Toyota's first-quarter profit up 32%

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Toyota's first-quarter profit up 32%

Carmaker's strong overseas sales and faster-than-expected demand offset losses from weak dollar.

TOKYO (Reuters) - Toyota Motor Corp. posted a jump of 32 percent in first-quarter operating profit Tuesday as powerful sales abroad helped the manufacturer of the Lexus luxury brand and Prius hybrid cars offset losses from a weaker dollar.

Hybrid cars

Toyota is set to continue its assault with more product launches.

Among them will be the addition of more hybrid-powered vehicles, which switch between gasoline and electric power, in key U.S. markets in the next six months -- including the RX400h sport utility vehicle from the Lexus brand -- as it hopes to repeat the success of the remodeled Prius car.

In April, Toyota finished boosting production capacity of the fuel-efficient Prius to 10,000 units a month, but said Tuesday it would raise that further to 15,000 units during the first half of next year, aiming to alleviate customers' months-long wait.

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Jeff