Toyota New Zealand Limited is the importer and distributor of new Toyota and Lexus vehicles to New Zealand. It also imports used vehicles from

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and refurbishes them at its former assembly plant in Thames. Until 1998 it also assembled a variety of completely knocked down vehicles from imported and New Zealand materials. Administration is from Palmerston North. There is a national sales office and import administration office in Auckland.

Local manufacturing

:''See Automotive industry in New Zealand'' From the mid-1960s Toyota sold a variety of its vehicles to its New Zealand sole agent, locally owned vehicle import-licence holderImport licensing announced in 1938 and introduced in 1939 allowed the government to issue licences in such proportions and to such persons or businesses as it might choose. Local businessmen convinced officials of the low prices and high quality of Japanese vehicles and licences were issued. It was politically unacceptable to issue new licences directly to foreigners or to strip licences from New Zealand owned and operated businesses in favour of foreigners. and vehicle distributor Consolidated Motor Industries incorporated in November 1965. Toyota owned no New Zealand import system or distribution or dealership chain but worked towards acquiring a shareholding in Consolidated. Consolidated Motor Industries was renamed in November 1970 Consolidated Motor Distributors.and, as shareholders changed, Toyota New Zealand Limited in May 1979.A McEwan, ‘’Developing Economies’’
Heritage Consultancy Services report to Thames-Coromandel District Council 2010 Consolidated Motor Industries ( Cable Price Downer and Wright Stephenson later a part of

Challenge Corporation Wright Stephenson was a stock and station agency founded in Dunedin, New Zealand, in 1861. Foundation and development The business was begun in 1861 as Wright, Robertson, & Co. by partners John T. Wright and Robert M. Robertson as a result of ...

) arranged for the

completely knocked down A knock-down kit (also knockdown kit, knocked-down kit, or simply knockdown or KD) is a collection of parts required to assemble a product. The parts are typically manufactured in one country or region, then exported to another country or region ...

Toyota vehicles to be assembled by Steel Motor Assemblies in Christchurch —first vehicle was a Corona in February 1967,Patrick Harlow, ''New Zealand Manufactured Cars'', Wilsonscott, Christchurch 2013 and Campbell Motor Industries in Thames —first was a Corolla in April 1968. Over the next 25 years Toyota slowly acquired ownership of these three businesses completing acquisition in 1992 and during that intervening period when they gained control of them renaming them Toyota New Zealand (previously Consolidated Motor Distributors), Toyota New Zealand Christchurch and Toyota New Zealand Thames. Locally produced

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were also used, and included items such as tyres, seats, trims, glass,

car audio Vehicle audio is equipment installed in a car or other vehicle to provide in-car entertainment and information for the vehicle occupants. Until the 1950s it consisted of a simple AM radio. Additions since then have included FM radio (1952), 8 ...

and consumable items. Vehicles that were locally assembled were Toyota Starlet,

Corolla Corolla may refer to: *Corolla (botany), the petals of a flower, considered as a unit *Toyota Corolla, an automobile model name * Corolla (headgear), an ancient headdress in the form of a circlet or crown * ''Corolla'' (gastropod), a genus of moll ...

, Corona, Crown, Cressida, Hilux, LiteAce, Land Cruiser and HiAce. Assembly ended in Christchurch in September 1996 and in Thames October 1998.75 Years of Toyota
accessed 22 April 2016 Toyota's remaining factory at Thames became a refurbishment centre for the resale of used imports from Japan, designated as Signature Class. During 1998 tariffs on cars imported fully assembled ended as the final step of a long-term

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plan for the industry. The remaining four local assemblers —

Mitsubishi The is a group of autonomous Japanese multinational companies in a variety of industries. Founded by Yatarō Iwasaki in 1870, the Mitsubishi Group historically descended from the Mitsubishi zaibatsu, a unified company which existed from 1870 ...

(June),

Nissan , trade name, trading as Nissan Motor Corporation and often shortened to Nissan, is a Japanese multinational corporation, multinational Automotive industry, automobile manufacturer headquartered in Nishi-ku, Yokohama, Japan. The company sells ...

(July), Honda (August) and Toyota (October)— all ended local assembly and switched to importing fully built-up vehicles. Cars manufactured in

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

, including Toyota Australia's Camry, were already being imported into New Zealand duty-free under the

Closer Economic Relations The Australia–New Zealand Closer Economic Relations Trade Agreement, commonly known as Closer Economic Relations (CER), is a free trade agreement between the governments of New Zealand and Australia. It came into force on 1 January 1983, but ...

(CER) agreement.

Importing

New vehicles

New Toyota and Lexus vehicles are sourced from Japan (Corolla, HiAce, RAV4, Yaris, GR Yaris, Land Cruiser, 86, Previa, Prius, Camry), Austria (GR Supra), Thailand (HiLux, Fortuner, Corolla) and the United States of America (Highlander).

Used vehicles

Toyota New Zealand imports used Toyotas purchased in Japan and certifies them to specific standards at the Thames Vehicle Operations facility. Ex-lease Toyotas originally sold new in New Zealand are refurbished and sold under Toyota NZ's "Signature Class" brand.Signature Class
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Distribution

Toyota New Zealand sells new Toyota and Lexus vehicles as well as used vehicles, parts and service. The key operations are at three widely separated locations: the National Customer Centre in Palmerston North, ''Signature'' Vehicle Operations in Thames and a Port of Entry facility and Corporate Sales Office in Auckland. In 2014 Toyota celebrated 27 years of vehicle market leadership in New Zealand.

Notes

References

External links

Official website of Toyota New Zealand
{{Authority control New Zealand Companies based in Palmerston North Automotive companies of New Zealand Motor vehicle assembly plants in New Zealand