Toyota Boss Hints at Big Changes for Camry, Revival of ‘Neglected’ Scion Brand
05-21-10, 11:24 PM
#1
Speaks French in Russian
Thread Starter
Toyota Boss Hints at Big Changes for Camry, Revival of ‘Neglected’ Scion Brand
Toyota Boss Hints at Big Changes for Camry, Revival of ‘Neglected’ Scion Brand
With Toyota having recently undergone the worst period in its history, the grandson’s founder and man at the helm of the Japanese auto giant looks to be ready to make big changes in order to get the company back on track. More than just an executive, Akio Toyoda is a well-known car buff who loves to get out on the race track, so its no surprise that he wants to instill some passion into Toyota’s lineup of models.
In an interview with Automotive News, Toyoda admitted that its most important model, the Camry, is now facing serious market pressure from competitors such as General Motors, Ford and Hyundai. “Look at the Ford Taurus. It may be making a comeback. GM also has Camry fighters. And they’ve been done with a fun-to-drive touch. And Hyundai is coming up, and they’re looking good,” said Toyoda. “So we have to start asking, ‘Can we just keep doing the Camry like this?’”
Fortunately for Toyota it has survived the recession and is back to profitability after recording its first ever loss. The recall crisis seems to have subsided as well, with sales signifying that current and past Toyota owners weren’t overly phased by the fiasco. The problem, however, will be getting new buyers from other brands. To do this Toyota will need a more exciting Camry. It will also need more exciting entry-level models to bring in first-time buyers.
To solve that problem, Toyoda said he wants to focus more on the “neglected” Scion brand – which will receive two new models in the next 12 months, including the second generation tC and all-new iQ mini car. Originally the Scion brand was exciting, but Toyoda admits that recently the Scion lineup has become “more like the regular Toyota vehicles.”
Also on the burner is the much-touted FT-86 entry-level sports car, which Toyoda did not comment on.
He does have high hopes for the future, however, commenting that lessons have been learned and that, “if we can apply those lessons one at a time, it won’t be long until we’re back where we were.”
http://www.autoguide.com/auto-news/2...ion-brand.html
With Toyota having recently undergone the worst period in its history, the grandson’s founder and man at the helm of the Japanese auto giant looks to be ready to make big changes in order to get the company back on track. More than just an executive, Akio Toyoda is a well-known car buff who loves to get out on the race track, so its no surprise that he wants to instill some passion into Toyota’s lineup of models.
In an interview with Automotive News, Toyoda admitted that its most important model, the Camry, is now facing serious market pressure from competitors such as General Motors, Ford and Hyundai. “Look at the Ford Taurus. It may be making a comeback. GM also has Camry fighters. And they’ve been done with a fun-to-drive touch. And Hyundai is coming up, and they’re looking good,” said Toyoda. “So we have to start asking, ‘Can we just keep doing the Camry like this?’”
Fortunately for Toyota it has survived the recession and is back to profitability after recording its first ever loss. The recall crisis seems to have subsided as well, with sales signifying that current and past Toyota owners weren’t overly phased by the fiasco. The problem, however, will be getting new buyers from other brands. To do this Toyota will need a more exciting Camry. It will also need more exciting entry-level models to bring in first-time buyers.
To solve that problem, Toyoda said he wants to focus more on the “neglected” Scion brand – which will receive two new models in the next 12 months, including the second generation tC and all-new iQ mini car. Originally the Scion brand was exciting, but Toyoda admits that recently the Scion lineup has become “more like the regular Toyota vehicles.”
Also on the burner is the much-touted FT-86 entry-level sports car, which Toyoda did not comment on.
He does have high hopes for the future, however, commenting that lessons have been learned and that, “if we can apply those lessons one at a time, it won’t be long until we’re back where we were.”
http://www.autoguide.com/auto-news/2...ion-brand.html
05-21-10, 11:28 PM
#2
Speaks French in Russian
Thread Starter
Original article here.
http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dl.../OEM/100519890
http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dl.../OEM/100519890
NURBURGRING, Germany -- Toyota Motor Corp. President Akio Toyoda traces today's quality and financial woes to 2003, when the company began an unbridled global expansion, and says winning over new customers in the wake of the crisis will be a challenge.
In an interview here Saturday, the publicity-shy grandson of the company's founder also said he wants to scale back the incentives that have spurred U.S. sales this year and revive what he called a “neglected” Scion brand.
The Toyota chief added that core models such as the Camry sedan are feeling increased pressure from Ford, GM and Hyundai, which now rival his company in performance and flair.
“In 2003, we surpassed the 6 million sales mark, and after that the rate of increase kept growing,” Toyoda told Automotive News on the sidelines of the Nurburgring 24-hour endurance race, where Toyota's Lexus brand was fielding two LFA sports cars.
“We look at that as the turning point,” Toyoda said. “When we hit the 6 million mark, we maybe couldn't apply the Toyota Way as thoroughly as we should have.”
..............
In an interview here Saturday, the publicity-shy grandson of the company's founder also said he wants to scale back the incentives that have spurred U.S. sales this year and revive what he called a “neglected” Scion brand.
The Toyota chief added that core models such as the Camry sedan are feeling increased pressure from Ford, GM and Hyundai, which now rival his company in performance and flair.
“In 2003, we surpassed the 6 million sales mark, and after that the rate of increase kept growing,” Toyoda told Automotive News on the sidelines of the Nurburgring 24-hour endurance race, where Toyota's Lexus brand was fielding two LFA sports cars.
“We look at that as the turning point,” Toyoda said. “When we hit the 6 million mark, we maybe couldn't apply the Toyota Way as thoroughly as we should have.”
..............
05-21-10, 11:45 PM
#4
Lead Lap
iTrader: (4)
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Seattle, Washington
Posts: 608
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Glad to see that Toyoda is attempting to turn Toyota around and take it back to what made it the beast it is today. Can't wait to see the revised lineup, as well as sportier Toyotas like the FT-86.
Based on the second article, it seems Toyoda is trying to bring back what made Toyota great: reliability and build quality. As stated in the article, it seems after 2003 that Toyota cars weren't made to the same standard as the Toyotas of the 90's that catapulted them to their #1 spot. Looking forward some changes.
Based on the second article, it seems Toyoda is trying to bring back what made Toyota great: reliability and build quality. As stated in the article, it seems after 2003 that Toyota cars weren't made to the same standard as the Toyotas of the 90's that catapulted them to their #1 spot. Looking forward some changes.
05-22-10, 04:27 PM
#7
Lexus Champion
I hope the IS Coupe gets a non-convertible version. I'm sure the new Camry will be great, and continuous sales leader. I bet it's sporty, and I wonder what he has in store for the future of Scion and Lexus. The LFA is just the start. Then we'll have the new TC which looks good for Scion. The IQ will get good mpg, and I hope and pray the IS gets a coupe version with an F variant, as well as the new GS model having an F variant as well. This news coupled with the news about Tesla, Toyota is looking up in my book.
Trending Topics
05-22-10, 05:05 PM
#9
Lexus Fanatic
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Massachusetts
Posts: 7,864
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hopefully Toyoda fully realizes the importance of not "taking a chance" with the Camry. It concerns me a bit if he says "big changes" are coming for the Camry. You don't completely transform the reigning king of cars.
I'm totally in support of them bringing more excitement to the Camry but everyone needs to remember what makes it the sales king. The Camry is designed specifically to have mass appeal which means you couldn't do something like the new Sonata if they wanted to. If they did, bye bye number one. A lot of people like the new expressive styling of the Sonata including myself, but a lot of people are turned off. The Camry, on the other hand, turns off very few. The Camry is a neutral vanilla very purposely and it works.
The Camry sells mainly for a few key reasons. It's a Toyota. It has bullet proof dependability. It's sized just right. It's kept perfectly practical. And it's priced in the best selling class. It doesn't sell because of styling. That's an important note. As soon as you try to sell a car on the merits of styling, you abandon a significant piece of the market. You polarize yourself and can never be a sales leader. Toyota cannot make that mistake and I'm confident they won't.
That all said, you can certainly bring up the passion of the Camry but maintain its neutral mass appeal. It's just a little more tricky.
I know Toyoda is also talking about much more than styling. But a lot of the same applies. Performance? Better make sure you don't go all "sport sedan" on the thing. There goes your base. Sales prove it every time. Smooth, quite, comfortable, and efficient sells cars regardless of what the car magazines want you to believe. If people want sport, they can buy a 3-series. Fact is, most prefer the daily driving characteristics of a Camry.
I'm totally in support of them bringing more excitement to the Camry but everyone needs to remember what makes it the sales king. The Camry is designed specifically to have mass appeal which means you couldn't do something like the new Sonata if they wanted to. If they did, bye bye number one. A lot of people like the new expressive styling of the Sonata including myself, but a lot of people are turned off. The Camry, on the other hand, turns off very few. The Camry is a neutral vanilla very purposely and it works.
The Camry sells mainly for a few key reasons. It's a Toyota. It has bullet proof dependability. It's sized just right. It's kept perfectly practical. And it's priced in the best selling class. It doesn't sell because of styling. That's an important note. As soon as you try to sell a car on the merits of styling, you abandon a significant piece of the market. You polarize yourself and can never be a sales leader. Toyota cannot make that mistake and I'm confident they won't.
That all said, you can certainly bring up the passion of the Camry but maintain its neutral mass appeal. It's just a little more tricky.
I know Toyoda is also talking about much more than styling. But a lot of the same applies. Performance? Better make sure you don't go all "sport sedan" on the thing. There goes your base. Sales prove it every time. Smooth, quite, comfortable, and efficient sells cars regardless of what the car magazines want you to believe. If people want sport, they can buy a 3-series. Fact is, most prefer the daily driving characteristics of a Camry.
Last edited by -J-P-L-; 05-22-10 at 05:09 PM.
05-22-10, 05:19 PM
#10
Lexus Fanatic
IMO, I find the current Camry to be be more attractive (exterior styling) than the Accord, Fusion, Altima. I think the Camry styling is a very important element of the Camry's success, and of course the reliability, size, refinement, comfort, ride are important attributes too.
05-22-10, 06:51 PM
#12
Driver
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Single
Posts: 123
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The current generation Camry was a great departure from its previous design, and has been welcomed with open arms. Toyota and Nissan need to step it up with their upcoming redesigns, mid size sedans are starting to look, dear I say, attractive. (Sonata is polarizing, I'm not a fan, but I can see why people like it. New Optima looks great, Accord still looks pretty nice, if only they'd clean up the headlights. Altima has aged well. New Malibu should be a stunner, as should the next Fusion).
05-22-10, 08:00 PM
#13
Lexus Fanatic
In an interview with Automotive News, Toyoda admitted that its most important model, the Camry, is now facing serious market pressure
competitors such as General Motors, Ford and Hyundai. “Look at the Ford Taurus. It may be making a comeback. GM also has Camry fighters. And they’ve been done with a fun-to-drive touch. And Hyundai is coming up, and they’re looking good,” said Toyoda. “So we have to start asking, ‘Can we just keep doing the Camry like this?’”
Last edited by mmarshall; 05-22-10 at 08:07 PM.
05-22-10, 09:27 PM
#15
Lexus Fanatic
New Optima looks great
Accord still looks pretty nice, if only they'd clean up the headlights.).