Toyota on the mend?

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Comments

  • angel53angel53 Member Posts: 10
    toyota car increased dramatically this year and all-out in making this car one proof that the car is not inferior to the output toyota car europe output. :D

    image
  • explorerx4explorerx4 Member Posts: 20,796
    My post had nothing to do with any $500.
    I was pointing (once again) that the big increase Feb over Feb for the Camry was due to the fact that last year none were sold for a portion of the month.
    If Feb 2010 was a normal selling days month, the percentage increase for Feb 2011 would be lower.
    2024 Ford F-150 STX, 2023 Ford Explorer ST, 91 Mustang GT vert
  • anythngbutgmanythngbutgm Member Posts: 4,277
    Global vision of the future
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Let's see March, no such excuse. Bet they're way up again.

    Buick snuck in a $1000 dealer incentive, on top of the cut-rate financing or $500 cash on the Regal, so $1500+ total cash incentives.

    Base invoice is $25,195, that means GM was only getting $23,695 minus whatever holdback for base models.

    No wonder sales were up. No way that makes a profit, though.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    edited March 2011
    "emerging markets will see an expansion of production capacity and much more localized product"

    That's crucial in places like Brazil.
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    Buick will keep growing - the Verano will bring an even lower price point. Will you consider that a luxury car?

    I think it is slated to be a luxury car that will compete again with Lexus. If it is a better car for the money look for it to further erode the Lexus sales.

    2011 Detroit: 2012 Buick Verano is a luxury Cruzing compact
    While the 2012 Buick Verano maintains a similar shape to the Cruze, the two look very different from each other and the Buick uses completely different materials for the interior to ensure that it competes with other luxury models such as the Audi A3, Lexus IS and Volvo S40.

    http://www.egmcartech.com/2011/01/10/2011-detroit-2012-buick-verano-is-a-luxury-- cruzing-compact/
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    That's stretching the truth a bit, but at least it gets unique engines, compared to the Cruze.
  • anythngbutgmanythngbutgm Member Posts: 4,277
    ensure that it competes with other luxury models such as the Audi A3, Lexus IS and Volvo S40.

    Good laugh outta that one.

    image

    Cimarrano 2.0 :D
  • anythngbutgmanythngbutgm Member Posts: 4,277
    After 3 Million Hybrids, Toyota Thinks They Are Starting To Enter The Mainstream
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    I got a chuckle watching Tom Kendall in that TV show in the Suzuki Kizashi when they tried to pitch it as a luxury/sport sedan. It's neither.

    Marketing folks are funny...
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    edited March 2011
    "With obvious references to the company’s quality missteps and suffering profitability since the downturn, the U.S. market and Toyota USA’s need for more autonomy figured prominently. Invoking images of trees, worms and fish -- and much talk of smiles -- Toyoda (above) laid out a new vision for “the company we want to be.” Toyoda began the speech by mentioning that these presentations are typically just “goals in a timeframe,” but in this case they were laying out a “new vision for us…the new company that we want to be.”

    Toyota Vision: Green Cars, Emerging Markets (AutoObserver)

    image
  • obyoneobyone Member Posts: 7,841
    edited March 2011
    Toyoda plans to do with all that "slave" labor working for Toyota? Or is that something that's a constant and being swept under a rug?
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Show me the ethical car company and I'll show you my unicorn.
  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342
    " Kizashi" ??

    Where do they come up with these stupid names?

    Suzuki is about non existent around here.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    edited March 2011
    It's a VERSAtile name that you can rav about. Except for the CR-V/Z, Honda does pretty good with their names. Too bad Acura lost it.

    There's another SX-4 in my little town. Really caught my eye this morning because it was white and spotless (my neighbor's new Edge is still pretty shiny but most of us have salt streaks all over our cars).

    I think the Buick/Toyota ratio here in the UP is around 10:1.
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    I think the Buick/Toyota ratio here in the UP is around 10:1.

    Probably about that ratio of UAW retirees in your area. The smart ones bailed out of Detroit before it crumbled.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Nobody has soaped my Nissan yet. :shades:
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,510
    Kizashi...sounds like a sneeze

    I think I've only seen one or two of them in the flesh. I do see an SX4 or little SUV now and then.
  • imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,691
    >Toyoda plans to do with all that "slave" labor working for Toyota? Or is that something that's a constant and being swept under a rug?

    I think they want to keep it buried under the roots of the tree, probably about where the "Guiding Principles" is located!!!

    2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,

  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    edited March 2011
    "In all, Toyota now sells 16 hybrid vehicle models in approximately 80 countries and regions around the world, including three commercial vehicle models in Japan. The company plans to introduce 10 new-model hybrid vehicles by the end of 2012. Whether Toyota, which outsells all other automakers in the hybrid segment, can remain on top is, for now, a matter of opinion. But none of the analysts AutoObserver Green interviewed saw Toyota being dethroned anytime soon."

    Toyota Hits 3 Million Hybrid Sales (AutoObserver)
  • smarty666smarty666 Member Posts: 1,503
    It's funny that you bring up Suzuki. There has been this TV commercial from a local Suzuki dealer of mine who keeps saying that you should come in and buy a Suzuki rather than a Honda, Toyota, Ford, or GM because Suzuki is the best selling Japanese brand.

    Which sounds great but then I was thinking to myself, really? When did that happen here?

    Then the commercial goes on to say it again, but the second time they say that Suzuki is the best selling Japanese brand "in their home country". Last time I checked this wasn't Japan. I just laugh every time I hear them say that. Suzuki is practically non existent here and even forget they are an automaker sometimes.
  • explorerx4explorerx4 Member Posts: 20,796
    maybe that includes motorcycles? :confuse:
    2024 Ford F-150 STX, 2023 Ford Explorer ST, 91 Mustang GT vert
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    edited March 2011
    " Kizashi" ??

    Bless you.

    [fin beat me to it]
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    There's another SX-4 in my little town

    Took my brother to test drive one of those, pulled 200 feet away from the dealer lot, and WHAM! We got slammed by an old Hoopti.

    Luckily the dealership handled it, and we were OK.

    200 feet was enough for him to cross it off his list. He wants something more substantial, bigger.
  • lemkolemko Member Posts: 15,261
    It sounds more like a item on the menu at Benihana. Actually "kizashi" means "something great is coming."
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    I doubt hybrids will be dethroned even by EVs, since volumes for those will be much smaller in comparison.

    When the $7500 gift incentive expires EVs could be a tough sell, too.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    edited March 2011
    Must include motorcycles because they're not #1 in cars in Japan, that's for sure.

    Hate to say it, but Suzuki is the most likely brand to go out of business in the US. Mitsubishi is #2.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Loosely translated it means "a great sneeze has come already". LOL
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    http://www.autoblog.com/2011/03/10/wikileaks-reveals-disturbing-business-practic- es-of-buffetts-byd/

    Check out the previous-gen Corolla clone from BYD.
  • nippononlynippononly Member Posts: 12,555
    HS down 74%.

    The HS is a surprise because overall hybrid sales were actually up 50.2%.

    Could it be customers are waiting for the Lexus CT, perhaps?

    Or could it be that most of the HS sales before were to dealers wanting them for their service loaners? The HS is now the exclusive model in my local dealer's service loaner fleet, and there are quite a number of them lined up there on their lot.

    I walked around the new CT last night - I much prefer it looks-wise to the Prius, and if you are going to spend $30K on a Prius (as you have to, it seems, to get the moonroof/solar panel package), you would be better off with the CT, which has the Lexus treatment (Much much MUCH better interior and 17" alloys standard, for starters) and a nice big moonroof of its own for about the same price. Of course, it makes about 8 mpg less than the Prius, but it still makes more than 40 mpg.

    2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)

  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    edited March 2011
    The HS has been outselling the MKZ Hybrid roughly 2-to-1 since it came out, in a sustained manner, and February was the first month where sales dropped significantly.

    The CT came out right at the end of the month, so I think the timing had more to do with the CT introduction vs. any loaner pools. Locally, dealers use ES models anyway.

    The CT is both cheaper and more fuel efficient than the HS. Do hybrid shoppers care about mileage? Heck, that's one of the things they care about most!

    Street pricing for the Prius fall in the $23-32k range at the local no-haggle dealer, so there will be a little overlap.

    Supply may be constrained - see my next post....
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    TOKYO -- Toyota Motor Corp. and Honda Motor Co. have suspended production at plants in Japan today and were assessing damage after an 8.9-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast, triggering a tsunami and shaking buildings violently as far away as Tokyo.

    Read more: http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110311/OEM/110319992/1117#i- xzz1GIiLR1LM

    The shutdown could affect exports to the United States of such cars as the Toyota Yaris sedan, the Scion XB and Scion XD, as well as the Honda Fit small car.

    Toyota has two parts plants in northern Japan

    They got lucky, looks like the hybrids were not affected, and the models that were are not in short supply anyway.

    Pray for the folks in the Pacific - 60 deaths and counting. :(
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-03-11/toyota-other-japanese-companies-assessi- ng-damage-from-miyagi-earthquake.html

    Toyota, Honda, Subaru, and Nissan all affected. Even a Sapporo brewery.
  • lemkolemko Member Posts: 15,261
    What models do these factories build? If they're the same as models built in U.S. factories, this could be a good thing for them as they can pick up the slack until the Japanese factories come back online.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Yaris, Scion xB and Scion xD, that I know of. I don't think they're made anywhere else so supply will be cut off.

    Should not affect the US market too much because those are relatively low volume cars here.

    Some of the tsunami video coming out from helicopters is ... there are just no words.
  • nippononlynippononly Member Posts: 12,555
    edited March 2011
    For Toyota and Honda, it's all their small models that were affected. They won't be able to pick up that slack with North American production, but in both companies' cases, they also build these models in Europe, so perhaps Europe could pick up the slack if there are going to be prolonged closures in Japan. They probably aren't able to assess whether or not that will happen yet.

    2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)

  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    prolonged closures in Japan

    Very good point - I'm sure there will be ripple effects from tier 2/3 suppliers, no doubt.

    Also, I wonder if the ports along the coast were hit hard, which could limit exports?

    The effects of this quake will cut deep, I'm afraid.
  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342
    Yes, this is horrible and there are probably countless people buried in the rubble. a 7.1 aftershock with many more to come.

    As I sit here in our house that literally straddles a huge fault!
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    edited March 2011
    Death toll now in the thousands. :cry:

    An entire bullet train is missing. Yikes.

    Pics are huge so I won't embed them...here's a shipment of Nissans that got trashed:

    http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2011/03/11/world/asia/20110311_japan-slide-C- - 28X/20110311_japan-slide-C28X-jumbo.jpg

    Waves were up to 33' high:

    http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2011/03/11/world/asia/20110311_japan-slide-E- - 33C/20110311_japan-slide-E33C-jumbo.jpg

    Incredible whirl pool that formed:

    http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2011/03/11/world/asia/20110311_japan-slide-F- - RA4/20110311_japan-slide-FRA4-jumbo.jpg

    Sendai airport:

    http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2011/03/11/world/asia/20110311_japan-slide-Y- - P21/20110311_japan-slide-YP21-jumbo.jpg

    http://msnbcmedia2.msn.com/j/MSNBC/Components/Slideshows/_production/ss-110310-j- - apanQuake/ss-110311-japanquake-12.grid-6x2.jpg

    Quake road damage:

    http://msnbcmedia2.msn.com/j/MSNBC/Components/Slideshows/_production/ss-110310-j- - apanQuake/ss-110311-japanQuake-34.grid-8x2.jpg

    Spilled milk beer:

    http://msnbcmedia4.msn.com/j/MSNBC/Components/Slideshows/_production/ss-110310-j- - apanQuake/ss-110311-japanquake-13.grid-5x2.jpg

    That's the Sapporo factory, check out all the employees on the roof. :(
  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342
    From those who are inclined, please join me in a prayer.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    I will....
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2011/03/massive_earthquake_hits_japan.html
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    From those who are inclined, please join me in a prayer.

    We started last night when we heard the breaking news report. I pray they get their nuclear reactors safely shut down. That would compound a horrible situation even more.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    They power plant lost power (ironic, no?), so the cooling system is down.

    Copying from a colleague here at works who understands this a whole lot better than I do:

    They've got a giant tank of Boron sitting right over the reactor vessel. It's not the preferred solution, but it will certainly prevent a melt down if they can't get the other cooling systems to function
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/03/11/wheelies-japan-earthquake-disrupts-ve- hicle-production/

    The least of Japan's concerns right now.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Lexus, Mini top Power survey of dealer service experience

    Read more: http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110311/RETAIL05/110319989/1- 493#ixzz1GKXzDYTh
  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342
    Not surprised given their labor rates!
  • berriberri Member Posts: 10,165
    Honestly, if it happened here, Japan, like the UK would be part of the few that would actually render us any real help. As Americans, we need to pay more attention to who our real friends in the world are.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    edited March 2011
    Don't forget that Toyota gave $1 million to the American Red Cross and matched employee contributions after 9/11. Ditto Nissan. Honda contributed 1.5 million to the United Way of NY and the Red Cross. (link).
  • iluvmysephia1iluvmysephia1 Member Posts: 7,709
    Mitsubishi's CEO stating they are not going to abandon the U.S. market. I believe them, too, why should they? They don't rely on the American market. I love our '08 Mitsubishi Lancer GTS. The car is built for safety and security, handles very much on a line and looks great.

    I will watch their new all-electric and hybrid offerings. They are working on all sorts of them now and I would like to look in to getting a 2013 Mitsubishi Lancer Hybrid GTS...in 2013 sometime.

    2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick

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