Who Is Buying those Toyotas?

We Don't Sell Toyotas--But Many Folk Buy Them


DId you see in the news on Tuesday that Toyota has surpassed GM as #1 automaker in the world for the 1st quarter of 2007? It just seemed yesterday that they past Ford for #2. Was not too long ago that they passed up Chrysler. Yikes!


In watching the automotive scene for the last 50 years, while both living abroad & in the USA, this observer notes that:

++Toyota takes seriously the design & execution of every new product model.Not sure if GM, Ford or Chrysler were that on-the-ball.

++They want to make a quality vehicle, with good economy, clean styling & able to sell well. Our American counterparts have been more concerned with impressive styling & lots of torque.

++Somehow Toyota builds vehicles that don't make the Top Ten Recall list. GM and Ford & MOPAR work hard to be there every month.

++Clearly Toyota & Lexus have models that are desirable and/or within reason for various countries around the world. GM, Ford & Chrysler have built huge pickup trucks, larger & larger SUVs and big vans that are only comfortable on US roads (but less & less so for our ever-shrinking parking spaces).

++Not that it would have made any difference, but the US opened its borders (and wallets) to foreign imports starting 45 years ago. Japan particularly shut out all foreign (US specifically) cars from its shores, with weird rules & regulations....as well as distain for our products. Hmmmm.

++Even though Toyota is involved in some racing series (open-wheel racing, the off-road truck series, Craftsmen Truck NASCAR races, the sports prototype series, and now NASCAR Nextel cup racing), they still are not worried about selling hot muscle cars off their showroom floors. Ford is still stuck on pushing high-HP Mustangs, and GM & MOPAR seem intent to follow with marketing Corvettes, re-born Camaros and a re-invented Challenger, to go along with Hemi-V-8s, etc.). Muscle car sales in the USA alone do not top 150,000 a year, when weighed against 17 million total sales.Worldwide, the disparity would be even greater. Well.........

++Since I have driven them for my work since 1998, I know that Toyota knows how to make a great small economy car. Ever since Ford, Chevy and Plymouth tried back in 1960, our American manufacturers have failed to come up w/ good engines & trannys that are reliable & economical or appealing. Period. End of story. Americans cringe at the mention of words like: Vega, Pinto, Chevette, Maverick, Valiant, Reliant, Fiesta, Citation, Cavalier, etc.

++Toyota (and most other multi-national manufacturers) sees that gasoline costs $6 a gallon in Europe, and also costly in places like Asia.....so cars have to be very fuel efficient and of high quality. GM must not read international fuel cost reports.

++Don't think it affects car sales, but it sure impacts the bottom line: GM & Ford particularly are being killed by the (collective) long-term indebtedness to health care provisions for current & retired unionized workers that may reach $100 billion total. That puts a damper on R&D, advertising, hiring practices, new plants, etc. etc. Toyota has chosen to set up shop in non-union states, thus keeping costs down. Guess they want to spend their money elsewhere than on employee benefits.

Holler if you have any opinions or observations about Toyotas. I will share them with a friend, who is a 20-year Toyota salesman, featured in one of their insider magazines.

TORREY