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Toyota details plans for October sales growth

Zach Bowman — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 08:28:00 EST

Filed under: Toyota, Earnings/Financials

Toyota saw another unfortunate month of sales in September. The automaker saw its sales figures fall by 18 percent compared to the same time last year, thanks largely to lower-than-average dealer inventory brought on by this year's earthquake and tsunami disasters. Toyota sold 121,451 vehicles in the U.S. last month across its three brands. The company moved 147,162 vehicles during the month of September last year.

Even so, the automaker says that October will show sales improvements, according to Automotive News. Bob Carter, group vice president of Toyota Motor Sales, said that right now, U.S. dealers have a 30-day supply of vehicles, and that inventory will continue to grow in the coming months.

Carter also underscored the fact that his company would reverse a five-month trend of sales losses in October and once again post gains. That's likely to be true given that the 2012 Toyota Camry and Camry Hybrid are likely to bring in buyers as well as the company's Prius V. In addition, the 2012 Yaris is slated to show up in the fourth quarter alongside the Scion iQ.

Toyota details plans for October sales growth originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 05 Oct 2011 08:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Opinion: Turning the tide at Toyota?

Paul Eisenstein — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 18:29:00 EST

Filed under: Safety, Toyota

What price a reputation? That's what Toyota will be learning in the months and years ahead as it struggles to recover from the safety scandal that has enveloped the company since it announced the first recall for unintended acceleration in October 2009.

There wasn't a single Toyota model that didn't land on the recall list at least once last year.

Going into the recession, certainly no company seemed better suited to weather the perfect storm than the Japanese giant, which had positioned itself as the leader in quality, reliability and dependability, or QRD in industry speak, as well as the benchmark for green mobility. Having ousted General Motors as the global king-of-the-hill, the Asian automaker seemed unstoppable.

Yet nearly seven years ago, I wrote a column suggesting Toyota might become the next GM if it weren't careful, and even as the company's sales continued growing, there were subtle signs of trouble in the offing - most notably in its slippage on the quality charts.

But few would have anticipated the sudden acceleration crisis, or the series of additional recalls that followed, month after month. In 2010, there wasn't a single Toyota model that didn't land on the recall list at least once - some repeatedly.

Continue reading...

Paul A. Eisenstein is Publisher of TheDetroitBureau.com, and a 30-year veteran of the automotive beat. His editorials bring his unique perspective and deep understanding of the auto world to Autoblog readers on a regular basis.

[Image: Justin Sullivan/Getty]

Continue reading Opinion: Turning the tide at Toyota?

Opinion: Turning the tide at Toyota? originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 17 Feb 2011 18:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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TheDetroitBureau.com on Autoblog with Paul Eisenstein

Paul Eisenstein — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 16:56:00 EST

Filed under: Safety, Toyota

Toyota conspiracy theorists have it wrong

We're becoming a nation of conspiracy addicts. It's not just the shots fired at the Kennedy motorcade from the grassy knoll in Dallas. These days it seems just about everything is up for some wide-eyed explanation, often pointing to some wicked government department or another. Even the Toyota safety scandal.

As a long-time NPR correspondent and commentator, I have spent a lot of time in recent months on the network's chat shows fielding questions about the sudden acceleration phenomenon and the safety of Toyota vehicles. Like clockwork, at least one listener per show will confide the "fact" that the crisis is really a concoction of federal bureaucrats trying to protect Chrysler and General Motors - the Treasury now owning a 61% stake in the latter maker.

That might make for good talk radio fodder, but even if the president himself were hoping to see Toyota stumble, the real facts are these: The Japanese maker's problems with runaway cars dates back long before Washington was asked to bail out Detroit; and as newly-uncovered internal documents reveal, Toyota knew it had a problem and went out of its way to hide that fact as long as possible.

If you aren't convinced by we media scribes, how about taking the word of Irv Miller, the recently-retired head of public relations for Toyota here in the U.S. Towering over the mere mortals of the automotive press corps, Miller seldom missed an opportunity to speak the company's praises - and call out an errant journalist who might have taken an inappropriate shot at the automaker.

It's quite obvious Toyota has engaged in questionable, very likely even illegal actions...

To his credit, Miller was equally stern on keeping the story straight behind the scenes, as becomes apparent when you read the e-mails he sent to his Japanese counterparts demanding that they "come clean" on the worsening sudden acceleration mess. The most damning document was sent by Miller to Katsuhiko Koganei on January 16, 2010, in which he used capital letters - the web world's way of shouting - to underscore his concerns.

"WE HAVE a tendency for MECHANICAL failure in accelerator pedals of a certain manufacturer on certain models," wrote Miller, just weeks before his retirement. "The time to hide on this one is over," he concluded.

What triggered his wrath? Well, let's go back and look at the chronology to understand.

Follow the jump to read more.

Paul A. Eisenstein is Publisher of TheDetroitBureau.com, and a 30-year veteran of the automotive beat. His editorials bring his unique perspective and deep understanding of the auto world to Autoblog readers on a regular basis.

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TheDetroitBureau.com on Autoblog with Paul Eisenstein originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 12 Apr 2010 16:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chicago 2010: Refreshed Toyota Avalon "boldly redesigned" to look exactly like predecessor

Chris Paukert — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 13:45:00 EST

Filed under: Chicago Auto Show, Sedan, Toyota

2011 Toyota Avalon - Click above for high-res gallery

Perhaps the only 'surprise' at this year's Chicago Auto Show thus far has been the appearance of Toyota's refreshed-for-2011 Avalon sedan. According to this morning's presentation, even the automaker itself debated postponing its introduction in light of its present woes.

Looking to make the best of a bad situation (and among a string of assurances about his company's commitment to quality and customers), Toyota's Group Vice President and General Manager, Bob Carter, was quick to point out that the full-size sedan will ship with an updated gas pedal and emergency shutoff provision. That housekeeping note done, Carter went on to explain that the full-size Avalon checks off the traditional list of mid-cycle refresh items including revised head- and taillamps (the latter with LED), a new grille, revamped fascias and new alloy wheel patterns.

The bigger story for the revamped Avalon is on the inside, where a handsome new center stack, latest-generation navigation system and added niceties like a standard in-mirror backup camera and Bluetooth streaming audio and telephony have been fitted.

As before, the Avalon is powered by Toyota's 24-valve 3.5-liter V6, tuned here to make 268 horsepower at 6,200 rpm and achieve 20 miles-per-gallon in the city and 29 on the highway. It arrives in dealerships this spring.

Gallery: 2011 Toyota Avalon at Chicago Auto Show

Gallery: 2011 Toyota Avalon

[Source: Toyota]

Continue reading Chicago 2010: Refreshed Toyota Avalon "boldly redesigned" to look exactly like predecessor

Chicago 2010: Refreshed Toyota Avalon "boldly redesigned" to look exactly like predecessor originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 10 Feb 2010 13:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dismal April motivates Toyota to increase production and incentives

Michael Harley — Mon, 04 May 2009 13:01:00 EST

Filed under: Plants/Manufacturing, Marketing/Advertising, Toyota, Earnings/Financials

With April's sales volume down over 41% and Ford pushing it aside in the numbers race, the Toyota division is motivated to move units in May. At the request of dealers, the automaker is boosting production of its best-selling Toyota Camry and popular RAV4 SUV. In addition, a new ad campaign, called "Perfect Timing," started on Friday. It is an attempt to boost sales on vehicles using reduced interest rates, more consumer cash and a focus on low payment leases. The campaign caters to regional needs with aggressive leases in the East, and zero-percent interest rates in the West and Midwest. Bob Carter, Toyota division general manager, told Automotive News that "there will be an enhanced package of incentives compared with what Toyota currently offers." Carter didn't elaborate, so it seems you'll just have to visit a showroom to get the details. Regardless, it appears that Toyota is willing to make a deal like never before.

[Source: Automotive News, subs. req'd | Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty]

Dismal April motivates Toyota to increase production and incentives originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 04 May 2009 13:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toyota may renew "Saved by Zero" no-interest loans

Michael Harley — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 14:31:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Toyota

Toyota is reportedly having great success ~~giving away money~~ with their 0% loans. According to Bob Carter, general manager of the Toyota Division, the "Saved by Zero" ad campaign is building traffic and may be renewed when the program expires on November 3 (of course, he won't tell us now because that may slow traffic down again). Dealerships are reporting an increase in sales leads due to the no-interest financing, and the drastic sales declines in September seem to have eased-off a bit so far this month. The 0% financing is only good on 36-month loans making payments a bit steep for first-timers (longer terms also get reduced rates, but not the 0%). This is causing some dealers to ask for more rebates on Toyota cars and trucks in lieu of the aggressive financing -- the rebates are helpful as the cash incentives often provide customers with the down payments needed to originate the sales in the first place.

[Source: Automotive News, subs. req'd]

Toyota may renew "Saved by Zero" no-interest loans originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 27 Oct 2008 14:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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