Toyota's press conference for the new Lexus LS600hL, which kicked-off media events on Wednesday, was one of the most embarrassing displays of unbridled arrogance ever unleashed by a car company at a media preview. It even put to shame some of the more outrageous displays by the German manufacturers at auto shows past - and that's saying something. The tone, the language and everything about the presentation confirmed to me that the "creeping" arrogance that has been brewing at Toyota for years has finally blossomed into full bloom for everyone to see. Toyota not only hinted that the 600hL would be the best car in the world, they came right out and said it - and the tone they used suggested that there was no need for us to attend any other manufacturers' press conferences because we had just witnessed the only newsworthy event at the show. These people actually now believe that the moon and the stars revolve around their sun - and they're not afraid to lecture everyone about how to act in the presence of true greatness. A few in the media genuflected appropriately in the white-hot light emanating from the greatness of Toyota and dutifully became deputized shills for the Master Manipulators in the Toyota PR machine, generating vacuous stories anointing the 600hL as the new king of the automotive world. But those who did have been transparent Toyota boosters for years and their stories were treated for what they were - glorified extensions of the Lexus press release package. I detected more than a little skepticism from the majority of the auto media present, however, as Toyota clearly stepped over the line of proud confidence into a dimension of "our excrement smells like a field of spring daisies." These people are headed for a big fall, but predictably, they will be the last to see it coming.

Rants on Carlos Ghosn too, scroll down page HERE ( http://www.autoextremist.com/page2.shtml#rants) :)

Awesome read!! Thanks for sharing.

I especially liked the piece discussing the erosion of the American industrial infrastructure by foreign car companies.

I also think that in as much as most people ignore this potentially catastrophic situation, we need to do something about it soon.

What can be done about this, or should we all just sit back and let the inevitable economic forces run their course?

PMD. In an idyllic economic theory class on some college campus, that would be just swell. Let the chips fall where they may and move on. But we're now dealing with a global economic world that cares little about "free" trade or doing business the way we as a country think it should be done. Every import auto manufacturer has exploited our way of doing things here. Build plants? Sure, we'll do that - if you guarantee a big enough incentive package that would make it worth our while. But if a Detroit manufacturer were to ask for some relief to do business the answer would be: "We're not bailing your asses out, what have you done for us lately?" It's as if the U.S. government is dismissing the 100+ years that the automobile industry has thrived here, and the role it has played in powering the economic engine that made America's economy the envy of the world. In Toyota's case, there's no question they've done an outstanding job, but there's also no question that they have exploited our government's incessant naivete - and used our Byzantine system that rewards companies who want to come here and do business, while penalizing the industries that have been part of the real fabric of America for over 100 years. This has to stop. Consider this: If each and every vehicle sourced from an offshore-based automobile company (whether they're built here or not) had a $1,500 tariff slapped on it that would be paid for by the manufacturer and would go directly to a fund that would underwrite the pensions and health care costs of our own automobile industry and its workers, then we'd be a lot better off. This isn't my original idea, either. David Stockman was asked this question several years ago - about how to solve the dilemma of the American auto manufacturers dealing with cost issues that imported car makers don't have and what can be done about it, and he said that this would be the only idea that would make sense, that there would be no other idea that he could think of that would solve this untenable situation. For the people who don't agree or believe in that? Well, then, if this "perfect storm" and downward spiral continues in the domestic auto industry, and GM or Ford is forced into bankruptcy, then everyone in this country will be forced to deal with the problem, whether they agree or believe in it or not. Rick Wagoner and Co. are dead right about one thing - it would be monumentally counterproductive - if not catastrophic - to the health and well-being of this country if the outstanding pension obligations that hundreds and thousands of people are depending on suddenly evaporated. It would affect every citizen of this country, from La Jolla to Washington, D.C.

This guy sounds like the KKK (and I don't mean the turbo manufacturer) of auto industry.

lil guy talking about his lil view. If anything, big, great USA, has benefited the most from open markets and WTO. It is what made the USA center of the world.

If some country suggested making Coke or Pepsi pay extra taxes even if they produced locally (and Pepsi and Coke have local factories in most countries in the world), I have little doubt that GW would bomb the heck out of it.

Lets see this:

World Top 10 - Biggest Exporters (USD)
USA 1,065,740,000,000
Germany 633,052,000,000
Japan 528,751,000,000
UK 401,385,000,000
France 377,274,000,000
Canada 321,693,000,000
Italy 294,852,000,000
China 279,562,000,000
Netherlands 258,951,000,000
Hong Kong 244,044,000,000

Not only that, but where are the biggest companies in the world located? Even if they have factories in local country? Big ol USA.

As far as the LS600hL intro, They are just speaking the truth. It may not match some of the best attributes from certain exotics (and it's not meant to), but overall this is the best built, most sophisticated automobile to ever be produced.

I would definately call the new LS among one of the best cars produced currerntly, but there is no way it is the best car in the world. I mean, as great as the car is it is kind if silly to think it will top evey single car out there in every category. You have to be #1 in every area to be called the best in the world. Eitherway, good PR sping by Lexus. My wife works for a PR firm so I understand how it works. All you have to do is make the people believe what you are saying and the rest doesn't really matter. Lexus clearly is winning the battle in that area.

don't really know what i should think of what this guy said... weird... he's from GM?

I would definately call the new LS among one of the best cars produced currerntly, but there is no way it is the best car in the world. I mean, as great as the car is it is kind if silly to think it will top evey single car out there in every category. You have to be #1 in every area to be called the best in the world. Eitherway, good PR sping by Lexus. My wife works for a PR firm so I understand how it works. All you have to do is make the people believe what you are saying and the rest doesn't really matter. Lexus clearly is winning the battle in that area.


It's impossible to be the best in every category. The new LS600hL will excel in more ways than any other car.

A single car cannot be the:

Most Luxurious
Fastest
Most powerful
Most fuel effecient
Best driving feel
Most room
Best fit and finish
Best engine
Best safety
Best styling
and on and on...

Perhaps labeling any car the best car is unrealistic but the new LS will arguabably score high in the most categories.

Lamborghini's , Bently's , Farrari's, Roll' Royce's all fall short in many categories even at their ultra-premium prices.

Ouch. For some reason I think that the 'arrogance' of the LS 600h L conference is matched or exceeded by the 'viciousness' or 'sarcasm' of that website.

Perhaps labeling any car the best car is unrealistic but the new LS will arguabably score high in the most categories.

That is pretty much what I said. I said the LS is a great car and one of the best cars currenty produced. Just as you said that perhaps it is unrealistic for any car to be the best that is all I was saying about the dumb Lexus comment about the LS being the best car in the world. I'm not taking anything away from the car itself as I think it is a great car. Sometimes I believe it is better to let the car speak for itself and proove itself rather than making stupid comments like Lexud did. If they just revieled the car and shut their months I bet articles like the one posted above wouldn't exist and everyone would be praising the LS. Wouldn't that be better?

It's just one man's opinion. One man out eight billion people in this world. He is insignificant. It is also an opinion not a fact. A Lexus is a Lexus. The product speaks for itself. As human beings we have free will. I chose to purchase a Lexus because I knew it was a Toyota product and their cars are reliable, dependable and all around great car. And that's my opinion which is not a fact. I am one man out of eight billion people in this world. I am insignificant...

Lets see this:

World Top 10 - Biggest Exporters (USD)
USA 1,065,740,000,000
Germany 633,052,000,000
Japan 528,751,000,000
UK 401,385,000,000
France 377,274,000,000
Canada 321,693,000,000
Italy 294,852,000,000
China 279,562,000,000
Netherlands 258,951,000,000
Hong Kong 244,044,000,000

Not only that, but where are the biggest companies in the world located? Even if they have factories in local country? Big ol USA.

Do you mind posting the World Top 10 Biggest Importers also, or if there's a list of Top 10 "Net" Trade Deficits countries, which may show us a bigger and better picture?

id be arrogant if i was gonna overtake the largest car company in the world

Do you mind posting the World Top 10 Biggest Importers also, or if there's a list of Top 10 "Net" Trade Deficits countries, which may show us a bigger and better picture?
that site does not have that info, however as I said previously, US is home to largest companies in the world, even if their production is outside - for instance Dell, Intel, Microsoft, Apple, all produce their products outside of USA and import it in. But they are an US based company and profits stay at home.

Check Forbes list:
http://www.forbes.com/lists/2006/18/Sales_1.html

- 6 out of top 10 world sales companies is from USA.
- 7 out of 10 most profitable world companies are from USA.
- 7 out of 10 companies in the world by market value are from the USA.

so yeah, hearing someone complain how USA should ban free trade is quite ridicilous when USA is the biggest pusher of free trade in the world. This is why there are riots and people burn USA flags when WTO meetings take place in free world because american companies around the world are pushing their cheaper products and smaller local companies cant compete.

Just because Ford and GM had years of bad products that did not appeal to masses, does not mean that US doesnt benefit from free trade. It is one of the myths circulated around the net once in a while by people not knowing what they are talking about.

I like the nice, courteous Lexus. I think if you believe your car is the best, let it speak for itself. Being humble is always best.

The key to marketing anything is to know what the customer is thinking. I don't think that arrogance, flashiness or showiness is ever what someone is thinking (though maybe aftermarket).

I agree, humble is good.

But when it comes to prestige luxury, it's all about showing off the gadgets, etc. And I think Bob Carter did not venture into total arrogance by any means. In fact, he seems to be rather self-effacing, not grandstanding and show-offish. He did say matter-of-factly that he thought the LS 600h L may be 'the best car in the world,' but I think he did not do it with arrogance at the forefront.

I especially liked the piece discussing the erosion of the American industrial infrastructure by foreign car companies.

This guy is an idiot. Some specifics:

Every import auto manufacturer has exploited our way of doing things here. Build plants? Sure, we'll do that - if you guarantee a big enough incentive package that would make it worth our while. But if a Detroit manufacturer were to ask for some relief to do business the answer would be: "We're not bailing your asses out, what have you done for us lately?"

Companies like Toyota have built plants in States or locations where there was NO auto industry at all, and of course the locations in the running compete to win the opportunity - it provides jobs, to places often with weak job opportunities without the auto company's arrival.

If a 'Detroit' manufacturer were to plan to locate some place where there was no auto plants, they'd also have red carpet rolled out. It's not a 'bail out' it's called 'economic incentive'. But all the while 'Detroit' companies stay in their out of date, inefficient coccoons there, they're doomed to failure or at best limited recovery.

It's as if the U.S. government is dismissing the 100+ years that the automobile industry has thrived here, and the role it has played in powering the economic engine that made America's economy the envy of the world.

What 'government' is he talking about? The incentives to Toyota and others came from STATE and local governments, not the Federal government. The Feds aren't helping any auto maker as far as I know, oh except the BILLION $ bailout they gave Chrysler in the 80s - maybe the article's author forgot that little detail. And State and local governments usually roll out the red carpet to ANYONE who can bring jobs to their locations.

In Toyota's case, there's no question they've done an outstanding job, but there's also no question that they have exploited our government's incessant naivete - and used our Byzantine system that rewards companies who want to come here and do business, while penalizing the industries that have been part of the real fabric of America for over 100 years.

That's a false dichotomy. It rewarded an innovative company that looked to locate plants where none had been located before, to recruit a workforce that was actually EAGER to work at an automaker, in stark contrast to the stodgy 3, stuck in Detroit with an aging overpaid workforce including THOUSANDS who are paid to do NOTHING. :egads: And this is the GOVERNMENT's fault? He's an idiot. I'm not often supporting the government, but in this case they've done nothing wrong.

This has to stop. Consider this: If each and every vehicle sourced from an offshore-based automobile company (whether they're built here or not) had a $1,500 tariff slapped on it that would be paid for by the manufacturer and would go directly to a fund that would underwrite the pensions and health care costs of our own automobile industry and its workers, then we'd be a lot better off.

Ludicrous. So he wants to enact protectionist measures to protect overpaid and underproductive workers. Hardly a free market move.

Rick Wagoner and Co. are dead right about one thing - it would be monumentally counterproductive - if not catastrophic - to the health and well-being of this country if the outstanding pension obligations that hundreds and thousands of people are depending on suddenly evaporated. It would affect every citizen of this country, from La Jolla to Washington, D.C.

No it wouldn't. Those overpaid union workers might have to downsize their homes, sell the Harley. Might have to work longer than they thought they would have to. And might have to settle for Medicare instead of GM et al's health plans. It's not fatal. Hey maybe if they're still willing to work hard they can go work at the Toyota plant for half the pay and benefits. But at least the real estate in those locations will also cost HALF what it does in Detroit.

I also think that in as much as most people ignore this potentially catastrophic situation, we need to do something about it soon.

Not at all.

I see he is deluded on one point...

... right now, the domestic manufacturers are building competitive cars and trucks at all price points,

Yeah. Chevy Malibu competes with Toyota Camry. Not. Things ARE improving though.

He's ABSOLUTELY RIGHT on the following. "Detroit"'s biggest challenge is regaining market share before it gets eaten away still further by not only current threats from Toyota, Nissan, Honda, but also Hyundai/Kia, Suzuki and coming Chinese brands.

as I reiterated again last week in my column for the New York auto show. "Detroit" collectively has been off consumers' consideration radar screens for so long and the imports are so pervasive that Detroit now occupies a weird dimension where they are no longer providers of "mainstream" vehicles, but rather of "exotic" brands that people haven't thought of for years. That has to change. Detroit is facing the biggest marketing challenge in history right now. They have to convince consumers who don't even think about American cars and trucks that Detroit products are worth considering again.

This guy is insanely biased towards domestics. Hes the stereotypical GM fanboy. If you have ever seen his other stories/publications/blogs etc etc you would know. They are all unbelieveable. He talks like Japan bombed Pearl Harbor yesterday. :thumbdn:

that guy is an idiot.

This guy is insanely biased towards domestics. Hes the stereotypical GM fanboy. If you have ever seen his other stories/publications/blogs etc etc you would know. They are all unbelieveable. He talks like Japan bombed Pearl Harbor yesterday. :thumbdn:And a lot of you guys (not singling out you, magneto) are insanely biased towards Japan/imports/Toyota. :thumbdn: :thumbdn:

And a lot of you guys (not singling out you, magneto) are insanely biased towards Japan/imports/Toyota. :thumbdn: :thumbdn:

That's true, but I like vehicles from all over the world. :woot:

And a lot of you guys (not singling out you, magneto) are insanely biased towards Japan/imports/Toyota. :thumbdn: :thumbdn:

I am biased toward Japanese imports with regard to quality, but with performance...I'm all open and listening.

And a lot of you guys (not singling out you, magneto) are insanely biased towards Japan/imports/Toyota. :thumbdn: :thumbdn:

Oh yea, without a doubt. It obviously works both ways. Never denied that. But there are times when his bias turns into pure stupidity(wish his archives worked so I could pinpoint a couple things. Oh well)

With that said(and Im sure you know), I personally like many non Japanese/Import/Toyota cars.

Oh yea, without a doubt. It obviously works both ways. Never denied that. But there are times when his bias turns into pure stupidity(wish his archives worked so I could pinpoint a couple things. Oh well)

With that said(and Im sure you know), I personally like many non Japanese/Import/Toyota cars.I've been reading his site weekly for over a year now and on a near weekly basis he is usually blasting GM or Detroit for their latest **** up and how stupid they are, how they never learn, how they're still going downhill, what they need to do, how they need to do it, and on and on and on. You guys cherry picked a rare case in which he took a strong shot at Toyota, and now suddenly he's a biased and stereotypical GM fanboy? I think not. A "stereotypical fanboy" is what you call an apologist, and this guy is not one of those.

That's true, but I like vehicles from all over the world. :woot:Me too, but in your longer reply I think you lacked the big picture perspective to fully know what he was talking about. For example, your comment about how our government has "done nothing wrong" with your supporting argument of overpaid workers that do nothing completely misses the point. He was talking more about currency manipulation by foreign governments (especially Japan) that give them an unfair pricing advantage in our market that hurts any Detroit automaker. The Koreans do it too. And dealing with currency manipulation by foreign governments that ends up harming home industry IS the responsibility of our government. This is out of Detroit's hands, it hurts them every single day, and this is what he was talking about. Union overhead is a whole nother issue, and just one of many.

BTW, the Chevy Malibu is extremely popular out here in the midwest. I see more new Malibus than new Camrys, and no they're not rentals. And the V6 gets 32 mpg hwy, which is better than any other V6 on the market. :)

to me i just simply think this guy needs a break. it's marketing, it's press release, it's a company showing off their new flagship.

every time there is a new one (new s class, new 7 series, etc...) they always say 'this is going to be the best car on the road", "this is going to be the wave of the future", "this is going to be the most powerful road car", etc... please....... smart people will listen, and then THINK, and make their own decisions......

to me i just simply think this guy needs a break. it's marketing, it's press release, it's a company showing off their new flagship.

every time there is a new one (new s class, new 7 series, etc...) they always say 'this is going to be the best car on the road", "this is going to be the wave of the future", "this is going to be the most powerful road car", etc... please....... smart people will listen, and then THINK, and make their own decisions......
apperantly, Lexus has to apologize for build LS600h, it is THAT good :-).

apperantly, Lexus has to apologize for build LS600h, it is THAT good :-).
hahhaa, i thought they warned about "1989 all over again" long ago?

apperantly, Lexus has to apologize for build LS600h, it is THAT good :-).

Lexus doesn't need to apologize for building better cars. They just do it. And yes, it is 1989 all over again..or shall we say 2006...

He is another one of "I know everything in theory" kind of guys. From what I have read he is a one man consulting army. From Global trade, marketing communications to designing cars he knows it all.

But again site is called Autoextremist and that's exactly what he is

...

Toyota's press conference for the new Lexus LS600hL, which kicked-off media events on Wednesday, was one of the most embarrassing displays of unbridled arrogance ever unleashed by a car company at a media preview. It even put to shame some of the more outrageous displays by the German manufacturers at auto shows past - and that's saying something. The tone, the language and everything about the presentation confirmed to me that the "creeping" arrogance that has been brewing at Toyota for years has finally blossomed into full bloom for everyone to see. Toyota not only hinted that the 600hL would be the best car in the world, they came right out and said it - and the tone they used suggested that there was no need for us to attend any other manufacturers' press conferences because we had just witnessed the only newsworthy event at the show. These people actually now believe that the moon and the stars revolve around their sun - and they're not afraid to lecture everyone about how to act in the presence of true greatness. A few in the media genuflected appropriately in the white-hot light emanating from the greatness of Toyota and dutifully became deputized shills for the Master Manipulators in the Toyota PR machine, generating vacuous stories anointing the 600hL as the new king of the automotive world. But those who did have been transparent Toyota boosters for years and their stories were treated for what they were - glorified extensions of the Lexus press release package. I detected more than a little skepticism from the majority of the auto media present, however, as Toyota clearly stepped over the line of proud confidence into a dimension of "our excrement smells like a field of spring daisies." These people are headed for a big fall, but predictably, they will be the last to see it coming.

Rants on Carlos Ghosn too, scroll down page HERE ( http://www.autoextremist.com/page2.shtml#rants) :)

So let me get this right, he's mad about 1 possibly somewhat boastful press release, out of 17 years from Lexus :egads:

I don't think people understand how GIANT A LEAP AND DEAL the LS 460h is.

We are talking about 17 years ago, people LAUGHED. Now people LISTEN AND LEARN.

This is THE MOST INCREDIBLE CAR OUT OF JAPAN from a TECHNOLOGY and LUXURY standpoint. PERIOD. This car is HUGE.

Also, while Lexus is used to SUCCESS AFTER SUCESS, if this car FAILS, its a GIANT SLAP IN THE FACE and KICK IN THE EGO. Just look at the problems the Japanese competitors have with their flagships.

There is nothing out of Japan close to this car form anyoen else. This is THE SUPREME car to battle the Germans.

A huge feat and RISK!