to a war zone where they will get bombed , shot at and burnt out , and replaced with more locally made ones . Theyre becoming an eyesore on our roads and it just shows how many wackers there are out there who think they are somehow true blue aussie with an el cheapo crumpley ute with no heritage from here whatsoever .