With both Ford hurting in truck and SUV sales and GM eliminating shift to slow production of its large trucks, high gas prices are having an effect on jobs at automakers’ plants. The question is what, if anything, are they doing about it? To ramp up production at its slowing Indiana assembly plant, Toyota plans on exporting vehicles built there to the Middle East and China.
The Japanese automaker’s largest SUV, the Sequoia, will begin shipping to the Middle East later on this year, while the Sienna minivan will be exported to China and other markets starting in 2010, as per a report in Asahi Shimbun daily paper. Both models are produced at the Indiana plant.
No sources were cited in the report, and a Toyota spokesperson would not comment on the reports, saying only the automaker is always looking for the best ways to supply vehicles on a global basis. Apart from the Avalon flagship sedan, Toyota does not currently export any of its U.S.-made products.
