What's built in the States, stays in the States. At least that is how it used to be with one of the world's largest automaker. (The one exception is the Toyota Avalon sedan -- exported to the Middle East last year.)
Toyota has now announced that it will ramp up U.S. vehicle production in Indiana and begin exporting vehicles to other booming markets around the world. The first to leave our shores will be the Toyota Sequoia, as it heads to buyers in the Middle East later this year. The Toyota Sienna minivan will follow, as it will be shipped to China and other markets as early as 2010. This news should be welcomed by workers and suppliers at the automaker's plants as Toyota recently slowed production at several facilities. This new trend of shifting production towards exporting vehicles may help keep them running at capacity, and keep everyone on their jobs.
[Source: Automotive News, subs. req'd]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Torrent @ May 20th 2008 1:04PM
America can't have anything to themselves. Except for Mercury. ugh.
Takeo @ May 20th 2008 1:13PM
That's cool, Honda has been doing this for years too, exporting the US Accord to Japan and other places as the Inspire/Saber.
Tricky dicky @ May 20th 2008 1:59PM
look at chrysler and their record international sales the vast majority of which are manufactured in NA..
Toyota sells 7k avalons to the Middle east and talks about sending some trucks over there and we have headlines..
lol..
Thedevil @ May 20th 2008 1:16PM
Well i'm not so sure that this is a good idea,everyone knows an American built vehicle is not as well made as one made in japan.
i say keep the crap here and export what you make in japan.
Dan @ May 20th 2008 1:21PM
Yes the Japanese built cars tend to be built to higher standards but the American built cars are hardly crap. Many of the Corollas and Camrys you see out there were built in the good ole USA and they aren't exactly falling apart now are they.
tanooki2003 @ May 20th 2008 1:40PM
I think you are referring to the big 3, not the american built imports
Thedevil @ May 20th 2008 1:41PM
@DAN ....Dont get me wrong Dan,i'm not saying Toyota's made here are that bad,but i think the ones made in japan are alot better.
my 2002 4runner made in japan has had 1 recall in 6 years.
A D @ May 20th 2008 6:27PM
What a load of crap.
"Everybody" also knows that Toyota built three million V6 engines that have a problem with sludge.. and all of them came from Japan.
"Everybody" also knows that Japan has a problem with lying about currency to screw Americans out of jobs.
When will "everybody" wake up and see that self loathing Americans are cowards & traitors.
ron @ May 20th 2008 1:20PM
U.S.A is becoming Mexico North.
Lithous @ May 20th 2008 1:21PM
"What's build in the States, stays in the States."
I think you mean "built".
They know looks mean everything to Americans and they have to do this (especially since we are still the world's #1 auto market.) If Toyota has to lay off people then believe me, the S would hit the fan. All Utopia of how Toyota is our savior would then be destroyed. "Ford and GM layoff"... "Well so does Toyota!" That couldn't happen. They will wait until Americans are too poor to afford cars but can build them for the rest of the world. This is just a place holder until then.
Michael Harley @ May 20th 2008 1:48PM
Of course I do (fixed). :-)
Thanks!
- Mike
Guenther @ May 20th 2008 1:49PM
Utilizing plant capacity is just business sense, not some image voodoo. With the weak dollar, the US is a comparatively cheap place to build cars, so it just makes sense. If there are markets out there, where the big American models are a good fit, great. They're built with tons of comfort, features and convenience, and still sturdy enough to go a half a million km on our lousy roads.
sw @ May 20th 2008 2:31PM
Come on, instead of bringing up all this nationalistic garbage isn't it even more likely that since the dollar has tanked, they're better able to turn a profit from exporting U.S. built vehicles that would have languished on dealer lots.
As another note it is indeed better for the American worker to you know, be working.
I'm not praising them by doing what they need to do in order to turn a profit. In fact I'm sure if they could make a large enough profit by opening and operating manufacturing plants elsewhere, they would, as would any smart company.
Lithous @ May 20th 2008 2:56PM
"Come on, instead of bringing up all this nationalistic garbage isn't it even more likely that since the dollar has tanked, they're better able to turn a profit from exporting U.S. built vehicles that would have languished on dealer lots."
Unlike the U.S. domestic auto companies who build in America, Toyota can simply slow down capacity instead of allowing LANGUISHING VEHICLES because Toyota doesn't have any (OK, half of a factory total) union factories in the U.S. Remember how green they are with the Prius? Wouldn't they want to not sell the big vehicles because they love the environment unlike GM? Remember. So here is their chance. No unions to bargain with just slow it down but no, they decide to keep 'em going.
Hell, even GM is slowing down the large SUV factories, even with their union (only because they were running overtime at first), instead of finding new markets to justify more big machines.
No, I'll stay with my theory a little longer until I hear a convincing argument otherwise.
simianspeedster @ May 20th 2008 5:37PM
Lithous,
Your "theory" that Toyota is intentionally overproducing large SUVs in a declining market would make sense if sales of Toyota's vehicles were in decline like the domestics, but they're not.
2007 YTD Tundra sales through April: 43,386
2008 YTD Tundra sales through April: 54,134
http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2008/05/01/085824.html
Yes, that means Tundra sales in the U.S. are up 25% this year. Nothing like actual facts to pop your balloon, eh?
-SimianSpeedster
Lithous @ May 20th 2008 7:09PM
First, the Tundra isn't an SUV or a Minivan as the AB description mentions (I don't have a subscription to AN where the original article came from)
Second, AB has a link in this article to Toyota slowing down production: http://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/14/toyota-slowing-production-of-tundra-sequoia/
Maybe Toyota is putting huge dollars down for people to buy the Tundra, I don't know. Maybe they don't know their market well that they thought just a couple months ago they needed to ramp down yet sales are up according to your link.
Either way, you haven't convinced me I'm wrong either.
LMAO. Go get your paycheck from Wantanabe, he's waiting.
simianspeedster @ May 21st 2008 12:44AM
No, the Tundra isn't an SUV, but it and the Sequoia are made in the same plant. As the articicle states, "The first to leave our shores will be the Toyota Sequoia, as it heads to buyers in the Middle East later this year."
If 2008 Tundras are selling better than 2007s, it stands to reason that the all new for 2008 Sequoia is outselling the 2007 model as well.
With regards to Toyota cutting back on Tundra/Sequoia production, they are most likely cutting back on production relative to their original 2008 goals, not relative to 2007 production. That doesn't mean Toyota won't experience some growth in their full size line, just that they won't be experiencing as much growth as they originally hoped this year now that the economy is slowing down and fuel prices are up substantially.
Hey, at least I'm trying to offer some supporting evidence for my position, not pulling random tin foil hat theories out of my a$$!
-SimianSpeedster
Lithous @ May 21st 2008 8:13AM
I'm surprised Toyota would employ someone who presents logic so fuzzy.
All because the SUV and the pickup come off the same assembly line and the SUV is the first to export doesn't mean the second is the pickup. Since the article states SUVs and Minivans are going out I would guess that the next to go out would be the Minivan. Pickups are used for much different things than SUVs most of the time. Most pickups are for work vehicles. So, all because they come off the same assembly line doesn't mean they are treated the same (for sale or export) after they are put together. But you have the inside news so how can I compete with that.
Again with your second paragraph, because two vehicles come off the same assembly line or are from the same company means they are doing the same thing sales-wise? I thought the new Texas plant only made pickups and was to be the main Tundra plant? So the Indiana plant which makes both was basically turning into a Tundra supplemental plant. So the Tundra happenings in Indiana shouldn't be as important anymore.
Pickups are work trucks and big SUVs are much less for that. Even if the Seqrappa numbers are up (from brainwashed Americans or cash incentives), not sure if they are, your logic that the same assembly line means the same sales curve is flawed. Period.
The key to your last statement is "trying". You are trying but trying and doing are two different things. Your Japanese bosses hopefully have told you the difference.
As far as tin foil hats, I guess if a few years ago one mentioned how the Japanese and Koreans were basically not giving true horsepower numbers that would have been a tin foil hat statement too. Except they ended up have to pay money to customers because of their untruths. Very unexpected from companies that supposedly go the extra mile to be so perfect.
simianspeedster @ May 22nd 2008 1:08AM
"Most pickups are for work vehicles"
Bwhahahaha!!! Yeah, and most people buy Porsches to race them at the track. Flawless logic, and so very factual!
I'll summarize your position: anyone who doesn't think Toyota is trying to enslave the human race is either brainwashed or works for the mother company. There can't be any other answer. You are right and everyone else is wrong. Oh, how we wish to be so enlightened.
Now, go crawl back to your hobby of scanning the airwaves for Japanese invaders. Pearl Harbor II is coming, right?
--SimianSpeedster
Temple @ May 20th 2008 1:28PM
The Toyota Avalon was also exported back to Japan as well, it was always marketed as an 'American' Toyota luxury car in its home market.