Despite the Toyota Tundra’s dramatically sliding sales since it launched in 2007, Bob Carter, Toyota group vice president and general manager, says the automaker is fully committed to the full-size pickup, according to our friends at TheDetroitBureau.com.

“We have a great truck,” Carter said at the 2010 Chicago Auto Show on Wednesday. “Yes, sales have been challenging but the [entire full-size market] has shrunk from 2.5 million units to barely 1.1 million units.”

Last year, Toyota sold 79,385 Tundra pickups, down from 196,555 in 2007, a drop off of almost 60%.

Now, Carter said, he expects to see industry sales climb as the economy comes out of recession and the construction industry -- which depends on trucks -- recovers.

“The market will come back,” Carter said. “But [full size pickups] will be a lagging segment. We think, eventually, it will come back to 1.8 million units or up to 2 million but we don’t expect it will return to its peak.”

Of course, Toyota expects the Tundra to be there when the rebound happens.

“You can bet your lunch we’ll be a major player.”

http://news.pickuptrucks.com/2010/02/toyota-committed-to-tundra-despite-slowing-sales.html