Summit Notebook

If there’s been something most of the guests have discussed this week at the annual Reuters Autos Summit, it’s been leasing.

While Chrysler recently stopped leasing and Ford and General Motors have lessened their reliance on it, Toyota’s president of U.S. sales Jim Lentz said on Tuesday that his company plans to keep on leasing.

Lentz, one of the featured speakers at this year’s summit, said that while Toyota did not expect to see any big pickup in leasing, it will still play a large part in their overall sales.

Lentz said it was unclear whether US shoppers would increase their interest in leasing due to tough economic times, but he feels leasing should remain an important part of the discussion and Toyota will remain in the space.

The annual Autos Summit will continue through Thursday in Detroit. Next up — Reuters first-ever Restructuring Summit on Sept. 22-26.