Toyota is heading for its fifth consecutive year of record European sales. For the first eight months of this year sales reached 451,670 units. The launch of the new Corolla range is expected to help push the company to its sales objective of 800,000 units or 5% of European market share by 2005.

Takis Athanasopoulos, Toyota Motor Europe Marketing and Engineering executive vice-president and chief operating officer, said: "We are well on schedule, if not ahead of our objective of 800,000 units. To support our growth in Europe, we will boost production capacity in the region."

In Deeside engine production and assembly will more than double to 400,000 units per year by 2003. Vehicle production in Burnaston will rise to 220,000 units in 2002.