( dpa ) - Toyota boasted Friday a 10 per cent rise in European sales of its cars in 2007, the 11th straight annual gain in sales.
Europeans last year bought 1.24 million Toyota and Lexus cars, Toyota Motor Europe said in Cologne. Together, the two marques achieved a market share of 5.6 per cent. Of the total, 53,800 were Lexus models. Lexus is the Toyota premium brand.
The Japanese-based maker hailed Russia as its most favourable market, with sales rising 55 per cent in just one year to 157,900 cars, followed by Italy and Britain.
German sales of 132,550 were steady, and yielded a market share of 4.2 per cent for that country. It is the biggest import brand on the German market.
The group has set a target of lifting 2008 sales in Europe by a further 5 per cent.
Tadashi Arashima, chief executive of Toyota Europe, said green technologies would be a key selling point, with Toyota to offer ways for drivers to reduce their carbon dioxide emissions.
About two thirds of Toyota cars sold in Europe are also manufactured in Europe, at plants in France, Britain, Poland, Turkey and the Czech Republic. A further plant was inaugurated last month in St. Petersburg, Russia.