Toyota Motor is planning to end sales of its Camry sedan model in Japan as it shifts focus to countries where the car is more popular. The Japanese automaker has informed dealerships in Japan that it will discontinue production of the Camry for domestic customers by year-end, though it will continue production for export purposes.
Toyota has already stopped taking most new orders and will end domestic sales in phases. New Camry models in development will only be sold in foreign markets.
Toyota Camry Hybrid
The Camry, which has sold over 1.3 million units in Japan since 1980, is Toyota's global strategic car, alongside the Corolla. The sedan, whose name comes from the Japanese word for "crown," is manufactured in the US, China, and Japan's Aichi Prefecture, and has been particularly popular in the US, where over 13 million units have been sold. However, in Japan, sales of the Camry have dwindled, with fewer than 6,000 sold last year. Toyota has therefore decided to concentrate on tailoring the sedan for international markets.
Although the Camry has faced competition from SUVs in recent years, it still enjoyed global sales of approximately 600,000 units in 2022. However, Toyota has deemed it has completed its role in Japan, particularly as it shares similar designs and customer demographics with the all-new Toyota Crown, which launched last year.
Source: Nikkei Asia
