All Entries in the "Auto News" Category
Incentives Wake Up Toyota Sales, But at What Cost?
Yesterday Toyota’s March sales numbers came in and they were – in a word – huge. Toyota’s aggressive March sales incentives led to a 44.7% increase year over year, considerably higher than the industry’s impressive monthly gain of 24%. While many analysts have pointed out that Toyota’s 44.7% sales increase isn’t sustainable, that’s not really the point. Of course 40%+ sales increases aren’t sustainable. Here’s the real question: Did Toyota’s decision to get aggressive on incentives kick-start the auto industry, or did they simply pull sales forward?
Toyota at The 2010 NY Auto Show
Toyota’s main points of emphasis at the 2010 New York Auto Show seem to be (in order) the new Scion tC and Scion iQ, the new Lexus CT 200H, and the new Sienna. The Tundra, along with most trucks, was stuck in the basement of the show and received little emphasis. According to Mike Levine of PickupTrucks.com, trucks aren’t the focus of the NY auto show. None the less, here are the highlights of the 2010 NY Auto Show as far as Toyota is concerned:
Do Auto Shows Sell Cars? VOTE
I’m going to be attending the New York International Auto Show today as a ‘legit’ member of the press (got my TundraHeadquarters.com press credentials and everything). While I personally find auto shows to be a great way to spend an entire day, I think that their role in a typical consumer’s purchase process is very limited. In other words, I highly doubt Toyota’s super-duper expensive Lexus display (post is on the way) is ever going to move enough iron to justify the time and money that went into it.
The question before us – Do Auto Shows Sell Cars? – is obviously very important to manufacturers. Automotive News journalist Ed Lapham has written about some research that shows auto shows work. However, I have my doubts. Here’s why:
Will Ram, GM, or Toyota Copy Ford’s F-150 Raptor?
One of the oldest rules in marketing is “copy your competitors – it’s easy and it works.”
Will other manufacturer's copy Ford's F-150 Raptor?
Ford’s F-150 Raptor is a tremendous truck. A dedicated off-road machine, the Raptor has a host of features and extras that make most off-road enthusiasts drool. Based on the interest and excitement around the Raptor – and the early sales – it would seem that the Raptor is a run-away success. PickupTrucks.com has reported twice now about Dodge’s long travel Ram, a possible test version of a Dodge version of the Raptor that could serve as the basis for a production vehicle.
PickupTrucks.com’s coverage has us wondering…will Ram – or anyone else – really try and copy the F-150 Raptor? Maybe. It’s pretty complicated – here’s why:
Tundra’s New Smart Throttle System Explained
All 2011 model year Toyota vehicles will come standard with “brake-to-idle failsafe” systems, also know as “brake override” or what we like to call “Smart Throttle.” As we’ve written in the past, a smart throttle that disengages when brakes are applied is the easiest and most fool-proof way to prevent runaway acceleration.
If your car has this system and takes off on it’s own because of a sticky throttle, bunched-up floor mat, or cosmic rays, touching the brakes for 1/2 a second will tell the computer to disengage the throttle. You’ll go from WOT to idle automatically…no more stories about brakes that couldn’t over-power a vehicle’s throttle, and a much lower likelihood of an unintended acceleration accident.
Some truck owners are concerned that this new system will reduce their ability to drive their Tundra effectively, but based on the info from Toyota, it seems the new Smart Throttle system will work just fine without limiting anyone’s ability to use their truck. Here’s how it’s supposed to work:
