Toyota predicts 10m sales next year

This content was originally posted in 7DAYS UAE website at: Toyota predicts 10m sales next year Toyota is expecting to sell more than 10 million vehicles in 2016 but little changed from what it expects to sell this year. Toyota Motor Corp, the world’s top-selling automaker for the last three years, said on Monday it expects sales of 10.114 million vehicles next year, slightly up on the 10.098 million this year. Volkswagen AG, which overtook Toyota in sales in the first half of the year, suffered in the second half from an emissions cheating scandal. Its diesel cars were found equipped with software that cheated emissions tests. Auto sales in major markets such as the US and Japan weren’t expected to grow significantly, according to Toyota, while emerging markets that had sustained growth in recent years were off the boil. Overall auto sales were recently slowing in countries such as Thailand and Indonesia. Last year, Toyota, which makes the Prius hybrid, Camry sedan and Lexus luxury models, sold 10.23 million vehicles. Volkswagen sold 10.14 million vehicles, and General Motors was third at 9.92 million vehicles. Detroit-based GM, which makes Cadillac and Open cars, was the top-selling automaker for more than seven decades until being surpassed by Toyota in 2008. GM retook the sales crown for one year in 2011, when a tsunami and quake disaster struck north-eastern Japan, disrupting production. In the UAE, where Toyota distributor Al Futtaim Motors is celebrating its 60th anniversary, the firm reported growth in its SUV segment earlier this year. Al Futtaim said that, led by the RAV4, year-on-year growth in its SUVs for the period ending August 2015 was 53.4 per cent. The segment also witnessed good sales of the Fortuner and FJ Cruiser. “New models have been very well received by customers across the UAE, thanks to the new design appeal, coupled with Toyota’s legendary quality, durability and reliability, as well as Al-Futtaim Motors’ unparalleled customer service. All of these factors have contributed to continued growth across our business,” said Saud Abbasi, managing director of Al Futtaim Motors, at the time. This year, Toyota and Al Futtaim Motors also launched a series of high-profile new models, including the latest generations of the Land Cruiser and the Camry, as well as bringing the Prius to the UAE market for the first time. Earlier this month, Toyota said it expects annual global sales of the newly-released fourth generation of the Prius to reach as many as 350,000 vehicles despite a big drop in oil prices making traditional gasoline cars cheap to run. business@7days.ae Read the original story at: Toyota predicts 10m sales next year