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Toyota makes two-millionth locally built car for domestic market

Toyota Australia has posted a manufacturing milestone with the production and sale of its two-millionth locally built car for the domestic market.

The achievement coincides with the 50th anniversary of Toyota car manufacturing in Australia.

Today, Toyota Australia produces Camry, Camry Hybrid and Aurion sedans as well as four-cylinder petrol and hybrid engines across seven plants on its 75-hectare site at Altona in Victoria.

Locally built Camry – the country's best-selling mid-size car – has been built here since 1987. Production of V6 Aurion began in 2006 and Camry Hybrid in 2009. Toyota is the first and only vehicle manufacturer to build a hybrid car in Australia.

In 2012, Toyota delivered more than 101,000 cars from the Altona plant of which approximately 70 per cent were exported.

Late last year, total production of Toyota cars in Australia passed the three million mark, including 1.03 million for overseas customers and almost 1.98 million sold locally.

The company’s attitude to exporting contrasts with the position of one of the other two local auto manufacturers, General Motors Holden.

Holden has rejected the Abbott government’s demand that it export more vehicles. The government says that it will only continue to provide the sector with assistance if auto makers increase exports. 

Unlike Toyota, Holden says that the plan is not in its interests because Australian-made cars are too expensive to export.

The company claims high local production costs and the high Australian dollar mean that it would not be able to meet the government’s export targets.

The third local manufacturer, Ford Australia has already decided to cease its Australian manufacturing operations in 2016.

 

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