Autoblog

REPORT: Toyota to add 850 more jobs in San Antonio to build more pickups

Dan Roth — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 08:30:00 EST

Filed under: Truck, Plants/Manufacturing, Toyota

2007 Toyota Tundra Limited - click above for high resolution gallery

NUMMI's loss will be San Antonio's gain. Toyota is adding a second shift at its truck plant and looking to hire 850 workers for the production increase, and since Toyota's suppliers are located on-site, they're also adding a second shift and hiring.

The relocated Tacoma production from NUMMI is projected to roll 150,000 vehicles out per year, still below the 200,000 trucks Toyota wanted to be making when it launched the current Tundra. It's a way for Toyota to hedge its pickup bets. When the market for the biggies sags, Tacomas may be more appealing; the plant could adjust its mix and keep going. While Toyota's pickup volume is a small slice of the market, San Antonio may wind up loving the Tundra and Tacoma in a big way.

Gallery: 2007 Toyota Tundra Limited

[Source: Automotive News - Sub. Req.]

REPORT: Toyota to add 850 more jobs in San Antonio to build more pickups originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 08 Dec 2009 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BREAKING: Toyota to recall 3.8M vehicles to reshape and replace pedals

Chris Paukert — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 10:03:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal, Recalls, Safety, Toyota

Toyota has announced that it will recall some 3.8 million cars and trucks to reshape and/or replace their accelerator pedals. The action is the result of fears that loose floormats may cause the accelerator pedal to stick, increasing the risk of an accident. The recall will be the largest in the Japanese automaker's history, and it will cover a wide range of vehicles from the 2004 model year through 2010 - a complete list is available after the jump. The move comes after an earlier action where Toyota announced it would recall 3.8 million vehicles to only swap floor mats.

Working with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Toyota will effect the recall by sending letters to owners of its Avalon, Camry, and Lexus ES 350 models by year's end. Five other models, including the Prius, Tacoma, Tundra, and Lexus IS 250/IS 350 will receive similar notices sometime in 2010.

The plan includes training dealer service representatives to reshape gas pedals, and Toyota will develop and ship redesigned gas pedals beginning in April. Those customers who have elected to have their pedals initially reshaped will still be able to have the pedal replaced when the updated unit becomes available. Vehicles fitted with Toyota or Lexus-made all-weather floor mats will also receive a new set of redesigned front mats.

Interestingly, Toyota will also install a a brake override system that will turn off the engine if both the accelerator and the brake are depressed simultaneously. According to Automotive News, this update will occur on "involved Camry, Avalon, and Lexus ES 350, IS 350 and IS 250 models 'as an extra measure of confidence.'" This action appears to be limited to vehicles that employ Toyota's push-button start system, but interestingly its hybrid-only Prius has apparently been excluded.

For its part, Toyota says the cost of the action will come entirely from its dedicated recall fund, a $5.6 billion dollar stash, and therefore, the recall will have "no effect" on its business. The news come on the heels of yesterday's announcement that Toyota will recall 2000-2003 Tundra pickups over frame rust issues.

A complete list of vehicles covered under the action and both NHTSA and Toyota's official press releases are available after the jump.

[Sources: Reuters; Automotive News; NHTSA; Toyota]

Continue reading BREAKING: Toyota to recall 3.8M vehicles to reshape and replace pedals

BREAKING: Toyota to recall 3.8M vehicles to reshape and replace pedals originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 25 Nov 2009 10:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toyota extends Tundra rust recall to include 2000-03 models, totalling 110,000 trucks

Damon Lavrinc — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 17:27:00 EST

Filed under: Truck, Recalls, Safety, Toyota

If you've been following the Toyota Tundra rust saga, you're aware that NHSTA recently requested data from Toyota about the purported frame corrosion affecting 2000 and 2001 models. Today, Toyota has extended that recall to include the 2002-03 model years, saying that a small number of trucks could suffer from frame corrosion that could cause the spare tire to detach from its underbody housing. That brings the total up to 110,000 Tundras located in 20 cold-weather states and the District of Columbia.

Toyota will begin an inspection program next month which will run through January of 2010, and if you're driving one of the affected pickups, you can get all the details in the press release below the fold. Hat tip to Mike from Pickuptrucks.com.

Continue reading Toyota extends Tundra rust recall to include 2000-03 models, totalling 110,000 trucks

Toyota extends Tundra rust recall to include 2000-03 models, totalling 110,000 trucks originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 24 Nov 2009 17:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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REPORT: Toyota forced to submit data on Tundra frame rust to NHTSA

Jonathon Ramsey — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 10:01:00 EST

Filed under: Truck, Safety, Toyota

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) began a preliminary evaluation last month of rusting Tundra frames from the 2000 and 2001 model years. Around 200 complaints had been registered before the NHTSA commenced its investigation, with upwards of seventy more complaints coming in since then.

As with the rusting Tacoma frames, the Tundra members in question were made by Dana. Importantly, though, the Tundra examination is focused only on "the cross member that supports the spare tire -- not the entire frame." Still, that area has been blamed by consumers for the spare tire coming loose, and for brake system failures due to corrosion at the brake line mounting points.

Toyota ended up buying back Tacomas or extending warranties to settle the rust issue, but Tundra frames were built at different Dana plants and to different specifications, so the Tundra issue is not assumed to be the same as the Tacoma issue. Toyota had until last week to submit its information on the frames, now the NHTSA will need to decide what to do next.

[Source: Automotive News - Sub. Req.]

REPORT: Toyota forced to submit data on Tundra frame rust to NHTSA originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 23 Nov 2009 10:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SEMA 2009: Toyota Tundra Hot Rod kinda cool misses the bullseye

Jonny Lieberman — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 17:39:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, SEMA Show, Truck, Japan, Toyota, Specialty

Toyota Tundra Hot Rod - Click above for high-res image gallery

Yeah... Toyota is painting this one as a what-would-happen if Tundras existed back during the hot rodding heyday of the 1950s. We'll let you draw your own conclusions about that. However, we would like to take this opportunity to point out that the grill would have been chrome, not matte. And odds are they would have lowered the truck a bit more, right?

Also, whatever aerodynamic advantage gained with the moon disk hubs is negated (and then some) by the giant wing mirrors. All that smack talked, an actual Japanese take on American hot rods would be welcome -- maybe next year. Full press release -- and perhaps a better explanation -- after the jump.

Gallery: SEMA 2009: Toyota Tundra Hot Rod

Continue reading SEMA 2009: Toyota Tundra Hot Rod ~~kinda cool~~ misses the bullseye

SEMA 2009: Toyota Tundra Hot Rod ~~kinda cool~~ misses the bullseye originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 04 Nov 2009 17:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toyota plans to trim trucks, focus on hybrids, improve quality

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 16:29:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Truck, Plants/Manufacturing, Safety, Toyota

Stick with what you know. That seems to be Toyota's new mantra going forward, as the Japanese automaker has reportedly diverted its attention away from large trucks like the largely unsuccessful and slow-selling Tundra pickup and back on hybrid vehicles - possibly all wearing the Prius badge, including a minivan and something smaller than the current Prius - and returning to its previous levels of unquestionable quality.

Atsushi Niimi, executive vice president for North America and global manufacturing, tells Automotive News that Toyota will try to build more longevity into its current lineup, addressing issues such as excessive rust and corrosion and introducing new "fail-safe functions" designed to minimize the possibility of "tragic accidents." We suspect that means push-button ignitions that can more easily shut down the car and floor mats that can't bunch up under the accelerator pedal.

In addition, Toyota will focus on the North American market, giving U.S. engineers a larger say when it comes to new vehicle design and the choices of which models make the overseas trek. To speed up the new model renaissance, Toyota will hold back on mid-cycle refreshes, instead working to get more substantial updates ready in less time.

On the manufacturing side, Toyota believes that it expanded too rapidly over the last decade and will attempt to slow down and restore the trust that customers had in the brand. Apparently, that slowdown will indeed affect the recently-built and still-idle plant in Blue Springs, Mississippi.

[Source: Automotive News (products, manufacturing) (quality) - sub. req'd]

Toyota plans to trim trucks, focus on hybrids, improve quality originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 02 Nov 2009 16:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VIDEO: Toyota Dealer Training: 2007 Tundra

Jonny Lieberman — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 14:16:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Truck, Japan, Marketing/Advertising, Videos, Work, Toyota

Still from 2007 Toyota Dealer Training clip - click above image to watch the video

Over the past couple of weeks, we've shown you the did-not-age-well 1989 Ford dealer training videos, and the completely laughable + hopeless late-Eighties Chevrolet dealer training clips. Interestingly, in the waning years of Ronald Reagan's America, the domestics weren't doing so bad. The Big Three still had over 70% of the U.S. market and sentiments like, "Mazda! Not in my parking lot" still existed in cities outside of Detroit. Fast-forward twenty years and, well, you know the story. Ford mortgaged the farm to keep the lights on while General Motors and Chrysler sought government shelter. Meanwhile, Toyota is the largest automaker in the world, bar none, though these days Volkswagen's nipping at their heels. And we'd bet that you've owned at least one "import."

Here we have a Toyota dealer training video from just two short years ago. In it, a Dan Cortez-style host tells a trailer-towing Tundra dealer/driver to "take off like a bat out of hell" and then engage the ABS (panic stop) with his hands off the wheel. And yeah, the Tundra is an impressive truck in the video. As the host says, "The domestics were asleep at the wheel." And you could make that argument in 2007. Too bad for Toyota that Ford came out with the 2008 F-150 and Dodge followed up with the 2009 Ram. Full video after the jump.

Gallery: 2008 Toyota Tundra

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading VIDEO: Toyota Dealer Training: 2007 Tundra

VIDEO: Toyota Dealer Training: 2007 Tundra originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 29 Aug 2009 14:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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REPORT: Toyota Tundra finally earns its fifth star... but how?

Chris Shunk — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Truck, Safety, Toyota

2010 Toyota Tundra Platinum Package - click above for high-res gallery

When Toyota crashed the domestic automakers' pickup party with the arrival of the 2007 Tundra, the truck-buying public took notice. Bad news struck the Tundra from the start, though, as heavy rebates were needed to move the new truck, and numerous quality issues were reported. Toyota has since addressed those issues, but one problem has continued to follow the truck: The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration gave the Tundra a four star rating for front driver and passenger collisions, denoting a 11-20% chance of serious injury in a 35 mph crash. That's one fewer star than the competition from Dodge, Chevy, and Ford, and a big-time marketing disadvantage for Toyota. The four star rating became a bit more puzzling when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety named the Tundra a Top Safety Pick for 2008. Toyota seemed dumbfounded as to why its truck received a four star rating, but the Japanese automaker may have received some vindication for the 2010 model year.

The star power of the Tundra has finally been amped up for the new model year, as NHTSA is now giving the Double Cab and Crew Max configurations of the truck a five star rating. The regular cab Tundra hasn't been tested. There have been several changes to the 2010 Tundra, including interior and exterior updates, plus a new 310 horsepower 4.6-liter V8 engine. Pickuptrucks.com contacted Toyota to see what structural changes were made to the Tundra to improve its crash test scores, and Toyota reportedly told the website that no structural changes to the trucks frame were made, and no safety enhancements have been added. Interesting.

[Source: Pickuptrucks]

REPORT: Toyota Tundra finally earns its fifth star... but how? originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 04 Aug 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Numbers Don't Lie: Silverado beats out F-150 as America's best-selling light-duty pickup

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 19:30:00 EST

Filed under: Truck, Chevrolet, Dodge, Ford, GMC, Nissan, Toyota, Off-Road

Quick - What's the best-selling light-duty pickup truck in America? Did you say the Ford F-150? Not so fast. According to the J.D. Power Information Network (via our friends at PickupTrucks.com), General Motors sold more Chevy Silverado 1500 pickups (119,959 units) in June that Ford sold F-150s (107,778 units), and that's not a fluke.

It seems that the automakers don't actually break out the sales of each pickup line when reporting overall figures, so Ford lumps all F-Series (F-150, F-250, F-350...) sales together when it correctly lays claim to the title of Best-Selling Pickup Line in America. Ford's Super Duty series commands nearly 50-percent of the HD pickup market, which puts the Blue Oval on top of the overall sales race.

Interestingly, all three American automakers picked up full-size pickup market share at the expense of Nissan and especially Toyota, which saw sales of its Tundra plummet from 76,516 units to just 36,106 units in June of 2009 compared to one year ago. Click here for the full breakdown of full-size truck sales data.

[Source: PickupTrucks.com]

Numbers Don't Lie: Silverado beats out F-150 as America's best-selling light-duty pickup originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 08 Jul 2009 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VIDEO: Toyota dealer employees caught snooping through customer vehicle, watching porn

Chris Shunk — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 19:28:00 EST

Filed under: Maintenance, Truck, Videos, Toyota, Carsumer Advocacy

Click above to watch video after the jump

Have you ever had the feeling that the service guy at your local dealership is rummaging through your things? Perhaps even a few quarters are missing. A guy named Jason knows all too well about dealership employees going through his stuff - on two different occasions, Jason noticed that things were missing from his Toyota Tundra after getting it serviced at Hampton Toyota of Lafayette. One time, over $10 in quarters were reportedly stolen, and the next time, Jason says about half his quarters were gone.

After complaining about his problems to dealership management, he received no response. So he rigged a digital video camera to the passenger side door and recorded his Tundra's next service appointment. What he saw from the video footage was priceless. In one video clip, the technician rummages through his pills, even licking the medicine's residue on his hand. He also takes some quarters from the truck. Videos that were later removed from YouTube reportedly shows one man watching what sounds like pornography on a diagnostic computer.

Instead of again complaining to dealership management, this time Jason took the DVD to the local media, and sent a copy to the owner of the dealership, along with a letter detailing what happened to him. Consumerist reports that the dealer's owner immediately fired the three workers caught on video, along with the service manager that ignored his complaints. Jason also received an extended warranty on his truck for his troubles. Hit the jump to view the videos showing the technician rummaging through Jason's things. Hat tip to FaLex!

[Source: Consumerist]

Continue reading VIDEO: Toyota dealer employees caught snooping through customer vehicle, watching porn

VIDEO: Toyota dealer employees caught snooping through customer vehicle, watching porn originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 07 Jul 2009 19:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Reports of aggressively rusting Toyota pickup frames piling up

Chris Shunk — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 11:29:00 EST

Filed under: Truck, Safety, Toyota

Some Toyota Tundra owners are reportedly experiencing inordinately heavy amounts of premature rust, and they want the Japanese automaker to take action to address the problem. WCVB TV in Boston has been investigating the Toyota rust situation for about a year, and they're reporting that at least two dozen 2000-2001 Tundra owners have complained to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Owners of 1995-2001 Toyota pickups say their vehicles had inadequate corrosion protection, and many feel that the automaker should recall the vehicles.

When we mention excessive rust, we're not talking about some corroded quarter panels or a little dusting around the wheel wells. Drivers have complained of trucks so rusty that the frames are cracking, panels are falling off, and, in some cases, the trucks are too unsafe to drive. One owner is reportedly dealing with a power steering rack in need of repair, but the rust is so bad a new rack can't be bolted to the frame. The Boston TV station also investigated the smaller Tacoma for rust issues last year and found several frames that were disintegrating due to excessive corrosion.

For Toyota's part, the station reports that the automaker is buying back select models at 1.5 times their Blue Book value, but there are other truck owners who are still clamoring for resolution. The Japanese automaker says it is investing every case individually and that it's using lessons learned from the Tacoma incident to proactively investigate vehicles made with similar production techniques. Toyota won't comment on how many rust problem complaints it has received. Hat tip to Chris!

[Source: The Boston Channel]

Reports of aggressively rusting Toyota pickup frames piling up originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 29 Apr 2009 11:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VIDEO: Mike Rowe takes on dirty job of comparing full-size pickups

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 19:26:00 EST

Filed under: Truck, Videos, Chevrolet, Dodge, Ford, Toyota

Click above to watch the video

In today's world, you'd imagine that any new full-size pickup truck can handle the daily grind with ease. And for the most part, you'd be right. But when the time comes for heavy hauling, not all trucks are created equally. Each manufacturer can probably come up with scenarios where its particular pickup performs better than the competition, but after watching Ford's video, hosted by Dirty Job's Mike Rowe, we feel that the footage offers a few compelling reasons why the Blue Oval's latest F-150 might be the pick of the litter.

Up first is the well-known rough road test, and we were shocked by how much difference there was between how the F-150 handled the exam compared to the Chevy Silverado, Dodge Ram and Toyota Tundra. You've got to watch it to see what we mean. After that is a test of fuel efficiency, and all we know about the procedure is that the most efficient engine option was chosen and, not surprisingly, the Ford came out on top. The third test involved placing a 993-pound spool of cable in the bed and running through a handling course and again, the results were enlightening. Lastly, an improperly loaded trailer was hooked to each truck and sway was induced.

In each test, the trucks were driven by a set of professional drivers, including Tanner Faust (that boy ain't right indeed), and the scenes were recorded from every conceivable angle. We're not going to suggest that these results conclusively show that the F-150 is the best truck available under all circumstances. What we will say, is that the footage after the break is certainly entertaining. Thanks for the tip, Kevin!

Continue reading VIDEO: Mike Rowe takes on dirty job of comparing full-size pickups

VIDEO: Mike Rowe takes on dirty job of comparing full-size pickups originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 26 Jan 2009 19:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Performance Test: 2008 Toyota Tundra TRD

Drew Phillips — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 11:58:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, Truck, Toyota

Click above for a high-res image gallery of the Toyota Tundra TRD

We don't do much performance testing of the vehicles we review here at Autoblog, partly because we don't have the resources and also because our seat-of-the-pants-meter usually gives us the pertinent information we need about how a car (or truck, in this case) performs. There are times, however, that we do get the urge to get real, actual numbers. Take, for instance, this 2008 Toyota Tundra TRD. Last month, Motor Trend put it to the test and claimed it could muscle its way from 0 to 60 mph in just 4.4 seconds. While we have no doubt that this time could theoretically be achieved assuming unlimited amounts of traction, we called shenanigans and vowed to get our hands on the truck to record our own numbers. Fortunately, Toyota was game and provided the same exact Tundra TRD used in Motor Trend's test with a fresh set of rear tires. We're not here to debate the point of a performance truck or argue with those who think vehicles like this are the cause of global warming. We just want to see what it'll really run. So along with our pal Mike Levine of PickupTrucks.com, we set out to play drag racer for a day and find out. Read on to see the results.

Gallery: Performance Test: 2008 Toyota Tundra TRD

Continue reading Performance Test: 2008 Toyota Tundra TRD

Performance Test: 2008 Toyota Tundra TRD originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 30 Dec 2008 11:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toyota will debut Tundra Work Truck Package in San Diego

Jonathon Ramsey — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 11:58:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Truck, Toyota

Click above for high-res image gallery of the Toyota Tundra Work Truck Package

One glaring omission in the range of Tundra trim levels is a stripper model suitable for duty as a basic work truck. Toyota will change all that at this year's San Diego Auto Show (Dec. 31, 2008 to Jan. 4, 2009) when the 2010 Toyota Tundra Work Truck Package debuts. Like any good work truck, a Tundra with the Work Truck Package is decontented enough to guarantee that your employees don't enjoy the drive too much. All the chrome on the Tundra's exterior has been replaced with black plastic, including the front and rear bumpers and grille, the latter of which has been slightly revised with a two-bar design. The side view mirrors are only manually adjustable, the bench seat is upholstered in washable vinyl, the floor is rubber and the dash is all black plastic. Cruise control and remote keyless entry are also gone as standard features. Available on Regular and Access Cab models in standard and long bed configurations with your choice of a V6 or V8 engine, the Work Truck Package will lower the price of your Tundra by as little as $550 and as much as $665. While not exactly the most exhilarating debut this auto show season, Toyota no doubt sees the benefit of broadening the Tundra's appeal to businesses that get their hands dirty.

Gallery: Toyota Tundra Work Truck Package

[Source: PickupTrucks.com]

Toyota will debut Tundra Work Truck Package in San Diego originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 24 Dec 2008 11:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SEMA 2008: Toyota's truck trio is 3x cooler than modded Venzas

Damon Lavrinc — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 21:01:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, SEMA Show, Tuners, Truck, Toyota

Click any image for a high-res gallery of Toyota's SEMAfied trucks

Toyota's Venza trio didn't stir our souls, but a few of its customized trucks had us itching for some Italian iron and a remake of the first Back to the Future flick.

First up is the Toyota Tundra/Ducati Transporter that makes trips to the track a breeze with a motorized loading ramp, an integrated tool system, storage for spare parts and a set of solar panels mounted on the bed rails to provide auxiliary power. A 5.7-liter supercharged V8 sends power to 22-inch custom aluminum Alcoa wheels coated in Pirelli Scorpion Zero tires. In addition to a handful of suspension and body mods, the truck gets a custom interior with thrones fitted with an In Seat Solutions Relaxor Massage system. Naturally, the Ducati Desmo MotoGP bike is sold separately.

Tucked in behind the Tundra was the Tacoma Truck Concept, coated in a cream pearl exterior and retro stripes that had us fondly reminiscing about our first off-road experience in the 80s. A four-cylinder engine is mated to a four-speed automatic gearbox and a four-wheel-drive system (4x4x4) pulled from Landcruiser, featuring a solid front axle, transfer case and Toyota Motorsport rear axle. A custom roll bar and front grill joins KC Daylighter six-inch lights, Bushwacker fender flares and American Racing AR-23 wheels. And the exterior isn't the only thing retro about this Tacoma. According to our man Mike Levine from Pickuptrucks.com, the seats are swathed in 20-year-old Recaro fabric that the Toyota crew found in the corner of their warehouse.

The last of our Toyota trucks was the TRD Tacoma Off Road Project, which features a supercharged 4.0-liter V6, a seven-inch widened track, custom front control arms matched to a new set of Bilsteins with 13-inches of wheel travel and an independent rear suspension with 14-inches of wheel travel. Think of it as the Raptor asinterpreted by Toyota, but without the trick rear suspension setup.

Check the galleries below for plenty of pics and take a peek below the fold for all the details.

Gallery: SEMA 2008: Toyota Tundra/Ducati Transporter

Gallery: SEMA 2008: Toyota Tacoma Truck Concept

Gallery: SEMA 2008: Toyota Tacoma Off Road Project

Continue reading SEMA 2008: Toyota's truck trio is 3x cooler than modded Venzas

SEMA 2008: Toyota's truck trio is 3x cooler than modded Venzas originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 04 Nov 2008 21:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toyota to Tundra factory workers: Get thee to a park!

Jonathon Ramsey — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 10:31:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Plants/Manufacturing, Toyota

As reported recently, even though Toyota halted Tundra production for a while, the company pledged not to lay off its workers. At a total cost of potentially $1 billion to the company, Toyota instead placed the employees in retraining and civic works programs during a Kaizen and Development Period.

What kinds of civic programs? One of them, in San Antonio, is called the City-Toyota Green Clean-Up Project, which has put up to 340 workers on the streets to "clean, paint, and plant." Factory staffers have painted curbs, picnic tables and trash cans, trimmed trees and plants, and cleaned up lots. While employees do want to get back to the factories, they're enjoying the time away and being able to give back to the city -- all the while earning their regular wages and benefits.

A second round of city improvement will begin next month. After that, Toyota expects to have all hands on deck again at the factory in November, building 2009-model-year Tundras. Thanks for the tip, Mike!

[Source: My SA News]

Toyota to Tundra factory workers: Get thee to a park! originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 24 Sep 2008 10:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toyota considering exporting big trucks

Chris Shunk — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 17:58:00 EST

Filed under: Truck, Europe, Toyota

Click above for a high-res gallery of the Toyota Tundra.

The Toyota Tundra is the most competent pickup Toyota has ever produced, but the two-year-old truck has been hit hard by the harsh reality of the US auto slump. Gas prices and a sluggish housing industry have conspired to put a wet blanket on the Tundra party, and the San Antonio plant will be closed from August 8 until mid-November to allow dealers to clear out Tundra inventory. When the Texas plant does come back online, a portion of its production could wind up overseas.

At the Management Briefing Seminars, Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky Inc. President Steve St. Angelo said some Tundras and Sequoias could be produced in the US and shipped overseas. While markets like Europe and Asia aren't likely to turn to trucks and SUVs in large numbers, both the Tundra and Sequoia could be a welcomed addition in the Middle East, where cheap gas prices makes big vehicles more acceptable. While the overseas truck market isn't likely to produce huge demand for the Tundra and Sequoia, the currently untapped markets could help the San Antonio plant come closer to running at its peak efficiency.

Gallery: 2007 Toyota Tundra Limited

Gallery: 2008 Toyota Sequoia

[Source: Auto News (subs req'd)]

Toyota considering exporting big trucks originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 11 Aug 2008 17:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Prius production heading to Mississippi, Tundra to Texas

Dan Roth — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 11:01:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, SUV, Truck, Hirings/Firings/Layoffs, Plants/Manufacturing, Crossover, Toyota

Toyota's got some changes and rearranges underway with its North American facilities to better serve the demands of the market. The biggest news is that Prius production will be coming Stateside, which will help unkink the supply pipeline, if not also lower costs. A new facility in Blue Springs, Mississippi is being readied for the battery-pack-mobile, though the location was initially meant to turn out Highlanders. With consumer desires shifting with the rise of fuel prices, cranking out more Priuses is a higher priority, and beginning in fall 2009, the Highlander will shuffle off to Princeton, Indiana. With the Highlander elbowing its way into the Princeton plant, the vehicle currently produced there, the Tundra, will see its production move under a single roof in San Antonio, Texas.

The big-truck moves are of little consequence when the plants are scheduled to be idled beginning August 8th due to lack of demand. Huntsville, Alabama will also hold up on cranking out V8 engines. While Toyota is putting some plants in neutral, it pledges to provide employment to affected team members during the shutdown. All of this shuffling is an attempt by Toyota to avoid sustaining humongous hits as the market for new cars takes a dump, as well as ensuring that the products it remains building match up with consumer desires. Always a good thing to make the things people want.

[Source: Toyota/Open Road]

Prius production heading to Mississippi, Tundra to Texas originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 10 Jul 2008 11:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toyota to offer Ironman packages for Tundra, Tacoma and FJ Cruiser

Noah Joseph — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 14:55:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, SUV, Truck, Toyota

Click above for hi-res gallery of the Ironman edition Toyota Tundra

Back in April we brought you an initial report of the upcoming "Ironman" edition Toyota Tundra, and full details have now made their way into cyberspace. The package will be comprised of a number of dealer-installed accessories and components aimed at pumping up the testosterone levels in Toyota trucks. The special-edition is named for Ivan "Ironman" Stewart, who has raced Toyota trucks to an unparalleled 10 championships and 84 career victories.

Not only will there be an Ironman Tundra, but also Ironman editions of the smaller Tacoma truck and the retro FJ Cruiser beachcomber. Whereas the previous reports suggested that engine output would remain unchanged, the Ironman Tundra will actually offer a supercharger that boosts output from 381 hp to a whopping 504, and torque from 401 lb-ft to a stump-pulling 550. The Tacoma and FJ Cruiser likewise have their power increased from 239 hp to 304 and from 278 lb-ft of torque up to 334. Other components on offer for the Ironman Tundra are a Magnaflow cat-back exhaust, Bilstein shocks, Hella lamps, a Hurst pistol-grip shifter and 20-inch Alcoa aluminum-alloy rims with General tires. Similar accessories will reportedly be available for the Tacoma and FJ Cruiser as well.

With Toyota truck sales slumping, the company's performance division TRD hopes that the new Ironman packages will help boost sales. However, most buyers are not expected to pony up the $20k for the full monty, with most anticipated to spend between eight and ten grand on Ironman accessories from the pick-and-choose menu. The components are supplied directly by California-based Halo Special Edition Vehicles, which hopes to sell 500 Ironman packages this year before increasing targets to 5,000-10,000 packages in 2009.

Gallery: Ivan "Ironman" Stewart Signature Series Toyota Tundra

[Source: Automotive News]

Toyota to offer Ironman packages for Tundra, Tacoma and FJ Cruiser originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 23 Jun 2008 14:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toyota lays off 200 temp workers at Tundra plant

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 12:32:00 EST

Filed under: Truck, Hirings/Firings/Layoffs, Plants/Manufacturing, Toyota

Click above for a high-res gallery of the Toyota Tundra

The full-size pickup truck woes continue to worsen, leaving even mighty Toyota little choice but to slow production of its Tundra model. In fact, Toyota's brand new plant in San Antonio that was built just for the Tundra will be shutting down a total of 14 days between now and October. Full-time workers at the plant will be able to use vacation days, take the time off unpaid or find something else at the plant to do while the assembly line is halted.

Unfortunately, temp-to-hire workers aren't so lucky. Two-hundred employees who were hoping to land full-time positions at the plant will be laid off this summer. Toyota spokesman Mike Goss says, "We have a very long-term view of that factory in Texas. We're trying not to overreact. We're trying not to shut it down." Whoa... back up. Shut it down? We hadn't heard any such thing until it was spoken by Goss. Sounds like things are just as bad for Toyotas with beds as they are for pickups from Detroit. Thanks for the tip, Mike!

Gallery: 2007 Toyota Tundra Limited

[Source: AP via My San Antonio]

Toyota lays off 200 temp workers at Tundra plant originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 18 Jun 2008 12:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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