Prius for the Tokyo Olympics are coming to the used car market one after another…! Unexpected Background

During the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, the former site of Tsukiji Market in Chuo-ku, Tokyo, was used as a parking lot for Toyota and other vehicles used in the operation of the Games.

When I visited the site again in early September, I found that a large number of Toyota vehicles wrapped with the Olympic specifications were still there. “The distinctive feature of these vehicles is their white bodies with red coloring, designed to resemble a “goal tape. What will happen to these cars now?　Most of them will be sold as “used cars”.

Kumiko Kato, an automotive journalist, says.

As Kumiko Kato, an automotive journalist, explains, “Toyota provided about 3,700 vehicles for the Tokyo Olympics. Of these, about 2,700 were used. Of these, about 2,700 will be sold on the used car market. Of these, about 2,700 will be sold in the used car market. About 500 of them are the first generation “MIRAI about 500 and Prius PHV About 500 About 90% of them are electric vehicles such as hybrids. About 90% of these vehicles are hybrid and other electric vehicles. Used car stores affiliated with Toyota dealers nationwide that sell Toyota Certified Pre-Owned Vehicles have already started selling them.

These “Tokyo Orypara Cars” are said to be very popular in the used car market right now. A source at a major used car dealer in Japan told us, “The Corona disaster is having a big impact on the market.

“As a result of the Corona disaster, production of new cars is being cut back, so used cars are extremely popular. Prices have risen, and popular cars are in short supply. In this situation, nearly 3,000 Toyota vehicles with Olympic specifications are on the market. In this situation, the fact that nearly 3,000 Toyota vehicles with Olympic specifications are coming to the market is very welcome. After all, most of them have less than 1000km Most of them have less than 1,000km on them and look almost new. They are in excellent condition, and best of all, they can be delivered immediately.

Due to the spread of the new coronavirus, factories in Southeast Asia have been shut down, making parts procurement difficult, and factories in Japan have been cutting back on production, causing delays in the supply of new vehicles. As a result, in the booming used car market, it is no surprise that the “Tokyo Olypmics” cars are popular because they are “as good as new and can be delivered immediately” and also because they were used in the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics.

One of the car dealers told us, “Right after the sale, the number of cars was 5 to 10.

“We used to be able to buy five or six of these cars right after the sale started, but now it’s a fierce bidding war, and it’s hard to get one. It’s no longer a competition among dealers.

In early September, I took a peek at Car Lotz Iruma, a large-scale Toyota certified pre-owned car store in Iruma City, Saitama Prefecture, and found an array of “Tokyo Ollipala Cars” that were about to go on sale. Carrots Iruma As a used car dealership directly affiliated with Toyota Motor Corporation, the store had a wide range of vehicles including Lexus, Alphard, Hilux, and other models with Olympic specifications that are not available at regular dealers. However, there were no prices yet.

A search on GAZOO, Toyota’s official used car site, turned up a number of used Prius PHVs with the claim, “These vehicles were used in the operation of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games. All of them are in very good condition, with years between 2020 and 2021 and mileage of less than 1,000km.

However, the price is not that high, around 3 million yen. Why is this so?

“There is a contradiction in the fact that while these cars have a premium as vehicles used for the Tokyo Olympics, the fact that they have Tokyo Olympics wrapping on their bodies makes them less desirable as used cars. Therefore, it doesn’t seem to have much effect on the actual selling price. Nevertheless, they are very popular, so information on cars uploaded to used car sites quickly disappears.

Incidentally, I have heard that the rule is to sell the car as is, without removing the Olympic-spec wrapping. However, there is no problem in removing the wrapping after the user has purchased it. There are some dealers who will introduce you to a company that can remove the wrapping for a fee.

If you have a passion for the Tokyo Olympics and are looking for a used car, it is well worth considering.