Toyota Overtakes Damlier Chrysler Sales in Europe for January

Uh-oh.

wats wrong with u?

Wow....excellent! Good job Toyota!

This should start a snowball effect, because Toyota will be getting more credibility and coverage - and hence should now make it onto the short lists of more European buyers; and additional sales will surely follow.

Plus I love the thought of smiles being wiped off the faces of smug DCX executives.

Why did everyone deboost Toyota?
Can we not congratulate them about their accomplishments?
To Toyota haters: don't hate sucess.
Oh and btw, congrats to Toyota/Lexus on their accomplishment.

As expected.

The RAV4 is awesome. Just bought one (V6, AWD) for my wife and can't praise it enough. 260HP, reliable, 22-29 MPG, out the door for $26,000. Fast as hell, and is only missing a few wheel/suspension upgrades to allow it to take on an X3 in the twisties.

Definitely the best small SUV for the money, bar none.

Mercedes= luxury automaker.
they dont even compete and i think its embarassing enough that mercedes benz used to sell more cars than toyota.....

Mercedes makes mainstream models in Europe, so they are less of a Luxury marquee over there.

All it takes for Lexus be beat Mercedes in its home turf is for all these Toyota drivers to upgrade to a Lexus as they get older/wealthier; just like it happened in the US.

Fabian, Mercedes in Europe sells all the way down to the A class (check it out here: http://www2.mercedes-benz.co.uk/content/unitedkingdom/mpc/mpc_unitedkingdom_website/en/home_mpc/passenger_cars/home/products/new_cars/a-class_hatchback.html ) so it's a lot more than just stripping the cars you know in the US.

^bahahaha

thanks 009, great story and good follow up post. I take back everything ive said about you, at least for today.

MB A, B,and C as well as Smart are as mainstream as you can get. Beside, MB are just taxis over there.

Over there Ford 500s are luxury cars. Wait a sec., I just saw one of those new Shelby Mustangs...awesome!!

I agree.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!! American cars SUCK A$$

How is this relevant to this thread?

And yes, LEXUS IS A FAILURE!!!!!!!

Their US market dominance tells you otherwise.

toyota is one going to to have the highest sales ine every single contenent.

This is crazy....absolute madness...Toyota/Lexus is conquering Europe in their quest to be the number #1 Lexury automaker. In the U.S. Toyota/Lexus is already the "King", now they have Europe in their sight. I wonder who are they targeting next?

Toyota/Lexus Rule the world

It won't be long before Toyota/Lexus will be recognized as the Ultimate Lexury brand for the rich and famous. Here in the U.S. many rich and famous already own and drive the Lexus brand.

When the Lexus LS600 hl come out it will definitely be good enough to compete with the like of Maybach and RR.

Keep dreaming.

Lexus will never have the luxury pedigree that the European brands have. There is nothing luxurious about a brand started in 1989 by Toyota that has ZERO history as the likes of the Europeans.

Lexus will also never outsell European brands in Europe because of European nationalism. In Europe, the power of the badge is very important and the Lexus badge isn't worth much there. The same can be said for the international market. Lexus = zero heritage, zero motorsport success etc.

And stop comparing the LS600 to the Maybach or Rolls Royce. It doesn't compete with those cars.

pappi ... you are an idiot! BMW has more racing history and wins than Toyota can count ... BMW doesnt complain about the Lexus and their success in the US. I think it is great. It has brought the luxury car market up in standards and quality over the last 20 years ....


Huu ...

In the US .. Lets get some figures str8 ...

IS 250 base price is $30,255
ES 350 Base price is $33,470
IS 350 Base price is $35,705

BMW 328 sedan $ 32,400
BMW 328xi $ 34,300
BMW 335i $ 38,700 ..

So how do you figure that lexus is more expensive and the BMW is less? If you look at the figures and leave out the sport ute's, then you will see that BMW outsells Lexus 2 to 1 in passenger cars ...I am sure I will be deboosted in here for the facts ....In regards to sales volumes and profits, Isnt BMW #1 in the world. If you are comparing Lexus, then compare Lexus. One would see that in regards to volume and proftis for just the lexus brand it is not in the same equation. They cant compete with the likes of BMW ...

Exactly.

It amazes me how ignorant some of the Toyota fanboys are. Toyota's are cheaper and more affordable than Mercedes. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that they'll naturally outsell a more expensive brand.

If these Toyota fans can't figure this out, then I really have to wonder about their IQ status.

If the comment is not worth replying to, then don't. Just change the topic and avoid and ignore the pointless arguements.

EXACTLY ! Toyota vs Mercedes ... like someone looking to buy a Mercedes will EVER buy a cheap toyoyota.

As any other automaker, Toyota sells CARS, not crap.

This was a response to Caltrans' post. Sorry.

Lexus is already number #1 brand in the U.S. for the past 6 or 7 years. Hey!...don't hate success is earn not given.

So what?

Lexus is much cheaper than the European competition, a fact aided by the Japanese purchase of American Dollars to keep their currency artifially week (which is an illegal trade practice by the way).

Most people just want a well-equipped premium car and that is what Lexus offers. You want performance or a brand with history that cooks emotions in your blood, you're best served with the Europeans.

Everyone please ... The only reason lexus is number one in the US is due to the Lexus RX series. It is not for the sale of their cars. Not the IS, ES, GS, orthe LS. The Lexus RX accounts for 40% of the sales in the US. BMW clearly outsells that Lexus in passenger cars. The fact of the matter is that both brands are very successful companies. They are 2 completely different cars and with different customers. Lexus is a luxury car, it is not a performance car. BMW builds performance sedans with luxury emphasis second.

Huu ... who cars if you dont like the 320 interioror the car? you are in the minority cause the bmw 3-series is the most successful entry level luxury series in the market today and over the last 10 years ... I personally dont like lexus cause i dont like the ultra quiet interiors, plush soft leather and soft suspension. Alot of people do thou and it is a nice car, just not for me.

Unfortunately, most Americans want that "Lincoln" ride, with performance further down the list. And that's why Lexus is so awesome stateside. Plus their service engine lights don't come on everytime you turn the key.

I´m living in Europe and I can tell You, that Mercedes is still a very prestigious car in Europe.

Sales in Europe for January:
Mercedes-Benz 58,057
AUDI 50,743
BMW 47,837
JAGUAR 2,748
TOYOTA 78,544
LEXUS 3,860

Thank you for posting some sense into this thread, Dav.

Good to see those numbers ... maybe lexus fans will stop bashing about how good are their cars (for europeans).

Looks like some people are getting insecure. It seems that all the things that people said Toyota/Lexus couldn't do is being done.

You know, Mr. Kart,

I don't think anyone is being insecure here. People, like me, are just ticked off at some of the completely stupid and moronic statements being presented in this thread.

If you've read the article, which you obviously didn't, you'd see that Toyota sold the more cars than Lexus. Lexus still sells very poorly in Europe compared to the European brands. Read the article.

Some people...

Dude says Lexus don't sell enough cars in Europe. No denying that.

But what you should really ask is how many cars does Lexus make available to the European market. The stats say they sold 3800 some vehicles. Now I'm not sure if that's because they only have about 3800 cars to sell but I can assure you as Lexus starts releasing their vehicles to the European market, you will see those number rise.

You know it will happen - it's just a matter of time.

You're sounding like a doomsday preacher, Flozel.

Yes, European luxury brands sell more than Lexus, I know that very well. I also know that Toyota sells more than Lexus, I don't have to read the article to know that. The point here is that people shouldn't put down Lexus as much as they do. Trust me even in Europe MB, BMW, and Audi (The actual companies, it is stupid to do so after they and us doubted the Japanese the first time around) don't think of Lexus as some, "some", people on the internet do. The badge matters to a lot of people. Not to put down MB, BMW, or Audi - but many people buy the badge (I see a a lot of 325i's, a lot), these people aren't enthusiasts. You, Bill, maybe different (an enthusiast) so I won't say that you are a badge whore, never. In the end it is about looking at Lexus as real competition because that is what Lexus really is. Also, just to add, I am not strictly a Toyota car fan, even though my picture shows a Midship Runabout badge (that's just because I have one).

I got -5 boost, yes!

;)

That isn´t true Kart.
I´m living in Europe and I can tell You MB takes Lexus seriously.
A few months ago a BMW manager said that they take Lexus seriously, Zetsche also said, that they take Lexus very seriously.

This whole boosting thing is silly. I don't even bother to play around with it.

Yes, I agree with you. Some perfectly reasonable posts are being deboosted by people who can't handle the fact that Toyota's sales have gone up.

The problem is, that Lexus has no prestige in Europe.
No one is prepared to pay 30,000€,40,000€ or 80,000€ for a car that hasn´t any prestige.

BMW and MB were suing Lexus saying they sell the LS for too cheap.


Huh?

And Lexus has no prestige in Europe. Look at the 100+ year history of the European brands. LOOK at the innovations, the CLASSICS, the MOTORSPORT success and look at the ACHIEVEMENTS of these brands. That's where the PRESTIGE comes from and that's something Lexus can NEVER hope to match, no matter how good they might be.

You fanboys need to seriously wake up and stop it with this "that will all change" crap. The Europeans and Asian markets are very brand image conscious and Lexus does not perform well at all in that aspect.

Bill: Accomplishments are made over time. Sucess is built up over time. If time passes, who can deny Lexus their right to gain prestige?

Why do people always argue about what celebrities or Europeans drive? What does that matter. If anyone looked at this with facts instead of emotion, they would come to the following conclusion: if you look at Europe (where BMW & Mercedes are the top sellers) compared to North America (where GM has the higest market share), it is NOT difficult to determine what seems to be the largest factor in customer purchases: patriotism. Sure Toyota/Lexus are slowly eating away at the Big 3's market share, but their contributions to the American economy have also increased. People seem to buy products that support their own. I am 100% positive that if you were to compare the money added to the economy by each auto company in each country, you would not only determine who the market share king is, you would also be able to see the investment trends. History is important, but times change. If a famous European told me to buy a Mercedes, I still wouldn't, but I guess many of you would.

BMW worse than a civic? you must be crazy or something, no offense .... I drive both of them all the time, the only reason I jump into civic is to get some downgrade driving. It feels so good when I go back to the BMW, really makes you appreciate the car, the way it drives, brakes, handles, sounds, everything.

It's pretty sad when Toyota by itself makes more money than ALL of Germany's car companies combined.


Wow, how stupid can these arguments get?

You sir, are an IDIOT.

Toyota can sell more cars because they're much cheaper and affordable. Toyota caters to the value oriented mainstream market. This is a MASS MARKET.

The big German three are producers of luxury cars and this market is NOT a MASS MARKET.

willy---Since when are the A and B considered luxury cars?

He's talking about profit, not gross sales.

Toyotas are NOT SEXY

Are you a German?
If different,I question you.

What is your country?
and,
Can your country manufacture a car better than Japan?

Truth is, BMW/MB can't compete as sales volume and profits show it. They're just as mass market as Toyota, minus the money and quality products.


???

What kind of BS are you talking about, Huu?

You can´t compare Toyota with a luxury brand.
You should compare Toyota to VW,Renault,FIAT,Peugeot,
Citroen...

Toyota is not so highclass as MB and BMW.
However, Toyota is not so small as VW,Renault,FIAT,Peugeot.and MB and BMW.

and

Toyota is not so weak as VW,Renault,FIAT,Peugeot.and MB and BMW.

and

Toyota is not so weak as VW,Renault,FIAT,Peugeot.and MB and BMW.

and

Toyota is not so weak as VW,Renault,FIAT,Peugeot.and MB and BMW.

Toyota is not so highclass as MB and BMW.
However, Toyota is not so small as VW,Renault,FIAT,Peugeot.and MB and BMW.

and

Toyota is not so weak as VW,Renault,FIAT,Peugeot.and MB and BMW.

The 320i interior is the same as the one in 335i idiot. Doesn't matter what engine lies in it, the rest of the car is the same, this is the same with the C-class and A4.
So please shut up.

Toyota still doesn't out sell it's rivals, this is the data for the whole of europe in 2006.
1) Volkswagen: 3,111,855
2) Peugeot Citroen: 2,019,540
3) Ford: 1,623,532
4) General Motors: 1,585,022
5) Renault: 1,324,119
6) Fiat: 1,156,152
7) DaimlerChrysler: 922,461
8) Toyota: 896,831
9) BMW: 793,077
10) Nissan: 313,507

So VW sold 3x more cars than toyota. Toyota still isn't a massive seller.

For the Europe maker, the Europe market is a home.
For Japan maker, the Europe market is away.
VW has the German market.
PSA has the France market.
Fiat has the Italy market.
GM is Opel.and Ford is Europe ford.They are europe maker.

Please see the U.S. market which is a third party. Europe maker is a loser.
Please see a world market. Toyota becomes the world's No.1.

For the Europe maker, the Europe market is a home.
For Japan maker, the Europe market is away.
VW has the German market.
PSA has the France market.
Fiat has the Italy market.
GM is Opel.and Ford is Europe ford.They are europe maker.

Please see the U.S. market which is a third party. Europe maker is a loser.
Please see a world market. Toyota becomes the world's No.1.

Now when it says that Toyota overtook Damlier Chrysler, did that include Mercedes?

I know, but I just wanted to point that out for all of the Mercedes lovers out there.

You can compare the MB A-class,B-class or a basic C-class to Toyota,that´s true.
But there´s still the E,CLS,CLK,SLK,SL,S...
And You can´t compare them to a Toyota.
And Yes the 320i interior is crap, but the A-Class interior looks nice.

Shut it, the 320i's interior is the same as the one in the the most expensive 3 series, the 335i. Plus the cheapest 3 series is as expensive as the most expensive say Toyota Avansis.

Wow! You have an opinion! And guess what...other people have their own opinions.

Quit being an ass and respect that some people like Lexus and Toyota. Why the hell does that bother you? Did a Camry eat your baby?

lol.
why boost down?

Are you a German?
If different,I question you.

What is your country?
and,
Can your country manufacture a car better than Japan?

For the Europe maker, the Europe market is a home.
For Japan maker, the Europe market is away.
VW has the German market.
PSA has the France market.
Fiat has the Italy market.
GM is Opel.and Ford is Europe ford.They are europe maker.

Please see the U.S. market which is a third party. Europe maker is a loser.
Please see a world market. Toyota becomes the world's No.1.