Hopes for strong new car sales in 2011 at Toyota of Albany were washed away in the tsunami that hit Japan in March.  For seven months after the tsunami, availability of new Toyotas was severely constrained.

"Although total units sold for the industry increased year over year in 2011, our new car sales were down," said Mike Neves, general manager for Toyota of Albany.  "But December was one of the best months in years in terms of new units sold."

Momentum that built in the last month of 2011 and new product plans point to a big year for Toyota of Albany in 2012.  Production is back to 100 percent and Toyota has plans to launch several new models and new designs for existing models in 2012.

Doubling Hybrid Sales Nationally

According to Neves, Toyota is working to double its U.S. hybrid sales in 2012.  A major part of those plans will be the launch of a plug-in Prius with a bigger battery pack, which enables the car to go farther and faster on electric power alone.  A second-generation Camry hybrid is also planned for 2012, which will be lighter and more efficient.

"As long as gas remains at $3 to $4 per gallon, hybrids will remain popular," Neves said.  "With a goal of doubling sales, we should see more availability of the Prius and other hybrid models," Neves said.

In addition, the Camry is redesigned for 2012 with better handling and updated exterior styling.  Unchanged are the Camry's reputation for quality and problem-free operation, according to Car and Driver magazine.

"The Camry and Corolla are the number one and two best-selling cars in the world," Neves explained.  "They are our biggest sellers in Albany and it's due to their fuel economy and reliability."

Under New Management

Neves joined Toyota of Albany in November.  He has been with Toyota for 11 years.  His goal is to ensure Toyota of Albany is the dealership of choice in the area, "where meeting expectations is our business, exceeding them is our goal."

To that end, the dealership has offered since November an innovative used car warranty.  Offered exclusively by Toyota of Albany, the seven years or 250,000-mile limited powertrain warranty is good on all pre-owned vehicles that have less than 100,000 miles on the day of sale.  Certain maintenance requirements apply.  Cars must be serviced regularly at Toyota of Albany.

"We're the only dealer offering this warranty in Albany," he said.  "It gives people confidence when buying a used car that they are getting a great value and peace of mind."

The dealer also continues to grow its online presence, as the Internet is the go-to destination for people researching a potential car purchase.  The dealer's site was built to be user-friendly and is an up-to-date representation of available options and packages.

"People are more informed today when they come into the showroom and it helps speed up the purchase process," Neves continued.

"We know there is a lot of competition out there so we work to ensure our listings and pictures are in the places where people go online to research cars."

More information on Toyota of Albany is available at www.toyotaofalbany.com or call (229) 436-7751.