Nobody from Toyota asked me to post any of this, it's just my personal thoughts and suggestions. 1) (please take no offense)--PLEASE don't violate the NDA/no discussion agreement even if you could anonymously post it somewhere else. This is a first for Toyota...they are taking a risk with their marketing plans by letting non-press people take a pre-release drive. If the impressions are leaked from this event they may never allow such an opportunity to us/enthusiasts in the future. I'm as eager as anyone to hear what you have to say, but I can wait a couple of weeks if it means that we may have opportunities when the PHEV version or the 4G version are about to be released. 2) PLEASE write down your impressions and save them NOW. It's easy to forget little details if you wait to do this on the 25th. You can just copy and paste it into a thread later. Further, as other little things come back to you, you can fine tune and add details up to the 25th. 3) I (or Danny) will create a thread just for posting your first impressions so we can have them all in one place for folks to compare, contrast and ask for clarifications. 4) Please don't rub it in too bad for us losers who couldn't make it but desperately wanted to.
#1. Speaking w/ Erica personally, they were sarcastically so tempted to collect memory cards on the way out the door, ha ha. She said she (and Toyota) wasn't too worried about those of us she talks with on a regular basis on PC, but more concerned w/ those whom they found through other means (i.e. surveys, etc.). This is the FIRST time they've tried this, and they'd like to use this event as a precedent to allow future enthusiast previews including photos prior to public release. If we (i.e. all attendees) honor the NDA, Toyota is much more likely to be able to do things like this for us in the future. If there are blatent NDA violations, we'll very likely be unable to do things like this again. Please don't spoil it for everyone else just for a "glory" post. #2, doing that now. #3, Each one of us went out with a different perspective and I look forward to the blend of each. #4, I'm sure an opportunity will arrise soon enough.
One of the reason I didn't go to SF event is because I did not want to test drive it and not being able to tell my experience. Ok ok, the real reason I didn't go is because it was too far for me Plus, I need to save my vacation days for the 2 weeks trip to Japan later this year.
#1 - Absolutely. Anyone who drove/is driving should absolutely honor the media embargo date. I think all of us would hate it for this opportunity to never come again. #2 - My plan is to write them down in paper or something and type something at home but there's no way the content is leaving my computer until the embargo is lifted. No way I'd post it here or anywhere until after that date.
I have not posted here for a while, been very busy with work. But I wanted to point out that many of us deal with NDAs in our everyday business lives. If this is a similar situation then we should all feel ethically bound to respect this situation the same as we would do so in our professional positions. If we sign NDAs, we are legally bound by them, plain and simple. I would love to go and I will be in SF at that time. I just signed up. I hope everyone is doing well. Steve
I agree with Ed. Toyota is extending to us a privalege, not an opportunity. Anyone that accepts the challenge should live up to the agreement. Those that do not have violated Toyota's trust and should be barred from any future opportunity.
Well my wife and certainly want to add our THANKS to the Toyota Staff that put this thing together. I appreciated the opportunity to do the test drive and will not mention anything about it until the proper time, but I do have NOTES!!! It was a nice opportunity for the drivers who are really into their vehicles to get a sneak peek at our next car!!! I will say Auto Park is a COOL idea!! I never thought the auto industry would make that actually happen! Now, next, where are the FLYING CARS that we were all promised growing up!!! I want my FLYING CAR, Toyota are you listening???
I'll keep my impressions to myself then. Easy when you have none because you couldn't make it to the event.
You wanted a flying car? Here it is (sorry, but it isn't a Toyota!): "British adventurer and pilot Neil Laughton poses in his Parajet Skycar ... on Wednesday kicking off a 3,600-mile journey from London to Timbuktu ... essentially a dune buggy with a fan motor and paragliding wing attached. Creators call it the "world's first bio-fuelled flying car."" " ... travel by land and air through France, Spain, Morocco, the Western Sahara, Mauritania, and Mali, returning home via Senegal. Joining Laughton for part of the trip will be engineer Gilo Cardozo, the brain behind the Parajet Skycar. The pair has participated in past flying expeditions to the Himalayas, Alps, and Venezuela." Via: ZDNet.com Link Taken from the front page of Green Technology. __________________
