Just like Toyota went out there on a limb with Hybrid tech while stodgey Americans scoffed, well look who now has to “license” that tech from Toyota to use it in their “oh my God, we better get some of those to the market too” hybrids from Ford. Toyota could easily do this. They could simply build the Corolla in China, under strict oversight. Tah Dah!… A Toyota designed and engineered product made by people who work for a 2.00 an hour and don’t get health care. This is definately doable. The American auto industry is quickly going the way of the American electronics industry. In a couple of years it won’t exist at all. The name plates may still be around, bought and sold by companies with names like Chang Feng, Great Wall, Cherry, etc. but it’ll just be a way to market a foreign product to older Americans. I hope no one thinks all those products carrying the monikers of old American companies like Fischer, White Westinghouse, RCA are actually American products from American companies?

Heck, just a few years ago, Haier (a Chinese appliance company) came within a breath of purchasing the iconic Maytag name. Simply to brand Haier made products and sell them in the U.S. to your grandma…who “trust the Maytag name”. The big three ought to just close up shop. Have you seen Fords earnings for 2006? Please. It’s not realy even the big 3 anymore, it’s the big 2. Everyone forgets that Chrysler is now a German company. One down, two to go.

mujician I’d like you to, comparatively, post all the dozens and dozens and dozens of articles that show domestics to have awful reliability compared with the Japanese, that’d well, only be fair (also include their recalls, thanks)

Competitive Connection
January 2, 2007

A look at the competition
Toyota recalls more vehicles in the U.S. than it sold last year prompting
study of Vehicle Development Process
Last year, Toyota recalled 2.38 million vehicles in the U.S. — more than
the 2.26 million vehicles Toyota sold in that year. This statistic resulted
in a formal review by Toyota to determine what needed to change. After a
two-month review of its product development process, the significant lessons
learned include:
1. Engineers in some cases may have rushed out products without conducting
enough quality checks, nor building a sufficient number of physical
prototypes.
2. Toyota also concluded that it outsourced engineering perhaps more than it
should have, and relied on computer-aided engineering and other computer
analysis too much.
3. Toyota is determined to build more physical prototypes in the future to
quell recalls and quality glitches.

Other actions taken as a result of the study include the decision to slow
down Toyota’s ambitious growth plans around the world. Each product plan
in every market was reviewed to determine whether to delay, cancel,
reallocate or proceed. This review was in response to product recalls and
other quality problems.

Even as it slows down the pace of new product introductions, Toyota still
wants to extend its business in every segment (of the auto market) in every
region of the world. Toyota sees its growth coming from three key efforts:
1. To transform its Lexus premium brand, a North American-only franchise
today, into a more global premium franchise;
2. To launch low-cost $6,000 to $7,000 cars in emerging markets around the
world;
3. To develop commercial vans that would compete globally, including in
Europe and North America. (Source: Wall Street Journal 12/11/2006)

Despite the recalls at Toyota, GM brands still lag behind most of our
transplant competition when it comes to the public’s “trust” perception,
according to Strategic Vision Inc.

Toyota has a model called the Avanza which they made together with Daihatsu that’s quite a reliable little car and it’s much cheaper than a Yaris. Toyota makes some crap but hella durable models for markets outside the US but they’ll never pass the US safety regulation. Same as Honda with the Edix, Elyssion, and other cool but unreliable models which would definitely taint their reputation if sold in US regardless of how cool they are. Nice toys though for those who can afford the repairs.

It makes sense, and was part of the reson that Hnda intorduced the Fit, Nissan the Versa, etc. what originally had been entry-level vehicles have been creeping up-market since their introduction, and therefore losing some of the entry-level buyers that can become brand-loyal. For those for whom a car is simply a trnasportation appliance to move them from point A to point B, or for whom the cost is a real mitigating factor, an inexpensive but well made vehicle would be an obvious choice.

I think if you check out the FusionChallenge web-site, you might see a Ford Fusion that is competing, and in many areas, passing the Camary and Accord. It is a start for the Ford world, well hopefully a start and not just a blip.

P.S. sorry for any english errors. thanks

But really, if it’s cheap and has Toyota on it, it will sell. The mid 90’s Toyota Corolla was hella cheap and proven reliable, if they can make something like that for let’s say $7K, it will still sell. Though the required safety features of today will be the main reason for the higher price.

Toyota will get rich selling these small cars in America, since most immigrants and low class people can’t afford a new car, and a used one will be a cost multiplier.

I say good move, toyota!

wonder what’s it going to cost?

bigjob: It’s not the types of cars coming from the big 3 that I hate on, it is the quality OF these cars, why don’t you get that. I’m not hating a Malibu because I’m not in the market for a family sedan, I hate it because it’s made with cost cutting materials and has a lack of quality compared with the Japanese competition. Personally I’m not in the market for a family sedan, but I still like the Subaru Legacy because it is GOOD at what it does, it’s quality, it’s fun to drive, whereas the Malibu fails in all of those regards. So you see, telling me to open my mind and think out of the box to American products that I might not be interested in is pointless, because I’m not disliking them on that level, it’s their quality, or lack thereof, that I have a problem with

Get used to it folks.

Brendino, I agree GM is trying to hard to play a balancing act with making high performance and high content work in Chevrolet. For High Performance they have Pontiac, and High content they have Buick and Cadillac, with Saturn growing to split the difference between the three. Chevy should remain on the budget end of things, aside from the Corvette (OK “Budget Super car”).

Toyota should stop growing so fast and just let it come. They’ll have fewer problems that way. Besides They can’t compete against Korea for cheap cars done right. They’ll just get burned bad.

Oh and GMnumberDUHforever is better at mockery than GMnumber2soon. How many people like this are we gonna have, anyways?

Today I saw 50,000 Toyota’s sprout wings and fly right into the sun, engulfing their owners in flames. GM’s would never do that! In fact, whenever GM’s cars decide to spread their wings, they take their owners on a wonderful voyage around all the world and they visit all the best places in the world.