Archive for the ‘Toyota’ Category

Toyota: The Honeymoon’s Over

Saturday, February 27th, 2010

It’s just impossible to say how the Toyota recall debacle will end up but it’s hard to believe the Japanese automaker will come out the other end with its sterling reputation intact.

In a phrase, the honeymoon is over. The only question is just how much damage will Toyota suffer and how much money will it lose from a recall that involves more than 8 million vehicles.

Worse, there are reports that say executives knew of sudden acceleration, braking and steering problems with Toyota’s products years before the company was forced to recall the vehicles.

There seems to be no end to the negative stories. The latest in Atlanta, a “recalled”? Toyota Corolla crashed through the front door of a home when it unexpectedly accelerated.

We’ve seen the automotive unthinkable: Chrysler and GM bankruptcies, a government takeover of two of the three domestic automakers and now Toyota which once seemed unassailable being reduced to rudimentary ordinariness.

I don’t even want to think about what’s next.

Frank S. Washington

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Big Three Losses

Thursday, July 23rd, 2009

No, not that Big Three, it’s the other Big Three: Honda, Nissan and Toyota. The Detroit News reported that weak demand here and in their home market will cause them to report more losses when they issue earnings statements at the end of the fiscal year in Japan which was June 30th.

Toyota Motor Corp., Honda Motor Co. and Nissan Motor Co. warned investors that the early part of this year would be difficult after they sank into the red during the fiscal fourth quarter that ran to March 31. Honda and Nissan will report their results in the last week of July and Toyota on Aug. 4.

Toyota alone expects to lose 600 billion yen, that’s $6.4 billion, in the first half of the year and 250 billion yen or $2.65 billion in the second half of the year. The result will be the largest loss the automakers have ever suffered.

Honda and Nissan are each expected to report a 100 billion yen loss in the first quarter of this fiscal year.

Japan’s Big Three is reporting their worst financial results in years because of weak demand in nearly all major markets which include the U.S. and Russia where sales suddenly collapsed. Russia had become the leading market for Japanese automakers in Europe accounting for 20 to 30 percent of sales.

A global economy will certainly lift all boats but it can sink all boats as well.

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Japanese Automakers Fear Backlash

Monday, January 12th, 2009
Toyota Motor Corp. CEO Katsuaki Watanabe
As not to offend, Japanese automakers are scaling back their participation at Detroit’s North American International Auto Show in January. That’s in the wake of their cancelling their annual Christmas parties.
In contrast with previous years, the chief executives of the three biggest Japanese automakers will not attend the North American International Auto Show even though their companies are among the top six players in the U.S. auto market.
Toyota Motor Corp. recently confirmed that CEO Katsuaki Watanabe had canceled plans to travel to the Detroit show. Honda Motor Co. and Nissan Motor Co. previously said their chief executives would not attend.
The tip toeing is for good reason. It wouldn’t take much for Americans to one, sympathize with American automakers and two, to start buying American made cars. (read buy American) Japanese automakers have long feared a backlash against their products by American consumers and during these dire times the seeds of a backlash are beginning to sprout.
For instance, President-elect Barack Obama will wear a suit sewn by domestic manufacturer Hart, Schaffer and Marx rather than some British or Italian made threads. If that sentiment moves to metal, the first ones to suffer will be Honda, Nissan and Toyota.

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Toyota Keeps Rolling Along

Monday, December 22nd, 2008

Times are tight and though gasoline prices are awfully low, they’re destined to rise again. Toyota is positioning itself to take advantage.

The company announced pricing a new four cylinder powered Highlander SUV — $25,705.

The automaker says the 2.7-liter engine has improved fuel has improved fuel efficieny and performance. The vehicle itself carries an array convenience and safety features and it has the lowest MSRP in the Highlander lineup.

Also, six new Extra Value Packages will be offered on Base, Sport and Limited grades containing many of Highlanders most popular stand alone option features at substantial savings. Savings on Extra Value Packages for all three grades range from $300 on Base, up to $1,200 on Sport grades and up to $1,500 on the Limited. Three additional Extra Value Packages will be offered on Highlander Hybrid models with savings of $700 on the Limited and up to $980 on the Base grade.

The four-cylinder Highlander will be among the leaders in fuel efficiency in the gas mid-size SUV segment with EPA fuel economy estimates of 27 MPG highway, 20 MPG city and 22 MPG combined. In addition, it will be EPA-rated as an Ultra Low Emission Vehicle (ULEVII).

Highlander’s new 2.7-liter four-cylinder engine will come standard on the well-equipped Highlander grade two-wheel-drive model with two rows of seats, contributing to its all-around excellent value.

And Toyota, arguably the best automaker in the world, keeps on rolling along.

Frank S. Washington

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A Good Looking Toyota? C’Mon!

Friday, October 31st, 2008

Toyota brought reporters to Southwestern, Pennsylvania, to test drive its all new Venza; a slick, sleek five passenger crossover that goes on sale toward the end of the year. It will be a challenge; not because of the vehicle but because of the times.

There are certain expectations of Toyotas and the 2009 Venza meets and exceeds some of them. The vehicle’s styling, rarely a Toyota strong suit, is impressive. It is long, angular and has cat-like headlights.

The Venza sits higher than a Camry but lower than a Highlander. In effect, it is right in between the two and Toyota will try to market it as a car with versatility not a sport-utility vehicle. It won’t work but the Venza is a Toyota and that almost guarantees its success in the market, if not for the economic times.

The Venza has one trim level but eight equipment packages and four factory options. The goodies include a touch screen navigation system, rear seat entertainment system, Bluetooth wireless technology, smart key, a leather package, surround sound, satellite radio, MP3/WMA playback capability and there’s more stuff.

Four and six cylinder engines are available along with all-wheel or front wheel drive. And the Venza looks doggone good.

Toyota should sell the Venza based on those attributes, not the brand name. The bottom line for consumers will be, Toyota or not, “what am I getting for my money?”

Get more from http://www.toyota.com/

Frank S. Washington

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