Toyota Motor Corp. unveiled the remodeled Celsior luxury sedan Thursday as part of its efforts to compete with quality European automobiles.

Toyota President Fujio Cho said the Celsior -- with an engine displacement of 4,300cc -- will be launched abroad in October as the Lexus LS430.

The company said the car has expanded cabin and luggage space, smooth acceleration and environmental technology that reduces emissions of harmful gases by 75 percent from the levels permitted under Japan's 2000 exhaust emission regulation, which takes effect in October.

Optional extras include a system that allows drivers to contact local police or fire stations through an operation center when an accident or medical emergency occurs; an electronic toll collection system that allows passage through tollgates without stopping; and a system that enables drivers to open doors and start the engine without inserting the key.

Toyota's monthly sales goal is 2,000 units for the domestic market and 2,600 units for overseas markets, Cho said. The car is priced between 5.4 million yen and 7.3 million yen.

Exports lift output

Production of cars, trucks and buses in Japan increased 0.9 percent in July from a year earlier to 895,284 units, up for the sixth consecutive month, the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association said Thursday.

Association officials attributed the rise to brisk exports.

Japan's 11 automakers produced 735,212 cars, up 3.1 percent from the same month of last year, 155,048 trucks, down 8.8 percent, and 5,024 buses, up 12.5 percent.

Output of cars with engine displacements larger than 2,000cc surged 8.9 percent to 297,271 units, while that of smaller cars decreased 0.3 percent to 327,334 units. Production of minicars with engines up to 660cc in size dropped 0.9 percent to 110,607 units.

Total output during the January-July period reached 6.06 million, up 4.2 percent from the same period last year.

As for exports in July, the automakers shipped 395,370 vehicles, up 6.3 percent on a year-on-year basis, due to the brisk U.S. auto market and the economic recovery in Asia, the association said.

The makers exported 336,492 cars, up 7.9 percent from a year earlier, 55,113 trucks, down 2.3 percent, and 3,765 buses, up 7.1 percent.

Exports to the European Union increased 1.2 percent to 93,248 units, the first increase in nine months.

U.S.-bound exports rose 7 percent to 140,228 units, up for the sixth consecutive month, while shipments to Asian markets jumped 53.6 percent to 39,286 units, up for the 16th consecutive month.