AUTOSHOW-Top Toyota USA exec sees 'tough' first half

CHICAGO, Feb 6 (Reuters) - A top executive with Toyota Motor Corp's (7203.T) U.S. unit said on Wednesday that the Japanese carmaker expects the first half of 2008 to be a "tough" time for the industry in North America.

In an interview with Reuters at the Chicago Auto Show, Don Esmond, senior vice president for automotive operations at Toyota Motor Sales USA Inc, said, "We think the first two quarters are going to be tough."

But he predicted sales would start to improve in the third and fourth quarters.

His comments echoed ones made to Reuters earlier in the day by Troy Clarke, the head of General Motors Corp's GM.N North American unit, who predicted the first few quarters of the year would be "icky" for the industry as the slowing economy pressures U.S. consumers. (Reporting by James B. Kelleher; editing by Jeffrey Benkoe)