New 2006 Toyotas, heads up

TresCrows · Jan 23, 2004

"Bless him. I doubt one could count the smiles he gave us about his racing victories over folks that never even knew there was a contest. "

What it is and I have noticed it /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif and therefore my digs /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif is that guys in domestic pu trucks just go nuts if my Toyota is ahead of them just like you guys do. It is clear that is why YOU--who have no interest in a Toyota--- are in the middle of this thread about Toyotas--you feel Threatened by them /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif, that your truck won't be the biggest anymore /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif.
Now, back to Toyota, the other thing I am reading about is that the hybrid will be a diesel electric. I am not expecting that in 06 but they said they intend to market one.
Concept vehicles by their nature are always outlandish as is the Toyota concept. Fortunately, as outlandish as some of the concepts are, Toyota or whoever, Toyota is a very conservative company so the actual vehicle that goes on sale in 06 will not look like that concept but will draw features from it. It is like that with all companies. Clear from the concept though are several things important to Toyota--gone is the polite, bowing to the full size market. This truck will be in your face /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif, it will be big, have a big grill and will have flared wheel openings with squared up Tonka styling cues. Americans are not subtle like the Japanese, we like big and in your face, look at the grill on a Dodge for example, Toyota sees that so I think you can expect a big chrome grill /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif. Nissan saw the same thing so they have a big chrome grill too, imagine that. The concept makes the statement that the 06 will be big so expect a big truck with a muscular engine. On the other hand, Toyota is terribly conservative, they would not put LSDs in their trucks until recently because Toyota'san said that LSDs wear out and that they would not intentianlly put a component in a Toyota that would wear out before the truck did, thus no LSDs. Their whole reputation is built on reliability and build quality so do not expect novel features that are untested or out in left field like trying to convert a gasoline engine to a diesel to get in the market fast and make a few quick bucks at the customers expense like some other company I know of /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif.
Oh, these trucks will be built in San Antonio, Texas, USA. Why Texas, because Toyota thinks that Texas is the heart of pu country so they are going to the source. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif J

Bird · Jan 23, 2004

( Concept vehicles by their nature are always outlandish as is the Toyota concept )

Never did like that word "concept" probably because I used to have a boss who's favorite buzz words were "meaningful concepts" and he worked that phrase to death. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif Now I never did really figure out for sure what "meaningful" meant, but I did figure out that "concept" means a half baked idea that ain't been thought out. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

JDGREEN4ME · Jan 23, 2004

I have nothing against Toyota or Nissan, in fact I've owned a few Datsuns (showing my age) in my day. However, all I know is that Ford, Dodge and Chevy were building trucks before anyone heard of Japan or their vehicles. Seems they should of learned something after watching the big three for the past 75 years or so. I will be looking for a new truck in the next few years and currently I am leaning towards the
F-250 (diesel) but I must say a 1/2 ton with diesel power would be tempting. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

DAP · Jan 23, 2004

I think some perspective is in order. The Japanese learned plenty. And we were the teachers.

After WWII, the US basically rebuilt the Japanese econonmy, infastructure and government. One of the key agenda items was showing the way to Japanese economic recovery through domestic manufacturing. GM and Ford BOTH delivered massive tool and die specifications for a variety of production facilities so Japan could tool up and produce heavy equipment, durable goods, etc. - with an emphasis on automobiles. This was long before the notion of global manufacturing precedents and certainly at the height of an isolationistic global view.

Japan was not the only country. For anyone who has ever traveled to latin america, you can still purchase newly built US tooled cars from the early 60s. For example, new Ford Galaxie 500's in Brazil are a common site (though they just recently stopped production). Ever been to Santiago Chile? 80% of the the taxis are new Ford Falcons (early 60's model) - black bodies with yellow tops!

5 decades later, and with some very minor exceptions, clearly the Nippons have oftean beaten us at our own game in many ways and the US auto industry is still feeling the loss of a major domesitc customer base from the mid 70's onward. To the extent that the american automobile industry makes a product worth purchasing, say a Taurus for example, it was a reaction to the American culture's demand for the kind of economy, reliablity and dependibility that a lot of americans found in the japanese econo boxes of the late seventies.

Most people would be quite shocked to know that many recently acquired foreign car manufactures NOW owned by US conglomerates (big three i.e.) have many many models that have never touched US soil (the Hilux for eg.) Land Rover (now a FORD company) Discoverys have been built in the UK since the late 80's but we never saw our first until 1995. The base Defender (Series I) was built during WWII and became available in the US market in 1995 (no more imports to due air bag restrictions). The japanese made thousands of enormous gas guzzling 8 cylinder passenger cars in the 60s and 70s that they never exported.

Startin to sound somewhat like a 'tractor manufacturer' discussion. Big surprise there. /forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif

In the past, lots of other countries made trucks. Good trucks. Mercedes, Unimog - (superb vehicles), Swedes (Volvos), Bosch/VW/Audi make terrifc trucks that are rarely seen on US soil, ...

At this rate, cars and trucks, like tractors, will be a totality of global produced components with no real single origin.

Egon · Jan 23, 2004

Bird:

"meaningful concepts"

Think you got that one all figured out. A mishmass of words indicating elevated knowledge but in reality only a measure of true ignorance.

Egon

Robert_in_NY · Jan 23, 2004

( What it is and I have noticed it and therefore my digs is that guys in domestic pu trucks just go nuts if my Toyota is ahead of them just like you guys do. It is clear that is why YOU--who have no interest in a Toyota--- are in the middle of this thread about Toyotas--you feel Threatened by them , that your truck won't be the biggest anymore .
)

I have no difference and am a Ford guy but am constantly reading about all vehicles because they interest me. So, since I am reading a Toyota thread, I must be threatened by them /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif I have found from reading your posts, you usually ask for these confrontations. There are not suppose to be brand or color wars on TBN and yet you intentionally put little jabs at other brand operators in your post. Why do you constantly look for fights? Are you that worried about what other people who don't make your payments think about your vehicle? Get over it. If you like Toyotas and Nissans then fine. They make nice vehicles and I do enjoy reading about them and seeing the pics but stop trying to stir up trouble over it.

Egon · Jan 23, 2004

What it is and I have noticed it and therefore my digs is that guys in domestic pu trucks just go nuts if my Toyota is ahead of them

Must be they just caught up and want to go past!!

Egon

F350Lawman · Jan 23, 2004

Oh, these trucks will be built in San Antonio, Texas, USA. Why Texas, because Toyota thinks that Texas is the heart of pu country so they are going to the source. J

Alright, I'll play along.

If the Japanese think the big pickup market will be easy I think they will have miscalculated one MAJOR factor. The last stronghold of the "buy American" vehicle shopper IS the large pickup truck buyer. Make it a diesel and that goes double. For the most part we will not look at Japanese when we shop for a big truck. Texas should be a great place to illustrate this point. I bought my truck in Texas, where the fully loaded crew cab is used like a Cadillac would be in the Northeast. If Toyota thinks they will crack that market, have at it. There's a reason they have been so slow to go after this group.

If I needed an economy car or an inexpensive sporty car then maybe I would consider Japanese. If I am shopping for a full size truck it just isn't an option, I don't care what they start making /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif If you gave it to me new, I'd sell it and buy a Ford/Dodge or Chevy the next day. The small Japanese trucks are nice but that's not what I want or need.

I have owned many vehicles, they all have had one thing in common, they were all domestic vehicles. I will most likely never own any Japanese vehicle as long as there is an American alternative. If there was an all American compact tractor I'd own that as well.

P.S. Trust me TresCrows if any one in a 45K, domestic one ton truck is looking at you as you pass in your Toyota it aint' jealousy. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

Bird · Jan 23, 2004

( Why Texas, because Toyota thinks that Texas is the heart of pu country )

Yep, I think I must have read the same news story Trescrows read and that's what it said. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif Who knows, they might corner the market someday. I doubt it, but it's possible. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif