Five millionth global sales milestone for Toyota's Multipurpose Platform

Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) announces that worldwide cumulative sales of its innovative International Multipurpose Vehicle (IMV) platform of vehicles reached five million units at the end of March, 2012.

In 2004, the IMV project represented an unprecedented approach to manufacturing. Drawing on the wideranging resources and potential available within Toyota's global network, the project was tasked to create a global platform to form the basis of a variety of vehicle models. The original IMV line-up was made up of three models: Toyota Hilux/Vigo pick-up, Innova minivan and Fortuner sports utility vehicle.

Based on the concept of producing vehicles where they are sold, TMC established an optimal worldwide production and supply system to quickly offer attractive vehicles at an affordable price to consumers around the world combined with high levels of quality, durability, reliability and comfort.

The driving vision for the IMV platform was to produce a vehicle with outstanding performances - both on paved roads and in off-road scenarios, affordable, and at the same time providing unmatched satisfaction in terms of comfort, styling, handling, safety, fuel economy and environmentally-friendliness.

Currently, the IMV series is manufactured in 11 locations, including four countries designated as global IMV supply bases: Thailand, Indonesia, Argentina and South Africa. Additionally, major components such as diesel engines produced in Thailand, gasoline engines produced in Indonesia and transmissions produced in the Philippines and India are distributed to IMV producing countries.

The Toyota Hilux sold in Europe is supplied by both Toyota South Africa Motors and Toyota Motor Thailand. European sales of the Hilux reached 28,888 units in 2011, a 21% increase over the previous year making it the best selling pick-up in Europe for the third consecutive year.

The IMV series has won the favour of many consumers around the world and sales have grown steadily with cumulative sales reaching one million vehicles in 2006, two million in 2008, three million in 2009, four million in 2010, and five million in March this year. A large percentage of the total sales are made of the pick-up derivative, named Hilux or Vigo depending on the region where it is sold.

TMC will continue to use optimal supply systems to provide vehicles that meet the needs of individual markets around the world.