Toyota Motor Corp. aims to rebound from three years of crisis with a new Camry, the top-selling U.S. car, as it speeds up factory lines slowed by March’s devastating earthquake to regain sales lost to Hyundai Motor Co. and other carmakers.
The 2012 Camry has the best safety, handling and fuel economy among U.S. midsize sedans, with the hybrid version averaging 41 miles per gallon of gasoline, a 24 percent increase, said Bob Carter, group vice president of U.S. sales. Production started Tuesday at Toyota’s Georgetown, Ky., plant, with sales to begin in October, the company said.
While Toyota is set to lose its ranking as the world’s largest automaker this year, the company is determined to sustain Camry’s run as the U.S. best seller, a position held for 13 of the past 14 years. Japan’s quake slowed Toyota plants in the months afterward, exacerbating efforts to recover from recession and last year’s record recalls. Bloomberg
