Toyota Ireland is proud to announce the addition of two new generation models into its popular MPV range -- the all-new Prius+, and the 2013 new Verso, as well as enhanced levels of specification to the Verso-S. The new models represent an exciting step change in the segment in terms of design aesthetic, performance and affordability with prices for five-seater models starting at just €17,995 and CO2 emissions as low as 96 grams.

Prius+ - The first seven seater hybrid

The first full Hybrid with seven seats, the brilliant new Prius+ is sure to strike a chord with families who value the low cost of running associated with hybrid vehicles, while knowing they are doing their bit to help protect the environment for future generations. The Prius+ provides exceptional fuel economy at 4.1L / 100km (68.9MPG) and CO2 emissions of only 96grams, resulting in low annual road tax.

The Prius+ is a highly practical family vehicle, offering increased space and passenger accommodation. The three rows of seats accommodate seven passengers comfortably and each row is positioned 45mm higher than the previous row to aid forward visibility. The Prius + is the first non - plug in Toyota full hybrid to carry a Lithium -ion battery, which is a lot smaller than conventional hybrid battery packs and fits between the front seats, thus not intruding on cabin space.

With the exterior silhouette of an estate car, the Prius+ is more visually appealing compared to the traditional MPV style, while the interior boasts stellar features such as Toyota Touch multimedia system, rear view camera, Bluetooth, Cruise Control, and SkyView.

Verso

The stunning 2013 new Verso features Toyota’s bold new design language with a clear family identity, improved interior quality and styling, a revised 2.0 D-4D engine with better torque delivery and lower CO2 emissions, lower NVH levels, and enhanced driving dynamics for improved ride comfort and a more responsive, engaging and enjoyable drive. The Verso has undergone the biggest changes any Toyota model has seen to date with over 470 new parts used to create its stunning new look. The 2013 Verso also sees the introduction of a five-seater version available in Terra grade. The new Verso features several key improvements, offering customers greater levels of style, dynamism, comfort and desirability to make it a compelling, no-compromise compact C-segment MPV choice.

Verso – S

The Verso-S has been changed for 2013. The changes are to the Luna grade which now features rear privacy glass as standard along with cruise control and grey stitching on steering wheel and gear lever. In conjunction with these changes, SkyView (panoramic roof) has also been added as standard specification resulting in the Luna grade being renamed Luna SkyView.

Fionnuala Britton has picked the all new Auris as her car of choice as she prepares for the World Cross Country Championships on the 24th March. In December 2012, Britton became the first woman to successfully defend the European Cross Country Championship title. Last month she produced an outstanding performance to win the 2013 Great Edinburgh Cross Country.

Commenting on today’s announcement, Ian Corbett, Marketing Operations Manager for Toyota Ireland said: “We, at Toyota Ireland, are delighted to announce this brand ambassador deal with Fionnuala Britton.

When it comes to athlete sponsorship, our aim is to partner with people that show exceptionally high standards and dedication to their craft. Fionnuala has been the outstanding performer in Irish athletics in recent years and we look forward to supporting her through the World Cross Country Championships and beyond in her quest for qualification to the 2016 Olympics in Rio.”

Fionnuala Britton commented:

“I am delighted to become an ambassador for Toyota here in Ireland. Training mostly from Dublin and with the typical inclement weather it is fantastic to have reliable wheels to take me to and from training. I love the look of the Auris and I am greatly impressed with the cars fuel efficiency and comfort.”

IMSTA, which represents the medical technology supply industry in Ireland, promotes the application of science and technology to improve the quality of healthcare delivered to patients.

Justin Carty, Chief Executive said, “We are delighted to announce our partnership with Toyota for this year’s awards. Their dedication to superior manufacturing standards, as well as their commitment to pioneering technologies, accurately reflects the core values of all our members.”

Cathal Ryan, Fleet Sales Manager, Toyota Ireland said, “We welcome this opportunity to be involved with IMSTA and to sponsor this year’s Toyota Med Tech Awards. As well as being recognised as The Worlds Greenest Brand, Toyota also has the lowest fleet-wide Co2 emissions of any car manufacturer in Europe, so we are acutely aware of how technology can change things for the better.”

The Toyota Med Tech Awards will take place in September of this year.

Toyota is the most successful brand in the 2013 TÜV Report. In the latest edition of the report released by Germany’s leading technical inspection agency - TÜV, no less than 29 Toyota models were placed in the Top 50 most reliable cars across the various age categories, 20 Toyota models taking Top 10 positions and the Prius the number one spot in the category for vehicles aged four to five years.

Among the two to three years old vehicles category, Toyota vehicles dominated the field with 4 models among the top 10, the Avensis, the Prius, the Yaris and iQ. The Toyota Prius showed the lowest defect rate of the category of four-to five-year old vehicles, closely followed by the Auris and Corolla in positions three and four.

Across older age categories, the Verso, and the RAV4 models also feature strongly in this year report.

Toyota has already been leading previous year’s reports from TÜV. This renewed excellent performance provides further evidence of the high reliability and long-term durability of Toyota vehicles.

First published four decades ago, the annual report by the TÜV has become a helpful guide to customers by showing long-term reliability and overall quality of vehicles available on the market today.

The majority of all mandatory technical inspections in Germany are carried out through the various bodies of the TÜV organisation. The 2013 TÜV Report is based on some 8.1 million vehicles inspected by the TÜV between July 2011 and June 2012.

Toyota Ireland is proud to announce the appointment of Lambe Bros. Car Sales, Ltd. of Arden Road, Tullamore, Co. Offaly, and Moore’s of Carlow, O’Brien Road in Co. Carlow to its national dealer network.

In business together since 1978, Lambe Bros Car Sales, Ltd. is owned by Co. Offaly natives David and Carthage Lambe. The business which is recognized for excellence in customer service and aftersales care has held the franchise for Suzuki and currently Mazda.

Moore’s is a long established family business also renowned for excellence in customer service and aftersales care. Originally set-up by brothers Charles and Samuel Moore in Carlow in 1947 the dealership sells both new and used cars and previously held the Peugeot franchise for more than 40 years.

Commenting on the announcement, David Shannon, Managing Director of Toyota Ireland said: “We at Toyota are delighted to welcome both Lambe Bros. and Moore’s of Carlow into the Toyota family and look forward to working closely with them as they grow their business and further strengthen Toyota’s presence in both Offaly and Carlow.

With the impressive array of new vehicles we’re introducing to the Irish market this year, including all new RAV 4, Corolla, and the recently launched Auris and Yaris Hybrid, Prius+ and Verso, it’s a very exciting time to be joining the Toyota dealer network.”

Dealer Principals David and Carthage Lambe at Lambe Bros. said, “We are hugely excited about becoming a Toyota dealer. We believe that the combination of our strong local reputation with the reliability, choice and value synonymous with the Toyota brand, will enable Lambe Bros. to enjoy even greater success this year and into the future.”

Alastair Moore, Dealer Principal at Moore’s of Carlow said,“We see joining the Toyota dealer network as a fantastic opportunity for our business and its future growth. Toyota is the hallmark for superior quality and value -- two things that are hugely important to our customers -- especially in these tough economic times.”

Toyota Ireland is excited to announce it is offering customers three years free servicing or 5,000km worth of free fuel on all new Toyota passenger vehicles registered before March 31st at any authorised Toyota dealership. This offer is in addition to a 3 year warranty and 3 years roadside assistance available on all new Toyota vehicles.

The offer is flexible, allowing customers to choose between either incentive, both of which allow customers to enjoy significant savings.

Commenting on the announcement, Mr. David Shannon, Managing Director of Toyota Ireland said: "Our March promotion is another example of Toyota’s ongoing commitment to provide significant added value to our customers. In addition to the highly competitive prices and specification on all Toyota models, our latest March incentives will ensure that our customers have even more extra cash in their pocket this spring and beyond."

For more information please see www.toyota.ie or drop into your local Toyota dealership.

The new Toyota Auris and RAV4 have both received a five-star Euro NCAP rating under the new 2013 testing standard.

• Auris is the first car in the C-segment to receive a 2013 five-star rating
• RAV4 is the first SUV to receive a 2013 five-star rating

Illustrating Toyota’s continued commitment to develop new cars to the highest safety standards, the new Toyota Auris and the new Toyota RAV4 have both been awarded the maximum five-star safety ratings under the new, tougher Euro NCAP programme for 2013.

The new Toyota Auris

Launched at beginning of the year, the new Auris maintains Toyota’s high standards in active and passive safety and has become the first C-segment model to achieve a 5-star rating according to the new 2013 Euro NCAP testing programme.

Equipped with ABS with EBD, Brake Assist, Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) and an emergency brake signal function, the new Auris is also equipped with driver and front passenger, knee, side and curtain shield SRS airbags.

The use of a variety of energy absorbing components including a bumper support and a lower tray that helps to minimise collision energy has allowed the optimisation of pedestrian impact performance and still delivers a stylish bonnet line which is lower than competitor cars.

The new Toyota RAV4

As the first SUV to achieve a 5-star rating according to the new 2013 Euro NCAP standards, the new RAV4 builds on the high standards of occupant safety and pedestrian impact protection that have evolved over three generations of Toyota’s successful compact-SUV.

With an impact absorbing, multi-load-path body construction designed to help provide occupant protection, the new RAV4 has even higher levels of active and passive safety than its predecessors. It is equipped with a new, whiplash injury reducing seat design, and 7 airbags are fitted as standard, including a driver’s knee airbag and twin-chamber front seat side airbags.

Active safety systems include ABS with EBD, BA (Brake Assist), TRC (Traction Control), and the new VSC+, which integrates the VSC and the Electric Power Steering (EPS) systems for improved vehicle stability.

Toyota Ireland is delighted to announce that it has extended its ambassador deal with Irish boxing hero Katie Taylor through 2016 and that she will be fronting the advertising campaign for the all-new RAV4. Katie Taylor has been a Toyota brand ambassador since 2010.

The new RAV4, which will be unveiled in Toyota dealerships across the country at 7:00pm on March 14th, will be driven by the Olympic, four-time World and five-time European Amateur Boxing Champion as she progresses her inspirational boxing career and prepares to defend her Olympic title in Rio in 2016. The advertising campaign featuring Katie alongside a stunning RAV4 commences on March 11th.

The fourth generation RAV4 features all-new distinctive, sophisticated styling, refined, premium-quality interior design, a new Integrated Dynamic Drive System and an engaging drive with fuel efficient powertrains. The beautifully appointed SUV is equipped with a host of technological features including a reverse parking camera and the Toyota Touch multimedia system, as well as a huge array of safety features such as VSC, Hill Start Assist Control and 7 airbags fitted as standard.

Katie Taylor said, "I’m delighted to be continuing my work with Toyota and am really impressed with the new RAV4. I love the new design, which together with the elevated driving position and the huge amount of interior space makes the new RAV4 the perfect car to get me on the road to Rio in style. I’m proud to be featured alongside it in Toyota’s new advertising campaign.”

Speaking at the presentation of the Toyota RAV4 to Katie Taylor, Marketing Operations Manager for Toyota Ireland, Ian Corbett, commented: “We’ve had a wonderful relationship with Katie since she first came on board as a Toyota brand ambassador in 2010. Katie is a brilliant role-model and is one of the most recognised sports personalities in Ireland and beyond. We’re very proud to have her on board as the new Toyota RAV4 ambassador.”

Toyota Ireland today announced the launch of the new generation Auris Van, available from only €18,495. The five door hatchback features a lower overall height and a dynamic exterior design making it stand out from other C-segment commercial vehicles.

The 1.4 D-4D Auris Van features a six speed manual transmission along with the Toyota Stop & Start system, and represents a step-change in overall driving experience with improved suspension and steering. Fuel consumption has been improved by 12% compared to the previous model, and emissions have been reduced by 14% to 110 grams.

The interior of the Auris Van also sees significant restyling with more supportive front seating, more interior space and a 12% payload increase. In addition to a host of safety features including VSC, TRC and 7 airbags as standard, the Auris Van also features climate control, a blue themed interior illumination, follow me home lights, LED Day-time running lights, electric front windows, radio/CD with four speakers and USB & Aux-in connection for music players. The new generation Auris Van is available in eight metallic colours and is available now.

Download the Auris Van brochure

Toyota Ireland today announced the pricing for its hotly anticipated all-new RAV4 SUV. Starting at only €27,995, the new RAV4 represents a significant step forward with all-new distinctive, sophisticated styling, refined, premium-quality interior design, a new Integrated Dynamic Drive System and an engaging drive with fuel efficient powertrains. The RAV4 was unveiled in Toyota dealerships across the country at 7:00pm on March 14th.

The RAV4 marries the best of in-car technology such as reverse parking camera and the Toyota Touch multimedia system, with a host of safety features such as VSC, Hill Start Assist Control and 7 airbags. The new RAV4 has increased roominess, comfort and luggage capacity to meet the needs of active families and the new powertrain line-up offers improved performance and reduced fuel consumption and emissions meaning road tax from only €270 per annum. In addition, with Toyota Flex, customers can own an all new RAV4 from only €299 a month.

David Shannon, Managing Director of Toyota Ireland said,”We’re delighted to be able to introduce the spectacular RAV4 at a brilliantly competitive price, especially considering the high specification and features packed into the vehicle. At only €27,995 we expect the new RAV4 to be in high demand from the start and have high hopes for the model to firmly re-establish Toyota back within the C-SUV segment which we created back in 1994 when we launched the first generation RAV4.”

Toyota Ireland is delighted to announce the names of the 9 winners of this year’s Dream Car Art Contest. Toyota Ireland invited children across three age categories (Under 10 years, 10-12 years, 13-15 years) to draw or paint their idea of their ‘Dream Car’. RTE presenter Diana Bunici, NCAD Fine Art lecturer Oliver Whelan and a representative from Toyota judged the contest.

A special thank you to all who submitted an entry to the Dream Car Art Contest this year

Category 1: Under 10’s Years of Age

1. Nicole Pugachenko from Ennis, Co. Clare
2. Yi Hyun Ida Kim from Carrickmines Manor, Dublin 18
3. Daniel Sirman from Knocklyon, Dublin 16

Category 2: 10 - 12 Years of Age

1. Ciara Mulroy from Westport Mayo
2. Emily Miller from Vicarstown Co. Laois
3. Emma Urquhart from Craughwell, Co. Galway

Category 3: 13 - 15 Years of Age

1. Luke Dalton from Drumcondra, Dublin 9
2. Celia Reynolds from Dalkey, Co. Dublin
3. Anna Hickey from Mountshannon, Co. Clare

Own a Toyota for as Little as €129 per month!

A whole new and affordable way to buy a Toyota has arrived. Toyota Ireland is delighted to announce the availability of Toyota Flexcar finance, its new Personal Contract Plan (PCP) that offers new levels of affordability, flexibility and assurance when it comes to buying a new Toyota.

Toyota created the new Toyota Flexcar finance plan as a way to eradicate the uncertainties associated with traditional methods of car acquisition and ownership, and make things very simple and safe for customers. The Toyota Flex car finance plan can be completely tailored to the customer, starting with as low as a 7% deposit and going up to 36%. Monthly repayments will vary depending on the model being purchased, but start at just €129 per month. In addition customers can also unlock the value in their used car by using it as a deposit towards a new Toyota, a concept known as key for key.

In addition to the guaranteed low monthly payments the local Toyota dealer will provide a guaranteed future value on all new Toyota's purchased through Flex car finance, enabling customers to reduce their monthly repayments over a 3 year period. At the end of 3 years they have 3 options:

1. Upgrade their Toyota to a new Toyota on similar monthly repayments.
2. Return the car with nothing more to pay.
3. Keep the car and simply pay the guaranteed future value.

Commenting on the launch, Michael Gaynor, Customer & Marketing Communications Manager said, “We are delighting to be launching Toyota Flex into the market when affordability and certainty are top of mind for consumers when purchasing a new car today. With Toyota Flex a customer can now drive a new Toyota every 3 years on affordable monthly repayments, knowing their local Toyota dealer is guaranteeing its future value.”

For more information please, see www.keyforkey.ie

For more information please contact: Ian Corbett, Toyota Ireland Tel: 01 4190200 Email: icorbett@toyota.ie

Graeme Slattery, Slattery Communications Tel: 0833302015 Email: graeme.slattery@scomms.ie

Toyota Motor Europe (TME) today posted 2013 first quarter sales of 197,309 Toyota and Lexus vehicles in Europe. During the first three months of the year, Toyota and Lexus full hybrid sales reached 38,673, up 82.3% from the same period last year, constituting around 20% of total sales. Toyota Motor Europe recorded an estimated 4.5% market share in Europe between January and March with sales of 188,053 Toyota and 9,256 Lexus vehicles.

1. Toyota and Lexus full hybrid sales up 82.3% year-on-year
2. Full hybrid sales constitutes 20% of total first quarter sales for first time
3. Cumulative Toyota and Lexus full hybrid sales stand at 544,184, 10% of global total
4. Toyota Auris sales increased by 41% to 32,625 units

Toyota Highlights

Daniele Schillaci, TME Senior Vice-President for Sales and Marketing, commented: “The European automotive industry is still experiencing an increasingly shrinking market. Despite the challenging sales environment, our results are in-line with the market evolution. As we approach our global 5 million full hybrid sales milestone, the strong sales performance of our hybrid products in Europe is particularly encouraging.”

He added: “We are looking forward to a solid second half of the year following the strong C-segment launch for Toyota, enabling us to pursue sustainable growth in 2013 consistent with our plans.”

The Toyota Auris saw sales increase by 41% to 32,625 units during the first quarter of 2013. The Toyota Auris is leading C-segment growth during the first two months of the year (1), registering a 48% increase while the segment fell by 10% in the 27-nation bloc European Union.

Toyota in France posted a 3.2% increase in passenger car registrations – supported by the “Made in France” Toyota Yaris (up 18%) and the new Toyota Auris (up 85%) – despite a 14.7% fall in the market overall.

In Turkey, Toyota sales increased by 6% in the first quarter, with the new Toyota Auris enjoying a successful launch with a 37% rise in sales showing good promise for the remainder of the year.

The Toyota Auris range will be strengthened further when the new Toyota Auris Touring Sports goes on sale in Europe later this year.

Toyota sales in the United Kingdom increased by 3% during the first quarter of 2013, while Belgium also enjoyed a solid first three months supported by the successful launch of the new Toyota Verso (up 9%).

The newly launched Toyota RAV4 is already striking the right chord with customers. Customer contracts for Toyota’s all-new SUV in March more than doubled year-on-year.

Sales of the Toyota Hilux, for all variants, are up 29.8% with first quarter sales of 8,041 units. The Toyota Land Cruiser V8 also saw sales increase by some 29.6% to 4,458 units. Both models performed strongly across markets in Europe.

Lexus Highlights

First quarter Lexus sales reached a record high of 3,700 units in Eastern Europe consisting of the Russian Federation, Kazakhstan, Ukraine and Caucasus.

Paul Van der Burgh, Director for Lexus Europe, commented: “Our recently launched models have been warmly received by customers across Europe and it is encouraging to see the execution of our L-finesse design philosophy, coupled with dynamic improvements, is resonating well with customers.”

Hybrid Highlights

Sales performance of Toyota and Lexus full hybrid models continue to gather strength with a year-on-year sales increase of 82.3% during the first three months of 2013. Full hybrid models now constitute around 20% of total Toyota and Lexus sales in the first quarter, doubling from the same period in 2012.

The Toyota Yaris Hybrid, recently named the most fuel-efficient car in Germany by Auto Bild with the lowest cost per kilometre (2), saw European sales totalling 11,459 units during the first quarter of 2013.

Sales of the Auris Hybrid reached 12,736 units during the first quarter of 2013, an increase of 69.2% over 2012. In France, around three quarters of Toyota Auris registrations during the first three months were the full hybrid variant.

Cumulative sales of Toyota and Lexus full hybrid models in Europe since 2000 reached 544,184 units at the end of March 2013, contributing to some 10% of Toyota’s global full hybrid sales. The resulting CO2 reduction is approximately 3.4 million tonnes.

For pictures, please visit: click here

Table 1 – TME* total Q1 sales in 2013

*Toyota Motor Europe is responsible for all Western, Central and Eastern European countries including Turkey and Russia as well as Israel and a number of Central Asian markets (Armenia, Azerbaijan, East Russia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan).

Models listed in italics are produced locally at Toyota’s European manufacturing facilities.

Notes to the editors:

1. Toyota Auris: Class-leading Sales Growth in the European C-Segment
2. Toyota Yaris Hybrid ist Deutschlands Sparkönig (in German)

Toyota Motor Europe NV/SA (TME) oversees the wholesale sales and marketing of Toyota and Lexus vehicles, parts and accessories, and Toyota’s European manufacturing and engineering operations. Toyota directly and indirectly employs around 94,000 people in Europe and has invested over EUR 7 billion since 1990. Toyota’s operations in Europe are supported by a network of 30 National Marketing and Sales Companies across 56 countries, a total of around 3,000 sales outlets, and nine manufacturing plants. In 2012, Toyota sold 837,969 Toyota and Lexus vehicles in Europe. For more information, visit www.toyota.eu

Highlights

1. 1.22 million full hybrid Toyota and Lexus products sold in 2012
2. 20 Toyota and Lexus hybrid models available today in some 80 countries
3. 18 new hybrid models to come by end of 2015, including one fuel cell vehicle
4. Hybrid sales in Europe up 82% in first quarter of 2013

Toyota City, Japan, April 17, 2013—Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) announces that cumulative global sales of its hybrid vehicles topped the 5 million unit mark as of March 31, 2013, reaching 5.125 million units1.

As of this month, TMC sells 19 different hybrid passenger car models and 1 plug-in hybrid model in approximately 80 countries and regions around the world.

TMC is committed to enhancing its product line-up even further and increasing the number of countries and regions where it sells hybrid vehicles.

Between now and the end of 2015, TMC will launch a total of 18 new hybrid models worldwide, including one fuel cell vehicle.

TMC calculates that as of March 31, 2013, TMC hybrid vehicles2 have resulted in approximately 34 million fewer tonnes3 of CO2 emissions— widely believed to be a cause of global warming—than would have been emitted by gasoline-powered vehicles of similar size and driving performance. TMC also estimates that its hybrid vehicles have saved approximately 1.2 billion liters of gasoline compared to the amount used by gasoline-powered vehicles of similar size.

In 1997 in Japan, TMC launched the “Coaster Hybrid EV” in August and launched the “Prius”—the world’s first mass-produced hybrid passenger vehicle—in December. Since then, TMC hybrid vehicles have been tremendously well received by consumers around the world.

TMC Vice-Chairman Takeshi Uchiyamada, who was responsible for development of the first-generation Prius, said: “We developed the first-generation Prius with the aim of making it a car for the twenty-first century and as an indication of Toyota’s response to environmental issues. We had to develop a hybrid system from scratch, making our task extremely difficult. Nevertheless, we took on the challenge. The launch of the first-generation Prius had effects beyond our expectations, with the vehicle increasing consumer environmental awareness and raising hybrid vehicle expectations. The understanding of consumers at launch time laid the foundation for the widespread adoption, and, since then, consumers have continued to support TMC hybrid vehicles. For this, I am extremely grateful.”

Having positioned hybrid technologies as a core environmental technology for the twenty-first century, and the development of other environmental mobility solutions, TMC plans to continue working to further raise performance, reduce costs, and expand its environmentally-friendly product line-up.

Hybrid in Europe

Since the European introduction of the first generation Prius in 2000, Toyota and Lexus have sold 544,184 hybrid vehicles in Europe by the end March 2013, more than 10% of total global hybrid sales.

Hybrid vehicles have now reached a tipping point in Europe with a clear stepping up of hybrid sales since 2010. It took around 7 years to reach the first 100,000 hybrid sales in Europe, but in 2012 alone, Toyota Motor Europe sold 109,478 hybrid vehicles.

The European line-up currently includes six Toyota and six Lexus full hybrid vehicles4. In the first quarter of 2013, sales of Toyota and Lexus hybrid vehicles in Europe increased by 82% year-on-year. Toyota and Lexus hybrid models now constitute 21% of European sales.

Hybrid vehicle customers benefit from a reduced cost of ownership. Toyota’s full hybrid technology also plays an important role in improving air quality by emitting less NOx and no Particulate Matters compared to diesel vehicles.

Link to dedicated web content including a video message from Vice-Chairman Uchiyamada

1. Including plug-in hybrid vehicles; TMC data
2. Excluding the Coaster Hybrid EV and Quick Delivery 200
3. Number of registered vehicles × distance traveled × fuel efficiency (actual fuel efficiency in each country) × CO2 conversion factor
4. European hybrid models – Toyota: Yaris Hybrid, Auris Hybrid, Auris Hybrid Touring Sports, Prius, Prius+, Prius Plug-in Hybrid; Lexus: CT 200h, IS 300h, ES 300h, GS 450h, RX 450h, LS 600h

Toyota Hybrid Vehicle Sales* - (Unit = 1,000 vehicles)

*Based on TMC data

Cumulative Sales of TMC Hybrid Passenger Vehicles (as of March 31, 2013)*1 - (Unit = 1,000 vehicles)

*1TMC data; *2Production ceased in 2008 and production of a new model started in 2011; *3Kluger Hybrid (for the Japanese market) production ceased in 2007; *4Harrier hybrid production ceased in 2012; *5Crown Royal production ceased in 2003, Crown Sedan production ceased in 2008; *6Accumulated figure for Coaster Hybrid EV (production ceased in 2004), Dyna Hybrid, Toyoace Hybrid and Quick Delivery 200 (hybrid-version production ceased in 2012).

TMC Hybrid Vehicle Chronology

For pictures, please visit: http://newsroom.toyota.eu/

Notes to the editors:

Toyota Motor Europe NV/SA (TME) oversees the wholesale sales and marketing of Toyota and Lexus vehicles, parts and accessories, and Toyota’s European manufacturing and engineering operations. Toyota directly and indirectly employs around 94,000 people in Europe and has invested over EUR 7 billion since 1990. Toyota’s operations in Europe are supported by a network of 30 National Marketing and Sales Companies across 56 countries, a total of around 3,000 sales outlets, and nine manufacturing plants. In 2012, Toyota sold 837,969 Toyota and Lexus vehicles in Europe. For more information, visit www.toyota.eu

For more information, please contact:

Toyota / Lexus Ireland:

Mr Ian Corbett T 01-4190200 M 086 8312277 icorbett@toyota.ie

Mr Kevin O’Reilly T 01-4190200 M 087 8518870 koreilly@lexus.ie

Toyota’s European Newsroom: http://newsroom.toyota.eu

Toyota’s European Corporate Website: http://www.toyota.eu

Toyota Corporate Blog: http://blog.toyota.eu

Toyota Europe YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/ToyotaEurope

Follow us on Twitter: @toyota_europe

Toyota Ireland has been voted No1 in the governance category of Ireland RepTrak™ 2013, the Reputation Institute’s study which analyses the 100 best corporate reputations in Ireland as determined by the public.

Company governance is measured in three ways. First, it assesses the openness and transparency of a company. Second, it looks at whether the company behaves in an ethical way. Third, it evaluates whether the company is fair and balanced in its business practice. Toyota’s No1 position in the governance category demonstrates the Irish public’s recognition of Toyota’s transparency in its approach to business which has set it apart in the motoring industry.

Ireland RepTrak™ 2013 consisted of a representative survey panel of 4,965 unique respondents, aged between 18-64. The survey data was collected between January and February 2013.

Other companies ranking in the top five in the Governance category were, in order, from second place: Kerry Group, the National Lottery, Superquinn and Apple.

Managing Director for Toyota Ireland, Dave Shannon, commented: “We’re immensely proud of this endorsement of our open and transparent approach at Toyota. Our reputation for prudent management and the highest adherence to international safety standards, have won us the trust of customers and stakeholders alike. Our governance model has been critical to our long-standing retention of a leading position in the Irish and international automotive market.”

TOYOTA Motorsport GmbH (TMG) has sent a revised TMG EV P002 to Pikes Peak International Hill Climb to defend its electric title.

Based on data gained from last year’s record-breaking run of 10mins 15.380secs, engineers at TMG’s electric vehicle technology centre have generated more performance from the TMG powertrain to further improve that mark.

The TMG EV P002 is already the benchmark for electric race cars worldwide, having demonstrated true performance and versatility in establishing the current electric records at Pikes Peak and Nürburgring Nordschleife.

The car is currently on its way to Salisbury, North Carolina where TOYOTA Racing Development U.S.A. Inc. (TRD USA) will perform aerodynamic upgrades to the Radical-based chassis as well as track testing.

On 30 June, just one week after TMG’s TOYOTA Racing team takes on the Le Mans 24 Hours with a hybrid prototype, Rod Millen will drive the TMG EV P002 at Pikes Peak.

As a multiple record setter at Pikes Peak and regular competitor in TOYOTA machinery, the 61-year-old New Zealander is highly experienced and will benefit from various improvements to the high-tech racer.

TMG has recent experience of delivering performance upgrades specific to a given track, having used data from its 2011 Nürburgring Nordschleife lap record to improve by over 25 seconds a year later.

Motor speed and torque have been increased while the powertrain’s operating parameters have been tuned to better suit the challenge of the unique 19.99km Pikes Peak track, based on experience gained during last year’s class victory.

TMG support crew will further optimise the powertrain during the practice week prior to race day, whilst using experience gained from last year to assist their TRD USA colleagues in running the car.

Once again TMG is using its pioneering off-board battery-to-battery charging technology, including Schneider Electric EVlink™ DC Charger, to charge the TMG EV P002 from the mountainside, where there is no reliable connection to the power grid.

Mounted in the rear of a TOYOTA Hiace, the TMG DC Quick Charger includes a 42kWh lithium ion battery, which can be charged directly from the AC power grid.

After an overnight charge, the TMG DC Quick Charger is able to quickly deliver high levels of power to a battery-based electric car without additional installation or infrastructure.

With varying current and voltage output, the TMG DC Quick Charger becomes an independent source of power for rapid recharging in any location, making it the perfect solution for electric motorsport.

TMG EV P002 Technical Specifications

About TOYOTA Motorsport GmbH:

TOYOTA Motorsport GmbH (TMG) has been based in Cologne, Germany since 1979 and built its reputation in the World Rally Championship, winning four drivers’ and three manufacturers’ title during a long participation which ended in 1999. TMG was also the home of Toyota’s works Le Mans 24 Hours (1998-1999) and Formula 1 (2002-2009) teams, both of whom achieved pole and podium positions, and a tuning and sports conversion subsidiary (established in 1994). Since 2007, TMG has been a pioneering centre of development for motorsport-related electric vehicle technology and for alternative powertrain and infrastructure integration in general. TMG has already concluded several electric vehicle projects for external clients and is the proud record holder for electric vehicles at the Nürburgring Nordschleife and Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. www.toyota-motorsport.com.

TMG media contact: Alastair Moffitt, Marketing & Communications Manager: +49 2234 1823 5543 or alastair.moffitt@toyota-motorsport.com

Toyota Ireland honoured the nine winners of its annual Dream Car Art Contest at a presentation ceremony in Dublin Zoo over the weekend. The winners, who were invited to draw or paint their idea of their ‘Dream Car’, were chosen across three age categories (Under 10 years, 10-12 years, 13-15 years). The winners’ works of art will now go through to compete in the Toyota Dream Car Art Global Contest for a chance to win a trip to Japan.

The winners, who were awarded prizes including Nintendo DS’s, iPod Nanos and art supply vouchers, were:

Under 10’s

1st Place – Nicole Pugachenko (Age 9, Ennis Co.Clare)

2nd Place – Yi Hyun Kim (Age 8, Carrickmines, Dublin)

3rd Place – Daniee Sirman (Age 8, Knocklyon, Dublin)

10 to 12 Years

1st Place – Ciara Mulroy (Age 10, Westport, Co. Mayo)

2nd Place – Emily Miller (Age 12, Vicarstown, Co. Laois)

3rd Place – Emma Urquhart (Age 11, Craughwell, Co. Galway)

13 to 15 Years

1st Place – Luke Dalton (Age 14, Drumcondra, Dublin)

2nd Place – Celia Reynolds (Age 15, Dalkey, Dublin)

3rd Place – Anna Hickey (Age 15, Mountshannon, Co. Clare)

The national contest saw over 5,000 children from across the country taking out their crayons, pencils, markers and pastels. The artwork submitted exceeded all expectations with exceptionally high standards of ability and creativity.

RTE’s Diana Bunici and NCAD Fine Art lecturer Oliver Whelan judged the contest with Toyota Ireland’s Managing Director, Dave Shannon.

Commenting on the judging, Dave Shannon, Managing Director, Toyota Ireland said: “Judging the annual Dream Car Art Contest is always a hugely enjoyable and eye-opening experience. The levels of imagination involved in developing concepts are evident among not only the winners but all the entries. The car designers of the future are here among our Irish Dream Car Art Contest winners - a group of budding talents who aren’t afraid to challenge the parameters of possibility!”

He added: “On behalf of Toyota Ireland, thanks to all those who entered and congratulations to our winners.”

Toyota reclaimed the top spot as the most valuable automotive brand in the BrandZ™ Top 100 Most Valuable Global Brands 2013 published today. Toyota’s brand value surged by 12% to USD 24.5 billion (EUR 18.6 billion) over the past year, one of the biggest movers in the automotive sector.

In the eight years since the BrandZ™ report was first published in 2006, Toyota was crowned brand value leader in the automotive sector six times, and second on two separate occasions.

According to the report, although automotive sales improved in some regions, they remained below pre-recession levels in others, adversely impacting overall brand values. In contrast, global sales for Toyota Motor Corporation (1) in 2012 increased by 22.6% to 9.75 million units which positively contributed towards the company’s brand valuation in this year’s report.

BrandZ™ also suggests that brand value developments in the sector were shaped in part by the growth of customer affinity towards hybrid vehicles.

Since Toyota pioneered the world’s first mass produced full hybrid vehicle in 1997 – Toyota Prius – sales of Toyota and Lexus hybrid models have exceeded 5 million globally. Customers in Europe can choose between 12 Toyota and Lexus hybrid models, including: Toyota Yaris Hybrid, Auris Hybrid, Auris Hybrid Touring Sports, Prius, Prius+, Prius Plug-in Hybrid, and Lexus CT 200h, IS 300h, ES 300h, GS 450h, RX 450h, LS 600h.

Lexus retains its 10th position in the Top 10 list for the most valuable automotive brands with a brand value of USD 3.5 billion (EUR 2.7 billion).

The BrandZ™ Top 100 Most Valuable Global Brands report, commissioned by WPP and conducted by Millward Brown Optimor, surveys some two million consumers in over 30 countries.

- 42 Dealers from 32 markets to win the ‘Ichiban’ European Customer Satisfaction Award

- Top performing European dealers, rewarded for their Customer First philosophy

An Irish Dealer was awarded with the top honour at Toyota’s ‘Ichiban’ European Customer Satisfaction Award event held last week at the Zappeion Megaron Hall in Athens, in presence of the Minister of Tourism of the Greek government Mrs. Olga Kefalogianni.

Carroll & Kinsella Walkinstown from Dublin was recognised for their exceptional performance in customer satisfaction in both Sales and After Sales areas. The award was presented to the winner Carroll & Kinsella Walkinstown by Didier Leroy, President & CEO of Toyota Motor Europe.

Approximately 2,300 European Dealers were evaluated on their results during a continuous performance monitoring, which is included in the company’s standards. Based on a very demanding set of selection criteria, 42 dealers achieved this distinct recognition by Toyota in Europe.

Speaking at the awards ceremony, Didier Leroy, President and CEO of TME said: ‘Toyota is deeply committed to bringing superior product and service to ensure customer satisfaction. Thank you, our Ichiban winners, for continuing to lead and to be the example of how to make our customers happy!’

Mr David Shannon, Managing Director of Toyota Ireland added “I wish to add my own congratulations to Carroll & Kinsella Walkinstown on winning the Ichiban award. They epitomize Toyota Ireland’s aim and that of our Dealer Network to always put customer satisfaction at the centre of everything we do”.

‘Ichiban’ is the Japanese word borrowed from ‘Okyakusama Ichiban’ which means ‘Customer First’, with ‘Ichiban’ meaning ‘first’ or ‘number one’. Since the beginning of the TME’s annual Ichiban Awards in 2007, Customer Satisfaction performance of the Toyota retailers has improved by some 43% in Sales and 34% in After Sales, according to an internal Toyota customer satisfaction survey performed Europe.

Toyota continued to confirm its consistent leadership for the third year running in this year’s annual Interbrand “Best Global Green Brands” report. The key methodology of the report determines the gap between a company’s environmental performances compered to actual environmental practices.

Over 10,000 consumers around the world recognised Toyota for not only committing to sustainable environmental leadership but having invested in truly innovative products such as the pioneering Toyota Prius, as well as the company’s various programmes designed to reduce greenhouse emissions, water and energy consumption throughout its operations.

Sales of Toyota and Lexus hybrid vehicles worldwide currently stand at 5.22 million, resulting in an estimated reduction of some 35 million tonnes of CO2.

Globally, Toyota is current in the process of a three year product launch cycle which would see the introduction of 21 new or updated hybrid models through to the end of 2015.

In 2015, Toyota plans to commercialise its hydrogen fuel cell hybrid vehicle, featuring next generation powertrain technology and approaching what the company considers the ultimate eco-car.

The company’s commitment towards sustainable operations and environmental leadership also permeates throughout the entire product life cycle.

Toyota Motor Manufacturing United Kingdom (TMUK) is the company’s first overseas production facility and UK’s first automotive plant to receive IS0 14001 certification for its environmental management systems.

In 2011, the UK’s largest solar panel array connected to an industrial site was installed at TMUK consisting of 16,800 solar panels. At full capacity, the solar array is capable of supplying enough energy to build some 7,000 cars per year.

Last year, more than 3,700 tonnes of CO2 was saved as Toyota’s dealership network across the UK reduced their carbon footprint by 15%.

Toyota is also taking on mobility challenges of the future with the company’s trial programme of electric vehicles in Grenoble, France. The self-service car sharing project will see some 70 ultra-compact urban electric vehicles from Toyota, including the TOYOTA i-ROAD, complementing existing public transport systems, which aims to reduce overall emissions arising from commutes.

Users will be able to make use of a unique, centralised car-sharing management system developed by Toyota Motor Corporation to plan journeys, check vehicle availability and make reservations using smartphones.