Customers holding out for some of the most sought-after cars on sale face an uncertain wait as production dramas pile up.
Toyota has apologised to customers facing months-long delays to get hold of new cars.
Electronic parts shortages, shipping issues and coronavirus shutdowns around the world have delayed deliveries of new vehicles for many manufacturers.
Toyota is one of the worst hit, with RAV4 Hybrid and LandCruiser 70 Series customers asked to wait at least nine months to get hold of a new car.
The full-sized LandCruiser 300 is even worse off, with Toyota unable to provide thousands of customers with local arrival estimates.
The manufacturer’s vice president for sales and marketing, Sean Hanley, said Toyota “has not been able to get enough vehicles to meet demand”.
“Toyota understands your frustration, and I sincerely apologise for these delays,” he said.
“I want to thank you for your patience and assure you we are doing everything we can to get you behind the wheel of your new Toyota as soon as possible.”
Hanley is adamant Toyota will not remove equipment from its cars to speed up production.
Slowed production of the HiLux could open the door to Ford’s Ranger ute overtaking the Toyota as Australia’s favourite car.
But no brand will pass Toyota as the number one manufacturer overall this year.
The maker is on track to deliver more than 220,000 cars this year, returning its best result since 2008.
Mr Hanley addressed automotive media ahead of the local launch of the Toyota LandCruiser this month.
Supply issues for the range-topping model prompted speculation customers may have to wait as long as four years to get hold of cars.
The Toyota executive rubbished those claims, but said the brand would not be able to provide estimated delivery times for any customers until the factory restarted production of right-hand-drive models at the end of October.
New customers can still order the car without any guarantee of when it will arrive.
About 500 examples of the in-demand four-wheel-drive are already in Australia. Those models will be used as marketing and demonstrator vehicles that dealers are not allowed to sell for some time.
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