01 Camry - Made In Japan

It has to do more with volume. Originally the first Toyota produced in America was the 1NX Corolla out of Fremont, since that was the most sold car in the US at the time. Camrys are made in the US because they sell more Camrys than anything else in the US. They imported the Previa (91-97) because only about 20,000 a year sold. They are considering a plant here to produce 3G Priuses since they are selling so many here in the US.

Charles of Kankakee

Something else, sometimes they supplement US production if they can't get enough over here. I have a 93 1NX Corolla. My sister has a 95 1NX Corolla, but her boarder has a JT2 94 Corolla made in Japan. I have seen 2xx Corollas made in Canada, also here in the US in the late 90's.

Charles of Kankakee

IIRC, the first Toyota-badged vehicles to come out of the NUMMI plant was the Corolla FX 16, which was not a best-seller.

I believe all Siennas and Avalons sold in the U.S. are assembled in the U.S.

Charles of Kanakee is correct as far as volume goes. For example, if an assembly plant has the capacity to produce 200,000 vehicles a year, the manufacturer will produce a model that has enough demand in the local market to be able to sell in numbers at or close to plant capacity. If another model sells 50,000 in 1 market but 200,000 worldwide, then it would be produced at one plant and shipped to various markets from that plant.

I can't answer your specific question, Charles, but I can provide a little information:

I see a LOT of 00-01 Camry's with "J" vins here in MA, so I guess there is a fair amount. I know there is a port in Long Beach and one in Newark where the Japanese models are unloaded.

But, here's a monkey wrench: I have been seeing a LOT of '05's with "J" vins coming in, but the Content Sticker is most revealing. "US/Canadian parts: 75%, Japan Parts: 20%". BTW, where's the other 5% of the car! They look whole to me!

SO, either the Marus are bringing parts back to Japan on the return trip, or they are sending complete bodies over and installing the drive trains in Japan. The other little bit of the Content sticker says: Origin of Engine parts: Japan; Origin of Transmission parts: Japan. Final Assembly: Toyota, Aichi, Japan"

So, it seems that 75% of a Japanese Camry is made up of US parts. The reason it gets a "J" vin is due to the fact that since the final assembly point is Japan, the Certificate of Origin is drafted in Japan, hence a "J" vin.

Another little tid-bit: most of the "4" vin US made Camrys are the same parts content, and not nearly so often a US made engine and tranny in a Japanese built body! Funny, but VERY few are entirely US, since the Tacoma has the same engine and is almost entirely US.

I had less problems with my American built Sienna (2005) than my Japanese built 4Runner(2003).

Avalons are ONLY made and sold in the U.S. They were designed in the U.S. as well.

Until this year, the Lexus brand has never been sold in Japan.

They build the cars where it makes economic sense to build the cars. I am sure Toyota does not consider their U.S. built cars to be inferior to their Japanese-built cars.

Merritt

Actually the Lexus models have been sold in Japan for a long time. They were sold under the Toyota brand. . The Japanese are finding out their people like the cashe' of an expensive car even if it is the same model with a higher price and new badge, and slightly more standard options.

At least that is what the WSJ said about the upcoming debut of Lexus in Japan.

Lexus brand has not sold, but Lexus cars were sold, just badged as Toyotas.

Most of the cars sold under the Lexus badge have either been discontinued in the US (ES300 was at one time the Corona MKII) or never sold in the US before (SC300/400/430(?) is the JDM Soarer) the LS 400 was sold as the Excelsior(?) and has a sister model I REALLY need to get my hands on: The Crown Royal!!!!

For a decent picture of my new Favorite Car, look in alt.binaries.images.fun...

Yes, that is why I said "brand." I understand the Lexus brand is being introduced into Japan this year.

Merritt

The LS 400/430 is sold as the Celsior.

That's not what my EX said! (Actually, I knew something was wrong, since most Toyota models begin with the letter "C"...) Thanks for the correction!