TAM vehicle sales rise 32%

TAM vehicle sales rise 32%

JAKARTA (JP): Automaker PT Toyota Astra Motor (TAM) sold
98,139 Toyota vehicles domestically last year, a 32 percent
increase compared to 74,570 vehicles in 1996.

The company, a joint venture between Indonesia's PT Astra
International and Japan's Toyota Motor Corp, said yesterday it
controlled 25.4 percent of the domestic automobile market.

The company said most of its sales came from the Kijang van,
followed by the Dyna light truck and the Land Cruiser
recreational vehicle.

"The Kijang van remains our best seller with 81,134 vehicles
sold last year," TAM said in a statement. It said the Kijang had
surpassed its initial sales target of 75,000. In 1996, the
company sold 56,831 Kijang vans.

The company's sale of Dyna trucks and Land Cruisers was 8,075
(up 0.1 percent) and 1,492 (up 41 percent), respectively,
compared to 1996 figures.

The sale of the Crown, Corona, Corolla and Starlet sedans
reached 7,438 vehicles, down 14 percent from 8,612 cars in the
same period last year.

The company also exported 1,492 Kijang vans and 10 Dyna trucks
to Brunei, Papua New Guinea and Fiji, an increase of 32 percent
compared to 1996. (gis)