andy82471

Yes. Definitely a lot better looking than the butt ugly ECHO and YARIS.

I drove an 06 Camry as a rental and the squeaks and rattle were terrible. It was like being in a torture chamber. Compare to that , the 05 Malibu I drove ( also a rental ) almost a year ago had no squeak or rattle and was actually a pleasure to drive. You really have to wonder how TOYOTA gets away with it when the domestics constantly gets hammered for even the slightest flaw.

I am sure he is polishing up his resume as we speak.

I agree but you gotta admire TOYOTA's PR machine.

Motley Fool Detroit's Growth Engine: Toyota Friday October 13, 11:43 am ET By Rich Smith Detroit has a new growth engine, America. Not Detroit, per se, mind you. For decades, the American auto industry has been synonymous with the word "Detroit." No more. In a situation akin to what we've seen with digital video recorders, the name synonymous with the concept has become the also-ran. To record a television show might be to "TiVo" it. But the device that does the TiVo-ing is more likely made by Motorola (NYSE: MOT - News) or Cisco's (Nasdaq: CSCO - News) Scientific Atlanta than by TiVo (Nasdaq: TIVO - News). Similarly, growth in the U.S. auto industry today relies on a company far removed from Detroit: Japan's Toyota Motor (NYSE: TM - News). Yesterday, Toyota announced that its Georgetown, Ky., plant has produced the first U.S.-built hybrid Camry sedan, and it plans to continue producing the vehicles at the rate of 48,000 per year. Simultaneously, the company projected that in 2007, it will sell a whopping 290,000 hybrids -- Priuses, Camrys, Highlanders, and so on -- in the U.S. alone. Now I know what the naysayers will say. (They'll say "nay.") I know they'll argue that 290,000 is barely 2% of all annual new-car sales in the U.S. But look at what else 2% is. Two percent of the U.S. auto market is: The entire U.S. market share controlled by Hyundai. More than all of the Prius hybrids sold to date in the U.S. Roughly twice the number of Toyota's 2005 U.S. hybrid sales. Faster growth than the 79% compound three-year growth rate in total U.S. hybrid auto sales. As the "Detroit" auto sales of DaimlerChrysler (NYSE: DCX - News), Ford (NYSE: F - News), and GM (NYSE: GM - News) stagnate, there's at least one segment of the U.S. auto market that's booming, and that's hybrid gas-electric-powered vehicles. And within that segment, Toyota's sales outpace the average. What does the future hold for "Detroit"? It depends, really, on how long Toyota can keep up this rate of growth. Market share of 2% doesn't sound like a lot today, but the longer it continues to double annually, the fewer "nays" we'll be hearing. Not meaning to be a Toyota cheerleader here, but when Detroit sneers "2%," I can't help remembering the old chant: "Two, four, six, eight ..." Whom should U.S. auto investors appreciate? Toyota. Fool contributor Rich Smith does not own shares in any company named above. The Fool's disclosure policy has a surprisingly roomy interior. http://biz.yahoo.com/fool/061013/116075419210.html?.v=1

I agree that tests could be manipulated to make a certain company look superior to its competition. Especially if that company is paying for the comparo. I always wondered why DODGE doesn't offer the 6.1 Hemi in its full size truck. Now that engine would have been a powerhouse.

Get used to it. It isn't just FORD vs CHEVY anymore. LOL

Actually, I think the RAM is SAE rated at 335 HP and not 350. Most drivers felt it doesn't feel like 335 HP and more like 310 or 320. In a head to head comparo test it lost to the Titan in 0 to 60 and quarter mile accleration even though it supposedly has a 30 Hp advantage. I wouldn't be surprised if the new Tundra could easily outrun the RAM HEMI.

Like it or not they will sell 9.8 million vehicles because there are 9.8 million people worldwide who would buy TOYOTA products in 2008. Their growth is coming as a result of high demand globally. Now if quality takes a backseat to quantity and more and more people are aware of it then they might not sell 9.8 million cars like they are predicting.

Actually, you are not that far off. While most of the military contracts still go to domestic companies, a lot of the sub contracters working for them are Japanese. In fact, if I am not mistaken, the next Marine-1 helicopter will be made by FRENCH manufacterer Dassault.

A full merger is a bad idea. Too much product overlap plus GM itself is just coming out of a major crisis. They don't need the headache of FMC and all its issues. Hope it doesn't happen. FORD needs to look elsewhere for salvation.

GM had a stable management team in place. CEO Rick Wagoner was a proven executive of long experience and he has been ably assisted by numbers whiz Fritz Henderson and product czar Bob Lutz. And Buickman was calling for Rick Wagoner's head !!!!!!!! Wonder what his take is on GM's turn around plan ???

I thought about posting this article on the Ford forum but since GM is also mentioned prominently in the article I decided to post it in the GM forum. Much of the stuff said in the article I think we already know about http://money.cnn.com/2006/09/15/news/compa...rce=yahoo_quote Why Ford is in worse shape than GM General Motors' turnaround is now in motion, but don't count on Ford having made the same progress this time next year. By Alex Taylor III, Fortune senior editor September 15 2006: 10:10 AM EDT NEW YORK (Fortune) -- As he finishes his first full week as CEO of Ford, Alan Mulally may be wondering what he got himself into. The rumble of bad news never seems to stop. Consider: More Ford news Ford: Trouble on the 'Way Forward' Will a new CEO and a new sense of urgency be enough to turn around the deeply troubled No. 2 automaker? (more) Ford turns to an outsider Putting a Boeing exec at the helm of the ailing automaker is a risky move for Ford Chaiman Bill Ford Jr., who is giving up the CEO spot. (more) A lot riding on 2007 models Embattled automakers like GM and Ford need hits in some of their new models, but they're not alone. (more) Ford looking to sell Aston Martin Sports car made famous by James Bond on the block as No. 2 automaker struggles to restructure. (more) A leaked internal document says Ford is forecasting a pre-tax loss of nearly $6 billion in its auto operations this year, losing money everywhere except Europe and South America. With restructuring costs, the total loss for 2006 could reach $9 billion. The latest Way Forward plan contains more layoffs, more production cuts, and more factory closings. Ford has now offered buyouts to all 75,000 of its UAW workers. Two top manufacturing executives quit on Thursday. Ford (Charts) is heading into the same trough that GM (Charts) entered a year ago, and the possibilities of an upturn seem so distant as to be unachievable. But there are major differences between the condition of the two companies that don't weigh in Ford's favor. GM had a turnaround plan already in place. Events tend to move at a glacial pace at the world's largest and most bureaucratic automaker but at least top management had pointed company towards four goals, including build better vehicles. As Ford struggles with its third turnaround plan, the only clear direction is shrinkage. As the old saying goes, you can't cost-cut your way to prosperity. GM had a stable management team in place. CEO Rick Wagoner was a proven executive of long experience and he has been ably assisted by numbers whiz Fritz Henderson and product czar Bob Lutz. Bill Ford was a well-intentioned and well-liked CEO who was punching above his weight. Swirling around him was a revolving door of executives. Anybody remember former Ford big hitters David Thursfield, Nick Scheele, or Jim Padilla today? GM followed through on initiatives. While it sat on the sidelines during the explosion in hybrids, GM insisted that fuel-cells were the answer to high oil prices and global warming. Next week, GM will announce a big fuel-cell initiative that will place it at the forefront of the industry. Ford, on the other hand, made a rosy prediction about the future of hybrids, then backed away when sales of its first hybrid, the Escape failed to match the hype. It has had little to say on the subject since. GM had a reasonable product plan in place There is plenty of blame to go around for starving Saturn, Pontiac, and Buick of new models, but GM has slowly corrected that, having belatedly remembered that autos are a product business. Ford is replacing new models more slowly than Toyota (Charts), Nissan, DaimlerChrysler (Charts), Honda, or GM. And when it does replace them, it has a disconcerting tendency to make the new ones look like the old ones so it is hard for customers to tell. A decade ago, Ford rode the crest of the truck boom and was considered one of the most capable manufacturers on the planet. Its fall has been astonishing. Today the truck boom is over and whatever will be the next big generator of profits is nowhere in sight. Digging out of the current mess will be a team effort that will take several years -- with a successful resolution by no means assured

HA HA HA Yep. But seriously the new truck isn't even out yet and already they are talking about production cut. I thought this truck was suppose to take the market by storm. Wonder if the real truck buyers are not taking this truck seriously ?

Toyota set to cut truck production in U.S. PrintE-mailDisable live quotesRSSDigg itDel.icio.usBy Chris Oliver, MarketWatch Last Update: 11:42 PM ET Sep 12, 2006 HONG KONG (MarketWatch) -- Toyota Motor Corp., Japan's leading automaker, is set to lower its U.S. production target for some vehicle models because of higher fuel prices and concerns the economy could slow, according to a media report Wednesday. Toyota is considering trimming production at its new pickup truck assembly plant in Texas, the Japanese newspaper Asahi Shimbun reported. The plant, scheduled to open in November, has an annual capacity of 200,000 units, but Toyota is targeting to make 150,000 pickups in 2007, the report said. Toyota will double its orders for passenger cars to 200,000 from Subaru of Indiana Automotive Inc., the U.S. production subsidiary of Fuji Heavy Industries Co., from October 2007, the report added. Separately, a Toyota spokesman said the U.S. division did not expect 10% to 12% sales growth in 2007, a level consistent with growth rates in recent years, according to reports. Although not formal target was given the spokesman said the automaker was expecting U.S. sales growth more along the lines of 3% to 5%, according to a Reuters report. Toyota's U.S. sales are reported to have risen 11% this year. Toyota is on track to surpass General Motors as the world's largest automaker by volume next year. http://www.marketwatch.com/News/Story/Stor...hoo&siteid=yhoo

$2.50 for regular and $2.70 for premium in my part of the country. Hampton Roads Virginia. C'mon, BUICKMAN give credit where it is due. I am guessing you are kinda jealous of Wagoner and Lutz now that it seems like GM is finally seeing light at the end of the tunnel. A 3.8% increase in sales is actually quite respectable for a company like GM which has been steadily losing market share to the imports. Now the big question is; can GM continue with the momentum or was August sales figure just an anomaly ? I think GM's future products look very promising indeed and the worst is indeed over.

All this time most analysts were taking about the gloom and doom facing GM when it seems like FORD is in much worse shape. I really admire FORD's contribution to the automotive world and really would be a sad day if the day comes when they have to declare bankruptcy or go out of business for good.

Motley Fool Is Ford Just Junk? Thursday August 24, 3:51 pm ET By Rich Smith Oh, how the mighty have fallen. Last year, one of the major headlines in the automaking world was that No. 2 U.S. seller Ford (NYSE: F - News) had its credit rating cut to "junk." This July, the firm lost its second-place slot in U.S. auto sales to Toyota (NYSE: TM - News). Earlier this month, with car buyers apparently agreeing that its cars are as junky as its credit, Ford again took the headlines when it announced dramatic production cuts. ADVERTISEMENT And today, the company detailed another plan designed to clear out unsold inventory and boost market share in one fell swoop -- a plan that, sadly, is also based on junk. Management intends to clear out its bloated inventories of 2006 model-year cars and trucks by targeting buyers with lousy credit histories. Ford intends to offer everyone, including so-called "subprime" borrowers, 0% financing for up to six years. For those of you keeping score, automakers Ford and GM (NYSE: GM - News) first introduced the concept of large-scale 0% financing in response to flagging sales trends in the wake of the twin disasters of the 2000 bubble burst and Sept. 11. But back then, the deal was much more limited in scope, being extended only to buyers with strong credit histories, and for no more than three or four years' duration. Ford's latest gambit breaks the rules in both respects, targeting buyers who are huge credit risks, and enticing them with longer interest amnesties. Let me risk understatement and point out that Ford's latest junk plan raises serious risks. We've already seen in the housing market what happens when generous loan terms are extended to subprime borrowers: They default at higher rates. In a May column from The Wall Street Journal, analysts from Bear Stearns (NYSE: BSC - News), First American (NYSE: FAF - News), Lehman Brothers (NYSE: LEH - News), and Credit Suisse (NYSE: CSR - News) were unanimous in blaming the "relaxed" lending standards and "aggressive" extending of loans to subprime buyers for the rise in residential mortgage delinquencies to 4.7% in Q4 2005. (That may not sound like much, but it's a significant rise from 4.38% in Q4 2004; what's more, the Bear Stearns analyst noted that certain categories of high-risk loans were showing year-over-year increases in delinquency of as much as 208%.) What happens if Ford's buyers track this trend? Many will default on their car loans, and the company will wind up repossessing their cars. Which would: (1) defeat the purpose of the initiative, by putting repossessed inventory right back on Ford lots; and (2) exacerbate the damage, as American cars are (often wrongly) judged to be worse in quality than foreign makes, and therefore lose resale value more quickly. Ford may well boost its sales, and its stock price, with this new initiative. But as pretty as the numbers may appear over next few months, beware: They could be headed for the compactor down the road. Fool contributor Rich Smith does not own shares of any company named above. The Fool has a disclosure policy.

Top GOP leaders sending message to Big 3: Drop dead Advertisement GET FREE HEADLINES BY E-MAIL Printer friendly version Comment on this story Send this story to a friend Get Home Delivery B ig-name Republicans are tramping around Michigan -- Karl Rove is expected at a fundraiser today in Grosse Pointe, Republican National Committee chairman Ken Mehlman is campaigning for Senate hopeful Mike Bouchard and President Bush is rumored to be planning a campaign swing next month. But meet with Detroit's automakers? Nah, why should the president care whether U.S.-owned automakers, burdened by fierce foreign competition and cumulative decisions that threaten to swamp them, are fighting for their collective lives? Instead, key Republicans and the White House are reprising President Ford's message to New York back in the mid-'70s: "Drop dead." Such cynicism toward a bedrock industry -- let the Blue-Staters wither -- would be comical if it wasn't so misguided, even dumb. Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., told the Washington Post that "there's a new definition of the American auto industry. Twenty-five years ago, it was the Big Three companies in Detroit. Now (it's) any company that makes a substantial number of cars and trucks in the U.S. and has a big payroll here, pays big taxes here and buys supplies here." Nissan equals GM? Meaning, evidently, that the Nissan operations in Tennessee and the new Hyundai plant in Alabama are indistinguishable from GM and Ford. Politically, perhaps, but not economically. Added Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Alabama: "The way (Detroit automakers) do business has to change or they won't be around. The competition has been brought to our shores. There is a lot that our automobile manufacturers can learn in the world." There's also a lot that Red State Republicans could learn about the Detroit automakers and their legacy commitments to retirees and active employees, namely that they're not easily shed this side of bankruptcy. But it's easier to ignore context, demonize unions, embrace the new guys from overseas who don't carry the same baggage and then give Detroit a condescending geography lesson -- as if the No. 1 player in China, GM, doesn't know the business is global. Different set of rules In any other major auto-producing nation, politicians don't ignore the concerns of their auto industry. Not in France and Germany, where nationalism infuses economic policy. And not in Japan or South Korea, where manipulating currencies and erecting trade barriers is acceptable to help the home team -- and Detroit isn't asking for either one. Here? The president won't meet with the bosses of General Motors Corp., Ford Motor Co. and the Chrysler Group. But he'll sit astride a Harley, visit a Nissan truck plant, herald the Toyota engine that won the Indy 500, campaign for Republicans and then have his press secretary swear there's no snub of Detroit. Rep. John Dingell ain't buying it. "Manufacturing is going to hell in this country, and the president just sits there fiddling while Rome burns," the Dearborn Democrat told me. That's debatable (as Sens. Alexander and Shelby would attest). What isn't is that however the recapitalization of Detroit ends, no credit will be due to the Washington GOP power crowd. Daniel Howes' column runs Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. He can be reached at [email protected]. More Insiders Headlines http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/artic...382/1148/AUTO01

No.

toyota on the onther hand is not that big Huh ??? Toyota just outsold Ford in the USA and closing on GM as the Global No.1. Toyota also is the most profitable autocompany not to mention one of the largest company by market value.

Most likely. Anybody knows the July 04 sales number ??

http://www.marketwatch.com/News/Story/Stor...hoo&siteid=yhoo SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) - General Motors, DaimlerChrysler and Ford Motor Co. on Tuesday all handed in double-digit declines in July U.S. auto sales from a year ago, when aggressive employee pricing discounts whipped up demand, making the year-on-year comparisons especially brutal. But Toyota Motor (TM : toyota motor corp sp adr rep2com News , chart, profile, more Last: 103.23-1.99-1.89% 2:37pm 08/01/2006 Delayed quote dataAdd to portfolio Analyst Create alertInsider Discuss Financials Sponsored by: TM103.23, -1.99, -1.9%) and Honda (HMC : Honda Motor Co., Ltd. News , chart, profile, more Last: 32.72-0.23-0.70% 2:37pm 08/01/2006 Delayed quote dataAdd to portfolio Analyst Create alertInsider Discuss Financials Sponsored by: HMC32.72, -0.23, -0.7%) , which avoided much of the heavy incentive spending of their U.S. counterparts last summer, notched improved sales. GM (GM : General Motors Corporation News , chart, profile, more Last: 31.39-0.84-2.61% 2:37pm 08/01/2006 Delayed quote dataAdd to portfolio Analyst Create alertInsider Discuss Financials Sponsored by: GM31.39, -0.84, -2.6%) , the world's biggest carmaker, posted a 22.5% decline in light vehicle sales to 406,298 cars and trucks from 524,218 during the selling spree a year ago. Adjusted for an extra selling day this year, sales fell 19.4%, mostly in line with Wall Street targets. On the car side, sales dropped 4.2% to 162,203 vehicles on an unadjusted basis, while GM saw sales of its light trucks fall 31.2% to 244,095. There were 25 selling days in July 2006 compared with 26 in the year ago period. DaimlerChrysler (DCX : daimlerchrysler ag ord News , chart, profile, more Last: 50.80-0.85-1.65% 2:37pm 08/01/2006 Delayed quote dataAdd to portfolio Analyst Create alertInsider Discuss Financials Sponsored by: DCX50.80, -0.85, -1.6%) was the first to hand in its results, posting a 34% plunge from a year ago. The Chrysler side of the business, amid a new product lull ahead of several launches later this year, reported a 37% decline to 150,349 vehicles. The luxury Mercedes-Benz division, boosted by rising demand for its light trucks, turned in a 4% rise to 21,591 vehicles. Ford Motor Co. (F : Ford Motor Company News , chart, profile, more Last: 6.58-0.09-1.35% 2:37pm 08/01/2006 Delayed quote dataAdd to portfolio Analyst Create alertInsider Discuss Financials Sponsored by: F6.58, -0.09, -1.3%) followed with a similar pullback to 241,339 cars and trucks, down from 366,548 a year ago. The car side turned in a decline of 7% to 89,395 while trucks plunged 43.8% to 151,944. The flagship F-Series pickup line took a hard hit, down 45.6% to 68,982 after posting 126,905 deliveries a year ago during what Ford claimed to be the best month of sales for any vehicle in the modern era. In the Premier Auto Group, Land Rover, Volvo and Jaguar all posted double-digit declines as well. Retail sales improved 7% when compared with last month, the company said The declines at DaimlerChrysler and Ford were worse than Wall Street had expected and set the stage for an industry-wide pullback after last summer's buying binge. Analysts polled by Thomson First Call are looking for a seasonally adjusted annual sales rate (SAAR) of 17.3 million, down from 20.7 million in July of last year but an improvement from 16.3 million in June, according to industry research firm Autodata. Toyota, Honda buck trend; Nissan sales fall Toyota Motor said its sales rose 11.7% in July to 241,826 cars and trucks from 216,417 a year earlier. Sales in the luxury Lexus division rose to 26,959 vehicles from 26,562 a year ago. Total car sales gained 19.8% while light truck sales added 1.3%. "Market conditions are playing to traditional Toyota strengths of fuel efficiency, a strong passenger car offerings as well as our comprehensive hybrid lineup," said Jim Lentz, the head of Toyota in the U.S. "We fared reasonably well in the tough truck market, where fuel costs and heavy incentives are ongoing challenges." Separately, Honda reported it sold 151,804 cars and trucks in the U.S. in July, a 6% increase from a year ago on an unadjusted basis. The number includes sales of Honda's Acura luxury car division. Honda sold 5.4% more cars and 6.8% trucks from last year. Nissan (NSANY : nissan motors sponsored adr News , chart, profile, more Last: 21.27-0.28-1.30% 2:42pm 08/01/2006 Delayed quote dataAdd to portfolio Analyst Create alertInsider Discuss Financials Sponsored by: NSANY21.27, -0.28, -1.3%) reported a 19.5% decline in July U.S. sales to 86,408 cars and trucks, down from 107,300 a year earlier, when there was one extra selling day. On an unadjusted basis, the car side fell 14.5% and the truck side fell 24.9%. The top-selling Altima sedan saw its sales fall almost 29% while Maxima sales rose 6.6% from a year earlier. Sales at its luxury Infiniti division slipped 21.3% to 10,548 units. Ramping up incentives Incentive spending ramped up from a month ago, with the industry paying out about $4.5 million in promotions compared with $3.9 billion in June, according to car-buying research site Edmunds.com. The domestic automakers made up 75% of the total, the Japanese 15%. General Motors (GM : General Motors Corporation News , chart, profile, more Last: 31.39-0.84-2.61% 2:37pm 08/01/2006 Delayed quote dataAdd to portfolio Analyst Create alertInsider Discuss Financials Sponsored by: GM31.39, -0.84, -2.6%) , with its zero-percent financing deal, raised its spending by $1,461 per vehicle to $4,578, straying from its long-term plan to move away from this kind of spending and focus on value pricing. Elsewhere, Ford spending increased $330 to $3,919 while Chrysler backed off the spending, down $1,387 to $2,658 per vehicle. The Japanese spent a record amount, up $101 to $1,361 per vehicle sold, Edmunds.com said, explaining that Toyota (TM : toyota motor corp sp adr rep2com News , chart, profile, more Last: 103.23-1.99-1.89% 2:37pm 08/01/2006 Delayed quote dataAdd to portfolio Analyst Create alertInsider Discuss Financials Sponsored by: TM103.23, -1.99, -1.9%) and its peers offered more deals on larger trucks and SUVs to help counter the effect of rising fuel costs. Shawn Langlois is a reporter for MarketWatch, and the editor of its community message boards

Maybe or maybe not. Seems like a very light punishment to me. Just a reprimend and no fines. Toyota afterall is Japan's golden goose, and I seriously doubt the government would take any action that could damage the brand in the long run. They are not that stupid.

Thanks for the correction. Forgot it was a employee buyback. Hopefully GM now has everything in place for a rapid recovery. They should just forget about joining the R/N alliance and concentrate on building desirable, and reliable cars. If Wagoner can really turn GM around I think he deserves a noble prize.