Heavy-duty pickups by Toyota and Nissan delayed
Both Toyota and Nissan were planning on entering the full-size heavy duty pickup truck market soon, but both automakers have delayed joining the fray for at least a couple years. Nissan had hoped it could build a heavy-duty version of the Titan off of the half-ton's platform, but it's clear that the truck's frame won't be able to meet the minimum payload and towing targets that heavy-duty truck buyers demand.
Though the full-size half-ton Toyota Tundra (shown wearing its work dungarees) will enter production in less than two months, the automaker's plan for a heavy-duty version has been postponed for undisclosed reasons. Toyota may be betting that the market for heavy duty trucks will shrink along with the half-ton market, though analysts are quick to point out what the domestic manufacturers already know, which is that the heavy-duty truck market follows different trends than the market for trucks as a whole. Rather than going up or down in correlation with gas prices, purchasing of heavy-duty trucks is more likely to go up or down with the rate of home construction in the country.
Either way, heavy-duty versions of the Nissan Titan and Toyota Tundra are coming, but it looks like Detroit won't have to worry about them until 2009 at the earliest.
[Source: Automotive News]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
rwdmtparkingonly 1:41PM (9/25/2006)
It seems like a lot of the people that actually use their HD trucks for work are moving toward more industrial stuff like International, Freightliner, and even the Sprinter. Maybe Toyota is happy with Hino's offerings.
Gas prices are down but home construction has slowed dramatically, so if Toyota is now delaying HD pickup plans then they doing so based on "what the domestic manufacturers already know."
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Joel H. 3:22PM (9/25/2006)
I usually don't comment on what the cars look like on here but wow that Toyota truck is one ugly vehicle!!
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porker 3:58PM (9/25/2006)
What's that big hole under the bumper? A place to mount one of those thumper basses that the ricers love so? tyotie and datsun need to concentrate on the mini-truck market and see if they can get their quality level back up before they even think about the heavy-duty market.
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JS 6:41PM (9/25/2006)
I just find it oh so amusing, still, that Ford went out to the new toyota plant and took pictures of all the Ford F-Whatevers that were out there but not a single Toyota Pickup was in the bunch.
It would appear that "real" construction workers, home builders, etc... rely on Fords, Chevy's and the occassionaly GM or Dodge and the guys who just think trucks are cool would buy a Toyota.
btw, that toyota tundra is butt ugly
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mike 5:32PM (9/25/2006)
#2 is 100% correct. That Toyota is one UGLY truck. It looks like a big mouth bass with a hook in its mouth!!
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Andy 5:55PM (9/25/2006)
I like it. Looks chunky and sexy...like Rosie O'Donnell.
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samuel 6:19PM (9/25/2006)
#1, quote your source for this information. I don't believe it to be true.
#2, yeah, that is one UGLY truck.
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shiznannigan 7:03PM (9/25/2006)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v214/shiznannigan/loltoyota.jpg
'nuff said
Found last year in IL.
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DarkKnight67 7:21PM (9/25/2006)
#8, that is about the funniest thing I've seen. They know there wonder truck couldn't haul anything that size without looking like it was having its nuts stepped on.
And is that a fender porthole I see? Gee, who did they copy that one from?
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jonay 7:25PM (9/25/2006)
WOW! where's your MPG bullcrap on this ugly thing TOYOTA?
just keep selling pos duck face cars like prius and yaris. oh did i forget camry?
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pbrown 7:37PM (9/25/2006)
Come on Toyota give us what we want a HD crew cab 4x4 diesel,thats the truck everyone wants,people pay big bucks for these trucks,people with rv's,farmers,rednecks,roughnecks,contractors,macho urban yuppies,I've seen alot of people of the female persuasion drive these trucks,its a big market.
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laserwizard 8:24PM (9/25/2006)
Stupid Japanese automakers - they can build a plethora of dull, bland, and uncomfortable small cars, but when it comes to upsizing, they are upchucking.
Hints for Toyoduh and Nissan on heavy duty names for their upcoming (and now delayed again) heavy duty pickups:
- Mighty midget
- King Dwarf
- Kickass munchkin
- Monster Weeble
- Chuckie
I love it when the mighty Toyoduh and Nissan still haven't figured out how to build a serious pickup truck. Pretenders. Wimps. Idiots.
Chevrolet can rest easy knowing that their marketshare is safe now that the Japanese are stinking up the joint with more garbage.
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cowboy bob 8:21PM (9/25/2006)
I am really surprised nobody said that it looks like a combo Ford/Dodge front end. It sure looks like it to me. Oh well, I suppose nobody cares anyhow.
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GhostDoggy 8:34PM (9/25/2006)
laserwizard, GM, Ford, and Dodge may know how to build AN HD pickup, but they sure can't run a business worth a dime. And do all you flamers really buy your HD pickups based on appearance? I mean, I know that is how you bought, bed, and married the little women (joking), but looks were the last thing on my mind when I bought my last pickup. I save the looks-requirement for what I sleep with at night. Is this a WayForward approach to buying and bedding? lol
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rwdmtparkingonly 8:50PM (9/25/2006)
#6, I don't have any statistics, my observation is purely anecdotal. Around Chicago I've seen a lot of landscaper trucks, tow trucks, municipal vehicles, and even a lot of personal tow vehicles move up from F350s etc. to the entry level International Harvester, Freightliner, Mitsubishi and Isuzu commercial trucks.
It seems like every new truck a plumber, painter etc. has is a Sprinter, and I've seen some chassis cab Sprinters.
I don't think the heavy duty pickup market will decline, but Toyota might not see much future growth because people are moving to other kinds of trucks.
Here is an example of a heavy duty pickup that Toyota already makes (imagine a steak bed on the frame): http://www.hino.com/trucks/
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Barney 12:34AM (9/26/2006)
I have to agree. Heavy duty rucks are sold in a different market then the F150. Since Hino as gone to the conventonal from the cab-over, they sell them great guns in Canada. The Hino diesel in a Toyoa HD will sell very well. The pictured truck looks more like a Ford but as someone posted earlier, looks aren't ever thing. There are some who even like the Ford look. Most will buy the Toyota for the quality and the other three pickups will have to made a lot more reliable to keep their customers.
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Brian 11:41PM (9/25/2006)
The HD market is going to be tough to crack. Nissan and Toyota are discovering this and postponing their entries. It's a good strategy, but that doesn't mean the domestics are doomed come 2009. The only person I personally know that has a heavy duty truck has a Ford Superduty diesel and the thing has been 100% flawless for him. The HD trucks are just plain good.
Also, if the market makes a shift towards the Sprinter-type vehicle, Ford is well-positioned. They just came out with an excellent new Ford Transit van that competes very well with the Sprinter.
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David Ebert 5:23PM (9/26/2006)
Toyota is king of comercial vechiles. They sell more than any manufacture. They sell well In the USA Australia Europe Asia India and China, they might even sell well in Comunist countries too, if they are sold there. They also make much money from them So buyers must like value for money reliability performance that spells Toyota. THE WORLD NEW NUMBER ONE wheather there knockers like it or not. regards David.
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Ken 5:16PM (9/26/2006)
I think Toyota and Nissan are wise not to enter a shrinking market at this time. With the market shrinking for pickups of all kinds, they won't be able to compete on price and owner loyalty in the HD market will make their entry a tough sell. They didn't get where they are by making stupid marketing decisions.
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Mdoran8 11:38AM (9/27/2006)
JS: Where can I find photos of the Toyota plant under construction?
shiznannigan: You have a higher-res version of that photo?
Monte.
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