• Bloomberg, Reuters, NY Sports Marketing, Friday, March 12, 2010 10:56 AM

Toyota wants to regain most of the market share it has lost in the U.S. during past two months within 2010, according to Don Esmond, svp of Toyota's U.S. sales unit. Its target is as high as 16.7% of new-car deliveries -- the same as 2008 and slightly lower than last year.

"The brand got tarnished," Esmond tells Jeff Green. "But I don't think it rusted the armor all the way through." Toyota expects to finish a campaign next month that will reassure the U.S. sales force about the company's outlook.

Meanwhile, Reuters reports that thanks to 0% financing offers and other incentives, Toyota's U.S. sales surged by nearly 50% in the first eight days of March compared with a year ago, according Edmunds.com. Several observers, however, doubt that the frantic pace of sales is sustainable.

And Barry Janoff reports in NY Sports Marketing that Toyota has renewed a marketing deal with the Indianapolis Colts, signing a three-year pact to remain as "official vehicle" of the team.

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