GM– ARE YOU LISTENING??? I hope GM is not listening and continue making all identical cars and the customers will get sick of it. Then GM will tank in sales and BANKRUPT!!!! Can’t wait for that!

BUY FORD ONLY! Or lincoln, or jaguar, or whatever owned by Ford.

I drive a Mercury, and even you disgrace me. GM makes good cars. As for Toyota, they’ll never ever make something I’d ever buy.

I’ll root for Ford before I support GM. And while Toyota may not sell you your next vehicle #2, there are plenty of others who will.

The proof is the growing sales of Toyota to the sinking sales of GM. While I’ll never consider them to be an “enthusiasts brand” they understand the market and build one hell of an appliance. And those non-enthusiasts represent the largest portion of the market.

Agree with Paul. Toyota understands the mass-market.

let’s see the rest of the truck.

Research isn’t really that hard, is it?

http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/frame.php?file=car.php&carnum=1993

The interior obviously isn’t going to make it to production, and those lights in the side view mirrors have to go, but the rest of the exterior looks pretty awesome.

Funny, the GM basher’s in the club seem to forget the growing Worldwide sales of GM products. GM is now the #1 automaker in China, and is growing fast via GM-Daewoo (sp?) in Korea, while it’s European unit is gaining traction as well, so I don’t count GM out yet. I think every auto company in existence today (save for the 100% Chinese player’s like Chery) make fine products, including GM and Ford. And they all make some dog’s too, even mighty Toyota. If you are really an enthusiast, you realize you this and root for them all, because that’s what is the best for us, the consumer’s who buy these things !

good news as long as the LX keeps its offroad credentials and doesnt turn into an oversized crossover

Im glad tehy are now thinking in a new model, because the actual is kinda old and weird, but i cant wait to see the new model

#7 Tony, u need to wake up! The new ‘07 Tundra is based on that concept FTX truck as shown above. Where were u when they showed it to the public six months ago?? Duhhh

What happens in China and the rest of the world doesn’t change the fact that GM North American lineup is dog****. 30 years of dog**** ain’t gonna turn into gold over night. They need 30 years of good product which I don’t think GM will be as good at. They are such experts at foisting the dog**** on the public its hard to look at them otherwise

Thank you Ken! I was just going to say, the more companies, the better. Competition is good. It brings out the best products from all competitors because they’ll fight for our money. We lose if any company becomes a Standard Oil.

Must say, I’m pleasantly surprised with the photo of the concept car, its appealing, something we haven’t seen from Toyota in a long time.

In a decade……….you’ll all be buying chinese made cars at the rate things are going.

Re: #5. You deserve a Chevy, Cameron.

The new Tundra is based on the FTX… so that would mean the revamped Tundra-based Sequoia, due out soon, would definitely also be FTX based… SO DOES THIS MEAN THAT BOTH THE SEQUOIA *AND* THE NEW LANDCRUISER are gonna be FTX based? This doesn’t seem likely…

I’ve read that the LX’s replacement will be called either the VX or JX and will be related to the Sequoia, but I don’t know if this rumor is true…

And truthfully, these Japanese magazines are not very reliable at all. Guess we’ll just have to wait and see…

As for GM… I agree GM needs to take a hint from Toyota. Toyota understands the American market better- they understand that the American public is no longer going to be duped by “badge engineering” anymore… probably the reason why GM’s sales are starting to dwindle in the US. Congrats to Toyota for understanding how the mass-market works =)

Isn’t most of the Lexus line-up upgraded and badge engineered Toyota’s ?

#2: agreed.

Looks like Lexus is finally going to try and give the Range Rover a run for its money. Only a stand alone platform vehicle is going to have a chance to unseat the Range Rover as THE Luxury SUV.

Not only does Toyota understand the market, they are driving it. They have redesigned some of their perennial best-sellers in recent times (Tacoma, Avalon, Rav4, Camry, and the new Tundra), and have introduced the Yaris and the FJ Cruiser. People are buying these vehicles BEFORE THEY ARRIVE AT MY DEALERSHIP! Every other Prius, Rav4, Camry, Yaris, and FJ is PRESOLD and all make a good profit. Toyota is providing desirable products and people are buying them by the tens of thousands! Plus, there is no 0% for 60 months on ANY of the vehicles I mentioned or ANY type of rebate (unless you do a lease program on some vehicles). GO TOYOTA!!!

I don’t know that the other car companies don’t understand the market so much but just that fact that they don’t have the means financially to keep up with Toyota right now. Toyota right now is in a position where they can affort to redesign their best sellers so why wouldn’t they. If the other car companies could afford to do what Toyota is doing they would. That’s why I think there is all this talk of alliances and mergers right now. Everybody’s tring to figure out ways to keep up and compete with Toyota and I think eventually some of these other companies will figure it out. Sadly some of them won’t.

Thank you, #18.

For all the slamming of GM for sharing platforms, at least they aren’t pushing economy platforms upscale a la Toyota/Lexus and VW/Audi.

I believe the only Lexus products with a unique platform are the IS/GS. And even then, I don’t know how much of that is not Toyota-derived anyway.

The IS and GS were just rebadged Toyotas from the JDM lineup at one point. That is actually why the IS and GS when first launced in the US were such great cars. Now they are both kind of boring. Lexus does do a little bit mroe to the cars then Ford or GM does when the badge engineer. Drive a top of the line Camry or Highlander back to back with a RX330/350 or ES330/350 and you will notice a lot more refinment throughout.

#21 I have a friend who just picked-up an brand spank’in new Toyota Camry (’06 model, not the ‘07), for $6k off the sticker. The car had 125 miles on it at delivery. So don’t tell me Toyota doesn’t have discounts, ’cause I read their “Blow Out Sale” ad’s in the Sunday paper too. You Toyota lover’s are really good at fabricating bull**** !

“For all the slamming of GM for sharing platforms, at least they aren’t pushing economy platforms upscale a la Toyota/Lexus and VW/Audi.”

Cheap economy Malibu and G6 platform = Saab 9-3 and Caddy BLS
Cheap economy Yukon/Tahoe = Cadillac Escalade
Cheap economy Grand Prix = Buick Lacrosse (Still cheap but higher pricetag)
Cheap Lucerne = Caddy DTS

Now lets get into cheap 4 speed trannies and pushrod V6 motors or cheap power a la Superchargers

#18, step out of the last generation and into 2005. All lexus’ new vehicles, save the ES are built on lexus platforms. No more platform sharing w/ toyota.

I don’t care what the hell platform is based on what. However, that thing that is pictured is damn hideous. Talk about ruining the timeless design and heritage of the toyota land cruiser. The Land Cruiser was the only vehicle biult by toyota that seemed to age gracefully and with a purpose. Now it looks like a life-sized tonka trunk/space pod. I think the designers at toyota watch too many of those japanese cartoons.

Automotive News headline!!!!

REPORT: Toyota considering GM linkup

Toyota Motor Corp. is considering making a bid to link with General Motors, according to a report in BusinessWeek magazine. The move would be aimed at trumping a proposed alliance between GM and Renault-Nissan.

The magazine reported Saturday that Toyota “is considering its options and looking at different opportunities that they could propose to GM.” It said Toyota executives have “war gamed” possible scenarios by which it could help GM with its turnaround.

BusinessWeek quoted an unnamed Toyota executive who said, “Toyota has no interest in seeing an alliance like this [involving Renault, Nissan and GM] take place.”

GM CEO Rick Wagoner and Renault-Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn met Friday night in Detroit. The companies later issued a joint statement saying they will take about 90 days to explore potential benefits of a tie-up.

Wagoner hinted to Automotive News last week that deals with other automakers besides Renault-Nissan are possible.

“Could other things arise?” he said. “Sure, they could happen any time, but nothing else I can talk to you about today.”

#29- The car picture above is not the Land Cruiser but that FTX concept truck on whick the next Tundra and Sequoia will be based. But I do agree with you that basing the Land Cruiser off of the FTX would be a huge mistake. The Land Cruiser really stands apart from the rest of the Toyota line and it would unfortunate if the redesign were so radical. An off-road icon such as the Land Cruiser needs to be recognizable with its previous generations.

I don’t trust Japanese car magazines anyway. They’re not very reliable when it comes to details about future cars. One thing’s for certain though… the Land Cruiser and the LX will be completely different.

There is much talk about the new Land Cruiser VX 2007 Model. Does anyone know where I can find more information or a picture of this?

Please email your response to stephen@stargate.co.za if possible.

yup. me too… i would love to see a picture of the new vx. anyone knows where can we see it?