AUSTRALIAN car sales are defying world trends with increased fleet demand for vehicles last year continuing into 2003.

John Conomos, senior executive vice-president of Toyota Motor Corporation, Australia, told delegates at an industry conference for fleet managers that competition between the three main brands in the country – Holden, Toyota and Ford – was intense.

'Last year's all-time record of 824,000 deliveries came on the back of a much stronger commercial vehicle market,' said Conomos at the Australasian Fleet Managers' Association annual conference. 'As well as increased business demand and small and light vehicles.'

With sport utility vehicles standing out as the highest growth sector, he said the 2003 market would achieve another record and although large six-cylinder car sales fell last year, they are already increasing in 2003.

He added that the Australian-built Toyota Camry, launched in the final quarter of 2002, has attracted greater interest from fleets than expected.