Toyota Europe sees sales rebounding after recall crisis, but puts profits before volumes

Toyota Europe sales rebound from recall crisis

PARIS — Toyota Europe’s chief says sales have rebounded from a slump following massive recalls that tainted the automaker’s reputation for quality.

Didier Leroy says sales are expected to reach 800,000 units this year — the target set by the automaker in January, before it recalled some 2 million vehicles in Europe among 8.5 million worldwide.

The Toyota Motor Europe president said the recall slowed European sales to a rate closer to 700,000 this year. He spoke to reporters ahead of the Paris auto show opening on Thursday.

Leroy said he aims to return to 1 million annual car sales — a level last seen in 2008 — but not for another three to five years. But he said profits were more important than volumes.