Toyota First-Quarter Global Sales Fall 27 Percent

from Reuters

Toyota Motor Corp said on Thursday its group-wide sales fell 27 percent to 1.767 million vehicles in the first quarter of 2009, keeping it ahead of Volkswagen AG as the world’s top-selling carmaker.

Toyota was expected to be in a tight race with the German automaker in the January-March quarter, when the Japanese giant suffered double-digit percentage drops in its three biggest markets of the United States, Japan and China.

 

Possible Toyota Avanza replacement?

Daihatsu Boon Luminas/Toyota Passo Sette

Toyota announced a new compact 7-seater MPV that will also be sold under the small-car brand Daihatsu.  Called the Toyota Passo Sette and the Daihatsu Boon Luminas, it will be powered with a 1.5 liter engine via the front wheels. From the spec sheet and photos, it looks like a possible successor to the popular Toyota Avanza/Daihatsu Xenia model.