MOSCOW, October 7 (RIA Novosti) -- Toyota, the world's number two carmaker by sales volume, saw vehicle sales in Russia rise by 31.59% in the first nine months of the year, to 145,400 vehicles, the company said on Tuesday.

The best selling models in the reporting period were the Corolla (47,200 units up 57.16%), the Camry (21,600 up 7.42%) and the RAV4 (18,000 up 3.6%).

In 2007, the company sold 145,500 cars in Russia.

Toyota Motor Corp. opened an assembly plant last fall in St. Petersburg.