Virtually all of Toyota's U.S.-built vehicles are destined for dealer showrooms in North America, but the shrinking market has the Japanese automaker rethinking that idea. Currently, only the Avalon is exported outside of the U.S. in fairly small numbers, with around 7,000 were exported last year to the Middle East. Toyota plans to export other vehicles, however, to help prop up production at slowed down factories, reports Reuters citing Japanese paper Asahi Shimbun.
Two vehicles currently set for export are the Sequoia SUV and the Sienna minivan. Exports of the Sequoia to the Middle East should begin later this year, while exports of the Sienna to China and other unnamed markets can begin as early as 2010. Both vehicles are produced at Toyota's Indiana factory, which has seen slowdowns in production along with its Texas plant that builds the Tundra truck.
Source: Reuters