Tesla Model 3 Topples Camry As Best-Selling Aussie Car — Triggers Toyota 'Response'

Tesla Inc’s TSLA Model 3 has snagged the best-selling car tag in Australia from Toyota Motor Corporation’s TOYOF Camry.

What Happened: The Camry was all set to emerge as Australia’s best-selling car for the 29th year in running, but the Elon Musk-led automaker delivered 1,806 Model 3 vehicles in December, bringing the total such cars delivered in 2022 to 10,877, reported Electrek.

Toyota delivered 9,538 units in 2022 and therefore Tesla ended Camry’s 28-year reign as Australia’s best-selling car, according to the report. 

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Why It Matters: The upset appears to have caused Toyota to reword a press release that made reference to Camry as an Australian best-seller. 

The Japanese automaker said, “Toyota vehicles were the best-selling models in nine market segments last year: Corolla (small cars), Camry (medium cars <$60K), RAV4 (medium SUVs), LandCruiser Prado (large SUVs), LandCruiser wagon (upper large SUVs), HiAce (light buses), HiAce (vans), HiLux (4×2 PU/CC) and HiLux (4×4 PU/CC),” according to Electrek. 

The addition of  “less than $60,000” in the release indicates that Toyota was taken by surprise by Tesla pipping it, noted Electrek. 

In Australia, the Model 3 starts at $64,000, while the Carmy does so at $30,000.

In December, it was reported that Tesla Model Y could be the bestselling vehicle in 2023 globally. In 2021, Model Y was the 19th best-selling vehicle globally.

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