IT MAY BE dark times for the likes of Chrysler and GM, but Toyota US is expecting new car sales to boom there in the near future. Accordingly, the manufacturer will be ramping up production of its most popular models, with the Corolla, Camry, RAV4, Tacoma, Tundra and Sienna at the top of the list.

Total US production will increase by 65,000 vehicles over the next three months, which Toyota hopes will be enough to take advantage of a resurgence in new car sales.

The marque sold 21 percent more cars in May than it did in April this year, and while May’s total was 39.5 percent under that of May 2008, the improvement in month-by-month sales indicates buyers are slowly trickling back into showrooms.

But what of those huge inventories of unsold vehicles that were said to be clogging storage yards across North America? Well, according to Toyota USA General Manager Bob Carter, total supply of inventoried stock has fallen from 62 days to 41 days in the space of a month.

“We see a turnaround coming. We may be witnessing a slight rebound in the industry,” Mr Carter said.