Toyota recently celebrated its 50th anniversary in the US.

The auto giant is enjoying strong sales worldwide.

Toyota opened its first sales unit in California in 1957.

The company got off to a slow start. But it boosted U.S sales markedly, with its sales reaching 2.54 million vehicles in 2006 the third-highest among those of U.S. automakers.

The first vehicle Toyota launched in the U.S. was the Crown luxury sedan.

Though popular in Japan, the model failed to win strong popularity in the U.S.

In a bid to Jack up sales, Toyota introduced the Corolla compact in the late 1960s.

Sales began to follow an upward trend in the 1970s partly on the back of two rounds of oil crises, which sparked strong demand for small, fuel-efficient cars.

Tb the 1980s, Toyota started exporting the Camry sedan to the U.S.

The vehicle retains the top-selling slot today and has greatly helped Toyota win high acclaim as an auto manufacturer that provides consumer with high-quality, fuel-efficient vehicles.

Taking advantage of its rising popularity, Toyota launched its luxury Lexus vehicles.
Specifically, Toyota set up a joint venture with GM in 1984.

It has since successively established wholly owned assembly units in the U.S.

Earlier this year, Toyota started construction of its eighth U.S. assembly plant, in Mississippi, making it almost certain it will surpass Ford to become the second-biggest seller in the U.S. market in 2007.

The ford Motor Company says that it has scrapped plans to build a car factory of future, a low cost assembly plant that it had promised to put in Mexico, according to recent media reports on the Internet.

Ford, which last year said the plant would be an important part of its revamping effort, now says it is not needed because the company’s newly ratified contract with the United Automobile Workers union allows it to save money by paying lower wages to many workers at existing plants in America.

The low-cost plant is also unnecessary because Ford agreed in the contract not to close assembly plants in Wayne, Mich., and Louisville, Ky., and still has mote production capacity than it is expected to use in the near future.

Ford had promoted the plant, which it called “a new low-cost manufacturing site for the future,” as William Clay Ford Jr., then its chief executive and now executive chairman, said when he announced the company’s revamping plan in January 2006.

Satisfaction in the used car market is at a high, according to a new survey compiled by British Car Auctions (BCA).

The BCA Market Report 2007 found that 72% of used car drivers said that they were currently “very satisfied” with their purchase and a further 24% were “quite satisfied”.

According to Auto Express, these figures represent the highest level of satisfaction recorded in the used car market, which could mean that now is the time to buy for many looking for new vehicle.

The 40th Tokyo Motor Show 2007 closed its doors on 11th November after 17 days.

A total of 1,425,800 visitors, down 86,300 on the 2005 show were recorded. There were 246 exhibitors at the Show.

The show combined exhibits of passenger cars, commercial vehicle, motorcycles, vehicle bodies, parts and machinery to create the first change in the show’s format in 10 years.

A total of 14,300 members of the domestic and foreign press covered the show, up more than 1,000 from the previous show and a new record for Tokyo.

This year there were 77 world premieres (36 passenger cars, 5 commercial vehicles, 32motorcycle, 4vehicle bodies) And 103 Japanese premieres (75 passenger cars 2 commercial vehicles, 26motorcycles).

Visitors and the press alike were enthusiastic about models incorporating leading-edge environmental and safety technologies, and also about sporty models that focus on the essential joys and pleasures of driving.

The next Tokyo Motor Show will be in autumn 2009 and will maintain the combined format of exhibiting passenger cars, commercial vehicles, motorcycles, vehicle bodies, parts and machinery.

Import of used motor vehicles into the Subic Bay Freeport has been suspended for six months until April 2008 as Philippines government agencies audit companies to determine the actual extent of smuggling there and recover proper taxes for the government