
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, November 17, 1993                   TAG: 9311170315
SECTION: BUSINESS                    PAGE: B-6   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE: TOKYO                                LENGTH: Short

TOYOTA-GM DEAL NEAR SIGNATURE STAGE

Toyota is close to signing a deal to buy 20,000 General Motors cars a year to resell in Japan under its own brand name, company sources said Tuesday.

If the two sides reach final agreement, it would give U.S.-made cars an unprecedented entry to the Japanese market.

But the deal, estimated to be worth $200 million to GM, would do little to offset the trade imbalance between the United States and Japan. Cars and auto parts account for about three-quarters of the $50 billion annual U.S. trade deficit with Japan.

Toyota and GM have been negotiating for more than a year on the deal, said company officials who spoke on condition of anonymity. The cars would have Toyota name plates and steering wheels on the right-hand side.

- Associated Press

by CNB