Toyota Motor Poland sets sights on Opel's pole position

The crisis in the automotive market has not affected everybody. Toyota Motor Poland (TMP) has registered the sector's strongest sales dynamics and intends to climb above its chief competitors, Opel and Renault. In the January-October period of 2002 Toyota sold more than 20,000 cars - 51.6% more than over the same period last year - and its market share amounted to 8%. "We want to take Opel's place. This year alone we will sell 24,000 cars and next year the number will increase," said TMP president Makoto Seki. President of General Motors Poland and Opel Polska, Romuald Rytwinski, refused to comment this statement. According to market insiders, Toyota's successes were the result of a good marketing campaign in conjunction with competitively-priced cars. Also, "Toyota has developed a network of service centers located even in small towns," said the president of the Polish Automotive Chamber, Stefan Bielinski. (Puls Biznesu, p. 8) A.Z.