Toyota Corporate

ERLANGER, Ky., April 26 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc., today announced that Kenji Fukuta will become the new president of Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Texas, Inc. (TMMTX) effective Tuesday, May 1, 2007.

Current TMMTX president Hidehiko "TJ" Tajima will return to Japan for his new assignment at Toyota Motor Corporation as General Manager of Corporate Social Responsibility, Environmental Affairs Division. As TMMTX's president since October 2003, Tajima successfully oversaw planning and construction of Toyota's sixth vehicle manufacturing plant in North America. In November 2006, TMMTX began assembly of the next-generation Toyota Tundra pickup truck.

TIANJIN, China, April 26 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Tianjin Economic- Technological Development Area (TEDA) announced today that the brand-new ZR engine from Toyota was off the production line at the second plant of Tianjin FAW Toyota Engine Co., Ltd. The engine, which meets the tail gas emissions set-out by the Euro III standard, and that has the potential to also meet the Euro IV standard, will be installed in Toyota's new Toyota Corolla, which will be off the production line at the third plant of Tianjin FAW Toyota Engine Co., Ltd. next month.

The manufacturer of the ZR engine, Tianjin FAW Toyota Engine Co. Ltd., is the core parts manufacturer of Tianjin FAW Toyota Motor Co., Ltd. The ZR engine has the characteristics of high performance, low fuel consumption and low emissions, and it ranks top amongst its international peers in terms of motive power, fuel economy and environmental protection.

TORRANCE, Calif., April 19 /PRNewswire/ -- Toyota Motor Sales (TMS) USA, Inc. announced top management changes for its Toyota and Lexus divisions.

First American President to Serve at CALTY

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif., April 18 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Toyota today announced executive appointments at Calty Design Research, Inc. (CALTY), the North American arm of Toyota's global design network.

The organizational changes and promotions at CALTY, effective April 1, 2007, include the following:

Majority of construction workers to be hired locally

BLUE SPRINGS, Miss., April 18 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- At a ceremony today with the local community, Toyota broke ground on the future site of Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Mississippi, Inc. (TMMMS), its eighth vehicle manufacturing plant in North America.

Production at the $1.3 billion plant is scheduled to begin by 2010 with 2,000 team members that will produce the Toyota Highlander SUV; annual vehicle capacity will be 150,000 units. Once production begins at TMMMS, Toyota will have the capacity to produce approximately 2.2 million cars and trucks annually in North America.

Attending the ceremony were Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour and Toyota Motor Corporation president Katsuaki Watanabe. They congratulated the community for its hard work and commitment to bringing Toyota to the state.

TORRANCE, Calif., April 17 /PRNewswire/ -- Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc., announced today that Toyota will be the official "Vehicle Manufacturer of the Show" for the 2007 Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) trade show in Las Vegas from October 30 to November 2.

"We are thrilled to be the official Vehicle Manufacturer of the 2007 SEMA Show," said Jim Farley, Toyota Division group vice president of marketing. "The SEMA Show has grown in leaps and bounds each year and has been instrumental to the growth of the aftermarket business and the ever-expanding partnerships between automakers and aftermarket suppliers. SEMA is very important to Toyota, and has become one of the key annual automotive events for us. In fact, in addition to being the official vehicle manufacturer, we are planning to stage a world premiere at this year's show."

Toyota Named Vehicle Manufacturer of the 2007 SEMA Show

DIAMOND BAR, Calif., April 17 /PRNewswire/ -- As a long-time partner in the automotive specialty-equipment industry, Toyota Motor Sales, Inc. is deepening its support for the market by participating as the Vehicle Manufacturer of the 2007 SEMA Show. This will mark the first time the automaker will serve as the Vehicle Manufacturer of the Show.

"SEMA members and the automotive specialty-equipment industry have benefited immensely from Toyota's long-time support," said Carl Sheffer, SEMA vice president of OEM relations. "By serving as the Vehicle Manufacturer of the 2007 SEMA Show, Toyota is reinforcing and strengthening what it has been doing for years. They are solidifying an already-existing partnership."

In addition to exhibiting at the SEMA Show, Toyota supports SEMA's project vehicle program with SEMA members, provides SEMA members with hands-on early access to vehicles, and takes part in the association's OEM roundtable program. Also, Scion, a marque of Toyota Motor Sales, Inc., allows access to confidential technical data through the SEMA Tech Transfer Program.

NEW YORK, April 9 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. and auto show management presented two modified vehicles to veterans wounded by improvised explosive devices during their tours in Iraq at the opening ceremonies for the New York International Automobile Show (NYIAS) this week.

U.S. Army vet Luis Puertas, 20, of Long Island City, Queens, checked out his new wheelchair-accessible 2007 Toyota Sienna Rampvan outside the Javits Convention Center. He lost both legs when an IED exploded under his Humvee in Baghdad last September.

Luis was fitted with two prosthetic legs at Walter Reed Army Hospital. Although he can now walk short distances, the Sienna Rampvan will greatly increase his mobility. It was extensively modified, first by BraunAbility of Winamac, Ind., which lowered the floor 10 inches and added a powered wheelchair ramp. After evaluating his needs, J. Bussani, Inc. can install a wheelchair docking device and hand controls at its facility in Bethpage, N.Y., so that Luis can drive the Sienna unaided.

Mobile 'Highway of Tomorrow' Exhibit Arrives at New York and San Diego Earth Day Festivals

TORRANCE, Calif., April 4 /PRNewswire/ -- Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Inc. announced today that it will launch two new environmental partnerships during Earth Month, partnering with both the National Wildlife Refuge Association and the Take Pride in America School Program.

The new partnership with the National Wildlife Refuge Association will include a promotional program with its more than 500 refuge habitats, visited by more than 40 million people annually. Toyota will provide a Highlander Hybrid sport utility vehicle as the grand prize in the organization's nationwide photography contest. Last year's program drew more than 2,200 entries and this year's winner will be published in the June 2008 issue of Wildlife Refuge magazine.

Toyota's on-going partnership with Take Pride in America, a U.S. Department of Interior program, has included donations and sponsorship of National Public Lands Day. Toyota will now venture into the Take Pride in America School Program with the campaign called Creating a New Generation of Volunteers.

TORRANCE, Calif., April 3 /PRNewswire/ -- Boosted by record hybrid sales, Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc., today reported all-time best-ever monthly sales of 242,675 vehicles, an increase of 7.7 percent over March 2006.

"This month marks a milestone eight years in the making," said Jim Lentz, TMS executive vice president. "Record U.S. sales of Toyota and Lexus hybrids have now topped the half-million mark." The Toyota Division posted best-ever March sales of 213,820, up 8.7 percent. The Lexus Division reported best-ever March sales of 28,855 units.