Toyota Soars, Passes Ford to Rank No. 2 in U.S. Sales (Update9)

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(bossfan @ Aug 1 2006, 06:11 PM) [snapback]295930[/snapback]</div>

I'm just baffled that sales havn't fallen more then they have for the Big3.... I must underestimate the loyalty of small town Americans to US Automakers.

 

I wonder if it is really loyalty or just all the incentives the Big 3 seem to be piling on. Here they are advertising lots of cheap rates (like 3.9%) and paying for gas for a year or giving employee pricing again. Plus, I think many people are just beginning to see the light that the gas prices are not going to go down.

At any rate, a 23% or more drop for Ford and GM when Toyota gains 12% seems like a pretty big hit.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(bossfan @ Aug 1 2006, 05:11 PM) [snapback]295930[/snapback]</div>

Hard to know whom to root for.

I'd dearly love to get our Prius. Still waiting. ::sigh::

On the other hand, I live in the US & would really love to see the sales figures for US models improve. It doesn't make sense to root against ourselves, our economy - just hope that sometime soon the car makers will see/feel the need to create reasonable hybrid vehicles.

Wish things were so clear-cut in life...

 

Yep and Ford just "cut back the hybrid program" in favor of E85 following GM. I am sorry but glad I no longer have my Grandfather's Ford stock he purchased for me. I would really like Dearborn to get it.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Starfall @ Aug 1 2006, 08:05 PM) [snapback]295978[/snapback]</div>

I thought that the vast majority of Toyotas sold in the US are built in the US or Canada. The hybrids and the Yaris are the notable exceptions. I believe the Ford Escape Hybrid saves as much fuel over a non-hybrid Escape as a Prius does over a Corolla. Of course I don't believe any SUV is reasonable for me or my family.

Personally, I like to think of myself as a world citizen first, an American citizen second. I drove a Geo Prizm when I lived in Berkeley and Palo Alto, California, but it wasn't because it was built in Fremont, California, a short drive from where I lived and worked, or because it was a Corolla sold through Chevy dealers. It was a great economical car. I care more about reducing extremes of wealth and poverty, from a global perspective, than I do about helping my comparatively wealthy local economy. I'd prefer to drive a quality car made in a country like China, India, Mexico, or Brazil and help employ workers in a country that more desperately needs a boost.

Unfortunately I'm too much of a car nut and don't care as much for the Nissan Sentra, Ford Focus, VW Jetta, VW Beetle, Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan, Chrysler PT Cruiser, Chevy HHR, Cadillac Escalade, Chevy Avalanche, Buick Rendezvous, Dodge Ram pickup, Chevy Suburban, or GMC Yukon, all of which are built in Mexico. I thought it's puzzling that the Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan, Lincoln Zephyr are known as rebadged versions of the Mazda 6 platform, but the Ford, Mercury, and Lincoln are built in Mexico while the Mazda 6 is built in the same Flat Rock, Michigan, plant that builds the Mustang. The days of buy a Ford (GB or Daimler-Chrysler) = buy American are long gone.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(theorist @ Aug 1 2006, 08:54 PM) [snapback]296073[/snapback]</div>

Nope. YTD, it's a little over half. See http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2006/08/01/016769.html for a breakdown of what's built in North America vs. import.

 

Just FYI, but sorry a little off topic...

Toyota may be the No.1 global sales this year.
GM sold 4.6 million unit in the first half of this year.
Toyota produced 4.52 million in the same priod.

There is only 80 thousand units difference in six months. We know Toyota's number is increasing steadily.
We'll see the year end results early next year.

Ken@Japan

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(cwerdna @ Aug 2 2006, 02:07 AM) [snapback]296123[/snapback]</div>

Thanks. I exagerated and neglected to consider Lexus, Scion, and SUVs. Can you tell us what the breakdown is for Ford?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(sl7vk @ Aug 1 2006, 06:20 PM) [snapback]295934[/snapback]</div>

I, too, am mystified at how the domestics' big truck and SUV sales can remain steady. Indeed, some large domestic SUV sales have actually increased. This is primarily the domain of the just redesigned GM full-size SUVs. Personally, I would think consumers wouldn't care about a redesign of a gas-guzzler (it's still a gas-guzzler, regardless) but, apparently, some consumers don't mind paying $3+/gal to fill these 'new' behemoths. Of course, the $25k federal tax deduction for 'business-use' vehicles over a 6000lb GVW doesn't hurt, either.

Evidently, the area where the domestics are really taking a hit in sales is the mid-size SUV market (Explorer, Trailblazer, Durango, FourRunner).

 

As crazy as it sounds, some do think that the "improved" mileage of the redesigns makes them worth getting even at $2.50 a gallon. A person told they would even save money on gas if they switched to a new model year! Doesn't stop them for griping about gas and making comments about our mileage.

Being in Texas I see some of that "I always try to buy American" (no matter how much it costs me) mentality.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ken1784 @ Aug 2 2006, 05:25 AM) [snapback]296156[/snapback]</div>

4.52 million includes Hino and Daihatsu. The number for Toyota is actually 4 million
4,074,104 to be exact

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Starfall @ Aug 1 2006, 07:05 PM) [snapback]295978[/snapback]</div>

I don't mind. Because at some point they will wise up. And if they choose to put the full power of their will and MONEY behind not just catching up buy outdoing the Prius...they will. Unfortunately a slap upside the head doesn't seem to be doing it. Time for a 2x4 (everyone know that joke?)

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(BobZ @ Aug 11 2006, 10:24 AM) [snapback]301237[/snapback]</div>

I believe the GM number also includes Saab, Opel, Holden, Vauxhall and others.

Ken@Japan

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ken1784 @ Aug 13 2006, 09:12 PM) [snapback]302744[/snapback]</div>

Yeah but GM owns SAAB and Holden. Toyota works with but does not own Hino and Daihatsu.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(BobZ @ Aug 14 2006, 10:16 AM) [snapback]302746[/snapback]</div>

Toyota owns more than 50% stocks of both Hino and Daihatsu, and they are recognized as subsidiary companies of Toyota.

Ken@Japan

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(rudiger @ Aug 2 2006, 04:11 PM) [snapback]296500[/snapback]</div>

BusinessWeek recently ran an article where the author claimed that Americans are guzzling even more gasoline since the prices started to inch their way up steadily. American consumers would say that $2.50 was the ceiling before they'd move to smaller vehicles. Prices go to $2.50 and then they say that $3.00 is the ceiling then it hits $3 and they say that the ceiling is $4. A lot of Americans truly despise the notion that they have to do anything but it seems pretty obvious that there are a couple of things that are certain no matter how much they grumble: The price of gasoline will continue to go up and American guzzlers will pay it. They'll continue to eat the sh*t sandwich that they are presented with each time they fill up and they'll smile while they do it.