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Tampa/St. Petersburg-Area Toyota Sales Climb In August

8 September 1998

Tampa/St. Petersburg-Area Toyota Sales Climb In August

    MIAMI, Sept. 8 -- Toyota's five Tampa/St. Petersburg-area
dealers today reported an eight-percent climb in August retail car sales and a
three-percent gain in August retail truck sales over the year-ago month.
    Tampa/St. Petersburg-area dealers include Clearwater Toyota, Sutherlin
Toyota, located in Pinellas Park; and Tampa's Courtesy Toyota, Precision
Toyota and Stadium Toyota.
    In the five-state region served by Southeast Toyota Distributors, Inc.,
total retail sales advanced 14 percent over August 1997. Retail car sales rose
15 percent while retail truck sales advanced five percent.
    "Bolstered by a strong showing from the all-new Camry Solara which debuted
in mid-August, our dealers set an all-time Camry sales record," said Pat
Moran, Southeast Toyota president and chief executive officer. "August Camry
sales surpassed the former record, set in May 1996, by three percent."
    Nationwide, Camry is the top-selling car in America on a year-to-date
basis through August.
    Ranked first among Toyota's American distributors in sales and customer
satisfaction, Southeast Toyota is the independent distributor of Toyotas in
Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina. Owned and
operated by JM Family Enterprises, Inc., Southeast Toyota is based in
Deerfield Beach, Florida.