Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. says it may exceed its midterm target for U.S. sales of its Suburu cars on stronger than expected demand and the introduction of a new Forester sport utility vehicle.
The automaker could sell 400,000 units in the U.S. in fiscal 2015, compared with an earlier forecast for 380,000, according to Takeshi Tachimori, chief executive officer of Fuji Heavy's U.S. unit. The company plans to sell 324,000 vehicles in the U.S., its largest market, in the year ending March 31.
"All models are selling well this year," Tachimori said Wednesday. "We will introduce the new Forester by the end of this fiscal year, which is expected to further boost sales."
Fuji Heavy sold about 102,000 vehicles in North America last quarter, almost half the worldwide total of 208,000 according to data compiled by Bloomberg. The carmaker produced 49,000 vehicles in the U.S. in the three months that ended on Dec. 31, compared with 147,000 in Japan, according to the data.
FHI may shift production of one model to the U.S. from Japan, contingent on an increase in capacity, Tachimori said.
Toyota wins green honor
KyodoToyota Motor Corp. has been named the "best global green brand" for the second straight year for producing fuel-efficient vehicles like the Prius plug-in hybrid that can be recharged at home, U.S. consulting firm Interbrand Corp. said Tuesday.
U.S. pharmaceutical maker Johnson & Johnson Services Inc. came in second, followed by Honda Motor Co., which rose from seventh place last year.