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Toyota Camry is America's Best-Selling Car for 1997

7 January 1998

Toyota Camry is America's Best-Selling Car for 1997

    TORRANCE, Calif., Jan. 7 -- Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), USA,
Inc., today announced calendar year 1997 Camry sales of 397,156 units, making
the mid-size sedan the number-one-selling car in America.  This is the first
time that a Toyota vehicle has won the crown.
    In a closely fought race, Camry outsold the Honda Accord by 12,547 units,
with Accord finishing the year with 384,609 units.  To win the title, Toyota
and its dealers set a torrid pace for December with Camry sales of 44,254, the
best-ever sales month in the vehicle's history.  December also marked the
sixth month in which Camry sales set records during the year.
    "America loves competition, and this was a tough race to the end," said
Dave Illingworth, TMS senior vice president and general manager.  "Consumers
voted with their pocketbooks and we thank them for making Camry number one.
Special recognition must also go out to our manufacturing team members and
dealer body for their extra efforts throughout the year."
    Approximately 70 percent of all Camrys sold during 1997 were manufactured
at Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky (TMMK).  TMMK has won the prestigious
J.D. Power and Associates Gold Plant Quality Award three times, and is the
only production facility in North America to have achieved this feat.

SOURCE  Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.