Toyota World » Toyota factory

Japan is not bothered about the recall of Toyota in the US

Tommy — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 12:37:33 +0000

The owners of Toyota in America are clearly alarmed about inflating call-backs over defective gas pedals and floor mats. Japan which is the auto manufacturers’ home market has had no such recalls and obliviously the reaction is hushed.

The same models of Toyota Motor Corp. which has been called back in the U.S., Europe and China are on the roads of Japan as well. But since they use different supplier of parts and hence they are out of trouble with reference to defective gas pedals.

Naeko Kawamata, a salesgirl at a Tokyo Toyota trader stated on Saturday that; “Some of our customers express sympathy about Toyota’s overseas problems. But we aren’t getting queries on recalls.”

Tokyo’s Waseda University business and economics professor Hideaki Miyajima said that, “Toyota appears to be trying to respond with care. Toyota has grown to where it is now by sticking to safety standards. If it can overcome this problem, it can even make the experience a plus for its future.”

Some of the Japanese experts are hopeful the effect from the U.S. sufferings will pass off in a few months. This will happen only till Toyota reacts comparatively speedily to mend the trouble. They also feel that this crisis has surfaced only because the auto manufacturer spread out too rapidly over the last number of years, making it hard to copy the “Toyota Way,” recognized for faultless quality checks, outside Japan.

Source: Examiner

Toyota alleges fresh gas pedals are on the way to dealers

Tommy — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 12:13:37 +0000

Toyota stated that it has begun to ship gas pedal parts to its traders from Friday to fix the millions of cars and trucks which had to be recalled due to accelerators becoming stuck.

Brian Lyons the Company spokesman stated that he was not aware as to when the parts would reach or the duration it would take the car manufacturers to finish fixings on the 4.2 million vehicles universal out of which 2.3 million in the U.S. He alleged that Toyota did not yet decide whether to fix the accelerators or restore them altogether. He further stated that Toyota was to make public particulars sometime next week as to how it thinks to resolve the problem.

On Friday, Akio Toyoda the Toyota CEO stated publicly for the first time with regard to the recall. In Davos, Switzerland, at the World Economic Forum he stated to the Japanese broadcaster NHK: “I am very sorry that we are making our customers feel concerned.
“People can feel safe driving in the current situation,” he added. “Please trust that we are responding so it will be even safer.”

Jim Guest the president of Consumers Union stated that “Although incidents of sudden acceleration are rare, we are taking this action because the vehicles have been identified as potentially unsafe without a fix yet being available to consumers.”

Toyota blocked marketing 8 U.S. models, which includes the top-selling Camry, on Tuesday. It also declared that it will cease constructing them till the trouble is fixed.

The Cost Analysis of Hybrid

Tommy — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 22:53:42 +0000

The price recommended by the MSRP (manufacturer suggested retail price) is $22,000 for the all new third-generation 2010 mid-size Toyota Prius II. This price is $1,806 less than the $23,806 median price of the mid-size sedan section. When the industry loan averages is used the Prius will have a monthly payment of $435.
The annual fuel costs based on the EPA-figured fuel economy ranking of 50 mpg for combined city and highway is $2.62 a gallon. The statistics is based on the national average as of 6/8/2009. The Prius is economical to the tune of around $172 per year or $14 a month.
So for a mere few extra dollars one can get a more spacious vehicle which is a full hybrid. It also gives better mileage ratings, improved performance, vehicle constancy control, driver’s knee airbag, belt less engine, rear disc brakes etc. Thus when hybrid affordability has to be considered then it has to be looked beyond MSRP.

Source: Press room Toyota

Toyota estimates US$8.6 billion yearly loss as sales slip

Tommy — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 22:47:50 +0000

Toyota Motor Corp, the world’s major automaker, predicted an anticipated yearly loss of $8.6 billion as sales collapse. This has led to more than a dozens of its factories not used. Toyota recorded a $6.9 billion loss for the January-March fourth quarter and thereby reducing its yearly dividend for the first time since 1994.
The global depression has battered demand for cars and has hit Toyota very badly. This led to its fall from rapid expansion to overcapacity nearly overnight. The Japanese giant recorded its first-ever consolidated operational loss last year since it posted a record profit the year before. On a net base, Toyota has predicted an annual loss of 550 billion yen.
Toyota said it anticipated its global sales to decrease by approximately 145 to 6.5 billion yen in 2009/10. It estimated 830 billion yen in capital expenditure which is 1.3 trillion yen less than it was a year earlier.

Toyota Increases its Hours of Functioning at its Hybrid Prius Factories

Tommy — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 22:46:21 +0000

Toyota Motor Corporation has augmented its functioning hours at some plants to conform to the demand for its admired Prius hybrid cars. This was stated by a company official.
The Japanese auto goliath has previously cut factory employees’ working hours but now has broadened its functioning at the Tsutsumi Plant in Toyota, Aichi Prefecture. This is here that the latest model of hybrid Prius is produced.
Toyota has actually sold more than 100,000 new hybrid Prius cars in a week since its new model’s release on May 18. This includes orders of 80,000 units in advance of its release. The reason is the introduction of the government’s new “eco-car tax break” program from April 1.
Due to the global auto sales drop-off, Toyota had cut back factory workers’ night shifts and overtime since last autumn. It set aside operations at factories for 17 days between January and April so that its stocks could be decreased.

Toyota Making Green Cars May Destroy Japan Rice Paddies

Tommy — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 22:43:44 +0000

Toyota Motor Corporation is diagramming its future in the midst of 1,631 acres that is 660 hectares of rice paddies that has a date stamp of the 17th century and cedar forests. In the hamlet of Shimoyama the Toyota Corporation has planned to set up its research center with a minimum of 10 kilometers of road paths to modify its vehicles.

This has been taken up to bring in more of Toyota’s hybrids and fuel-efficient cars on the road. This comes at a time when Honda Motor Co. has also brought in its new Insight gasoline-electric model in February. Toyota has plans to sell its hybrid version in the financial year starting in April 2010.
Toyota will be conducting trials at the new venue to analyze safety and performance. The corporation is not likely to discuss the project. But it has been announced that the project is likely to break ground in April.

Toyota Planning to Rent 200 Plug-in Hybrid Fomites in Japan

Tommy — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 22:40:43 +0000

Toyota Motor Corporation declares it will rent a plug-in hybrid vehicle in Japan in coactions with local governments picked out under the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry’s EV & PHV Towns program. This is done with the objective to endorse the extensive use of electric fomites and plug-in hybrid vehicles.

TMC is preparing a plug-in hybrid vehicle which will be based on the 3rd generation “Prius”- ready with a lithium-ion battery which can be charged by means of external power sources like the household electricity. This will be the 1st time a lithium-ion battery is to be utilised in a Toyota vehicle for actuation. Beginning at the end of 2009,
TMC has a program to rent around 200 of the vehicles to assigned users like government ministries, local governments and corporations. TMC conceives that with regard to the variegation of energy sources plug-in hybrid vehicles would be a environmentally suitable vehicle.

Toyota Reveals Renovated Prius

Tommy — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 22:39:50 +0000

Toyota unveiled the renovated Prius on Monday. It announced that it already has 80,000 advance orders in Japan. This advance order for revamped hybrid is amidst the increasing competition with Honda’s rival the Insight. The world’s largest automaker states that it has a goal of selling nearly 400,000 units all over the globe in a year.

The Prius is the top selling gas-electric hybrid in the world. It has a cumulative record sale of 1.256 million units in more than 40 nations and regions. The new Prius is believed to be sold in 80 nations and regions.

But at present the giant automaker is facing a challenge from Honda Motor Co., whose more economically priced Insight has sold rapidly since its introduction in Japan in the month of February.
The price for Pirus in Japan would start at 2.05 million yen, or around $21,600, less than its ancestor model’s Japan base price.

Toyota Accounts May Month Sales

Tommy — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 22:51:44 +0000

Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc., has accounted that its vehicle sales for the month of May has stuck a new monthly high for the year. The figure of sales for May climbed up by 20.6 percent when compared to April 2009 sales. Sales of 152,583 vehicles dropped back comparatively to last year and it was down by 38.4% from last May, on a day-to-day selling rate footing.
The Toyota Division sales for May were 135,661 units, a reduction of 39.0% from the same period last year. The Lexus Division sales for the same month were 16,922 units, which showed a decrease of 33.9% when compared to the same time last year.
Toyota Division passenger cars sales for May was 88,173 units which is down by 40.0% compared to the same period last year, but the sales has increased by 24.8% over April 2009. Camry and Camry Hybrid stayed as Toyota’s volume leader in May with collective monthly sales of 31,325 units. Corolla’s sales were 23,576 units and Yaris 10,130 units for the month. The Prius mid-size gas-electric hybrid sales for the month of May were 10,091 units.

Ford has Sold more than Toyota

Tommy — Fri, 08 May 2009 22:26:53 +0000

The auto world is upset with the natural order being reversed. Ford has sold 129,898 units where as Toyota could sell only 126,540 units in the United States in the month of April. This is the first time in a year that the Blue Oval of Ford has outsold than the mighty Toyota.

Toyota had to face an unbelievable 42% fall in its sales. Not a single Toyota car was sold in the month of April ’09. Comparatively Ford had to face only 31% decline in sales compared to the same month a year earlier. This drop is really considerably smaller than its rival automakers, including Toyota.

Ford has been able to make more sales due to its new 2010 Fusion. Ford sold 18,321 Fusions in April, which is a 21.7% enhancement over last April and a record for any month.