Worst Idea Ever: Toyota To Produce Prius For GM?

Given the real reason we all buy a Pruis, this has got to be a dam good idea for everyone who likes to breathe. Why would you not want more of these cars on the road? It will take a long time to accept or believe that Ford or GM will be reliable enough for me, but others will buy them. Increasing this type of competition benefits all of us.

 

I think that the Volt is the next generation of car, but it's really a long-term bet by GM: electric range needs to go up, and options for plugging in need to increase. (I.e. we live in a condo, so no plugging in a car for us... at present.)

So why not fill the short-term with a rebadged Prius? Keeps GM "in the game" with the electric mainstream while they're going for the long pass to the electric future.

Plus the Volt is not a direct competitor with the Prius, in terms of technology, so Toyota should not have a problem with it... Who knows, maybe GM could get to the point where Toyota has a rebadged Volt?

 

I think you are being a bit hard on Ford regrading reliability. Ford has scored pretty well on that score.

The Ford Fusion Hybrid is a better overall buy than the Camry Hybrid.

Having said that, agree with you on increasing competition.

 

I dont think that Toyota would ever rebadge Prius.

Now selling their hybrid technology like they did for Nissan? Why not?

 

i also think that Toyota will license the hybrid technology and GM will create their own body style and name plate. it would be like licking the enemy's boot to come out with a rebadged Prius...

it may use the same technology, but it has to look at least somewhat different

 

My husband is still mourning the 1991 Geo Prizm I made him dump a year ago before we moved overseas. Assuming both companies benefited from that relationship, I think it is a fabulous idea.

 

I think I would have a real hard time trusting the quality of a Prius built by GM workers. If they could have built cars with quality in the first place they might not be in the trouble they are in now.

 

Hummmm...so Toyota "saves GM " to fight another day

 

It wasn't just the build quality but fundamental designs that came from their management directed engineering. As recently as April 2009, I read a disappointing SAE paper from a GM engineer that tried to critique the Prius hybrid drive system. This paper tried to claim the Prius drive system suffers amazing energy losses at high-speed based upon at best, a dubious analysis. But their whole approach to energy efficiency is ripe with so many bad engineering and engineering-management decisions ... E85 comes to mind.

I have an acquaintance, a GM product engineer, and his management 'decided' that painting "Hybrid" on the doors was critical to their success. Looking at gas-engine to hybrid-motor power ratios, that didn't matter. So every GM 'hybrid' turned out to be an over-powered, over-sized, white elephant. Those decisions came from their engineering-management. Poor quality is just a reflection of poor design.

Bob Wilson

 

To me it seems that Toyota should just out-and-out partner with what will remain of GM and show them how to run a succesful business- sort of a more successful version of Daimler-Chysler. Yes, I am environmentally minded and that is one reason I bought my Prius but the MAIN reason I bought it is because Toyta has not laid off a single person at the Indiana factory where my husband works (or anywhere if what my hubby says is true about Toyota layoffs). They don't just mouth the words, in my experience, they truely do care about their employees. They also know how to run an automotive company and don't get too caught up in the "now" at the expense of the future- limited dealerships, on time production schedules, high quality production, flexibility in their factories and innovation. When they build a factory they allow for future changes within that plant. Currently, at TMMI (west plant) where they made the Tundra, they are refitting it for the Highlander (with hybrid options) there are rumors that they may get some other models in the future to run on that line.
They do not have an extremely large catalog of models and tend to phase out the ones that don't sell well as they introduce new models while keeping to core automobiles that really define Toyota quality.

 

Since it's been brought up in the thread, here's the quick version of the Ford and Toyota deal with hybrids.

Ford: It's come to our attention that some of our hybrid tech might infringe on yours. Can we avoid the cost and hassle of court and reach a deal?

Toyota: Sure. We've had our eye on your diesel and emission control tech.

And thus they performed a patent swap, and everyone lived happily ever after.

 

I really appreciate your "first hand" report re. Toyota employment practices.

 

its a great idea, #1 reason is the type of Hybrids that GM is currently producing gives all Hybrids a horrible reputation as being overpriced with little added benefit. And perhaps it gets GM and Toyota into talks on sharing some battery and electric technology.

 

Why the negativity? NUMMI isn't new. Toyota has been selling rebadged Pontiacs or Pontiac has been selling rebadged Toyotas over the last 25 years. Nor is rebadging a new concept. Chrysler sold rebadged Mitsubishis and I suspect every company does it. I believe NUMMI will close as GM doesn't want the plant & Toyota doesn't need it. GM isn't bright enough to realize it could slap its square on a Prius & sell it as a Buick and/or a Cadillac. Who's going to benefit from an abandoned plant in California?

 

Toyota Corp. is leaving open the possibility of continuing alone a car manufacturing plant in California to produce its best-selling Prius hybrid after General Motors Corp. withdrew from the joint venture, a senior company official said Thursday.

"We've upgraded the facilities during the past five to six years," the official said. "It would be physically possible to manufacture the Prius."

"A shutdown is also an option, but it would be very challenging for Toyota, which has little experience in closing down big plants," the official added.

GMCEQ,TM Toyota may use JV plant with GM to produce Prius hybrid: official

 

While this may all be a great idea, unless GM changes their mind, they're out of NUMMI.


If it does go through, that means more Prius-type hybrids on the road. I'll be easier to pick one up for everyone. I see this as a step for hybrid powertrains to become the norm.

 

I suspect NUMMI is not a union shop and that GM is not going to change its mind. Since the UAW is hip deep in GM it is not going to save a non-union factory at the expense of a union shop. Toyota is in a good position to buy half a factory at a deep discount. The only downside is that they will have to write down their half of the JV on the balance sheet & take a non-cash loss.

 

Is Hybrid Synergy Drive turning into the Intel of the automotive world?

 

...the END

 

And there is this little factoid:

Buy Toyota badges... from GM

Turn about is fair play in love and war.