TOYOTA GB will remember 2002 as its tenth year of record vehicle sales in the United Kingdom. The star player in the line-up was the new UK-built Corolla launched in January last year.

Corolla won over a great many converts thanks to its contemporary European styling and a humorous edge to its award-winning advertising.

The statistics summarising Toyota GB's year are:

• 121,227 total vehicle sales (Toyota and Lexus passenger cars and Toyota commercial vehicles) - a new record and the 10th consecutive year of growth.

• Total Toyota brand sales of 111,775, an increase of 7.6 per cent, a new record and ahead of the 4.3 per cent market growth.

• Total parts and accessories sales of £123.1 million - a growth of 6.6 per cent over 2001 and a new record for the fourth consecutive year.

“These record results were achieved in the face of a number of business challenges,” said Graham Smith, managing director of Toyota (GB) Plc.

“The competitive environment has been extremely aggressive with an escalation in discounting in a tactically driven market.”