Staff at a plant in the Aichi district about 270 km (170miles) West of Tokyo have been told to work a six-day week until next March, excluding December, due to strong demand for its luxury Celsior sedan, a company spokesman said.

Toyota received 25,000 domestic orders for the Celsior in the first month after its August 31 launch against a monthly sales target of 2,000 units. In addition, employees at two group plants would work thenext two Saturdays due to the successful August 28 launch of its remodelled Corollas, a Toyota spokeswoman said.

The firm received 34,000 domestic orders - 21,500 for remodelled Corolla sedans and 12,500 Fielder wagons - in the first month after their launch, against a target of 8,000 and 3,500 respectively per month.

Nissan said it would raise output of Bluebird Sylphy sedans, for which it received 8,500 domestic orders in the first month after its August 30 launch against a monthly target of 3,000, by asking staff to work on three Saturdays in October. Some 60 per cent of the orders so far were for the version with an ultra-low emission engine, the automaker said.

Sales of its remodelled Civic five-door hatchback and CivicFerio four-door sedan in the first two weeks after their launch on September 14 has prompted Honda to ask staff to work on October 21 and November 4 at one plant.Honda received 8,000 domestic orders against a monthly salestarget of 6,000 units.

Shares of the three automakers ended mixed on Tuesday. Toyota lost 0.23 per cent to 4,370 yen, while Honda gained 0.25 per cent to 3,930 yen and Nissan accelerated 3.19 per cent to 615 yen.