Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc., (NYSE: TM), today launched its most adventurous marketing campaign to date, to introduce the all-new, technologically advanced 2003 4Runner, which will arrive in dealerships beginning Oct. 15, 2002. The marketing campaign centers around the world's tallest and most daunting peak, Mt. Everest, symbolic of the vehicle's ruggedness, strength and ability to follow in the footsteps of the world's greatest adventurers and guide a new generation of thrill seekers.

The advertising campaign, shot on location in Tibet and New Zealand, captures the 4Runner's heritage of ruggedness, durability and versatility. Filmed at the 17,262-ft. elevation base camp to the summit of Mt. Everest, the production crew included Americans, Chinese and Nepalese Sherpa guides. 4Runner conquered the rugged terrain for four days before reaching the base camp. The result is an integrated broadcast, print, outdoor and interactive advertising campaign unlike any other U.S consumers have seen before.

"We went to great extremes with this marketing campaign to demonstrate the capabilities of the all-new 4Runner," said Steve Sturm, vice president of marketing, Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc. "We chose Mt. Everest, the world's most awe-inspiring adventure destination, as the centerpiece of our marketing efforts to truly communicate the 4Runner's dominance and connect its adventurous spirit with its core buyers: those who aspire to reach the ultimate peak."

In addition to the ad campaign, Toyota has partnered with Outdoor Life Network (OLN), which will produce a made-for-TV event titled "Global Extremes: Mt. Everest - 4Runners of Adventure." "Global Extremes" will challenge qualifying, highly skilled, amateur athletes grouped in teams in a series of grueling eliminations in such places as Moab, Utah; Elk Mountain, Colo.; Kalahari, North Cape, South Africa; Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo and Iceland, accomplishing such feats as mountain biking, trekking, running, climbing, caving and more. The challenges will eliminate all but five participants who will then attempt an ascent on Mt. Everest - televised live - to commemorate the 50th anniversary of world-renowned adventurer Sir Edmund Hillary's ascent. The teams will pursue challenges while the 4Runner will play a prominent role in each individual expedition. Global Extremes will be a major television event broadcasting on OLN and ABC. The ascent on Mt. Everest will be carried live on OLN.

CAMPAIGN HIGHLIGHTS

Broadcast:
The broadcast campaign features one :60 and three :30 spots of the new 4Runner as it travels through Tibetan landscape ultimately reaching Mt. Everest, the biggest mountain on Earth. Honoring the first man who made the path, the spots also include original interview footage of Sir Edmund Hillary at his home in New Zealand chronicling his thoughts on the rigors of what anyone who braves Mt. Everest will face. The spots premiere in October on network primetime programming and will be further supported in cable and spot TV. The 2003 Toyota 4Runner marketing campaign was developed by Saatchi & Saatchi Los Angeles, Toyota's agency of record for the last 27 years.

Print:
The intriguing print campaign features the 4Runner tackling Mt. Everest with a bold, oversized number as an attention-drawing headline that expresses the temperature and altitude, communicating the challenges Mt. Everest presents and the environment in which the 4Runner is capable of performing. Headlines read: "-11 Degrees…Jaw Bone Chatters. Spine Shivers. Engine Roars." and "17,267 Ft.…Nerves Fray. Muscles Twitch. Engine Roars." Print ads will break in the November issues of consumer and enthusiast magazines, including: Automobile, Backpacker, Autoweek, Car & Driver, Cycle World, Fortune, Men's Health, Motor Trend, National Geographic, National Geographic Adventure, Outside, People, Runner's World, Road & Track, Smart Money, Sport Truck, Sporting News, Sports Illustrated, Time, Truck Trend, and 4-Wheel and Off-Road. In addition, national and regional newspaper print ads will break in October, including an Oct. 25, 2002 spread in USA Today.

Outdoor:
Outdoor media will break Oct. 15, 2002, with boards across the country, including a video board in New York's Times Square. The creative will be synergistic with the 4Runner TV and print shot at Mt. Everest.

Interactive:
The 4Runner marketing campaign will include an aggressive and innovative interactive and on-line advertising presence beginning October 2002. Toyota has partnered with Yahoo! on an extensive campaign to generate additional exposure for the OLN "Global Extremes" program. The Global Extremes Web site (www.yahoo.com/globalextremes) will include athlete profiles, challenge updates and video highlights allowing users to track each step of the athletes’ journeys through the event on the Web site and wireless phones.

In addition to outdoor, sports and news Web site presence, the Toyota 4Runner will have dominance within the weather category through an exclusive sponsorship of snow reports on Mobliss wireless alerts and sites such as weather.com, accuweather.com and weatherbug.com.

At toyota.com, consumers will be able to access a three-dimensional technology module that will demonstrate 4Runner's advanced technology features. A destinations section will feature 50 off-road adventures. Each month, a well-known adventurer will take the 4Runner to a featured location and offer readers tips and advice on planning their own adventure.

ABOUT THE ALL-NEW 2003 TOYOTA 4RUNNER

For 17 years, 4Runner has been Toyota's high-volume, high-image SUV leader with sales of more than 1.2 million units since its introduction in 1985. During that time, 4Runner has delivered on a promise of legendary off-road capability with a style and an image that is aspirational, youthful, sporty and most of all, genuine. It has set the standard in the mid-size SUV class for ruggedness, dependability, and day-in and day-out versatility.

The all-new, fourth generation 2003 Toyota 4Runner raises the bar and improves upon the vehicle’s core strengths with technologically advanced features such as a Downhill/Hill-Start Assist Control, X-REAS Sport Enhancement Suspension, and a Torsen Center Differential. For the first time in a 4Runner, Toyota will offer its 4.7-liter V8 engine as well as a new 4.0-liter V6. The all-new Toyota 4Runner V8 will arrive at dealerships in mid October 2002, and the V6 will be available beginning January 2003.