If Pickup Trucks Were Beautiful Women They Would Be…
Jason Lancaster | Apr 16, 2010 | Comments 32
Because it’s fun to come up with ways to include pictures of beautiful women into articles about pickups, let’s talk about what trucks would look like if they were beautiful women popular in American culture. The order is based on domestic content, with the truck with the most domestic content going first.
The Toyota Tundra
According to domestic content figures from 2009, the Tundra is the most American pickup on the road today, mostly because GM, Ford, and Dodge build so many of their trucks in Mexico and/or Canada. Built in San Antonio, Toyota’s Tundra doesn’t sell in the enormous volumes that Ford and GM manage, but it’s not exactly unknown either (lots of advertising makes sure of that). Born in Corpus Christi, married to a member of the San Antonio Spurs, and representing a nice mix between being made in Texas and having some foreign lineage, how about Eva Longoria Parker as the Tundra?
Image copyright Donna Reyes
The Ford F-150
Ford’s sales are fantastic, the truck is more than 75% America made, and the name “F-150” is synonymous with the meaning of the word “truck.” The F150 is as American as trucks get and popular too, which means that the beautiful woman who best represents the F150 must be well-known and universally popular. How about Beyonce? All-American and immensely popular, she’s a best-selling artist that everyone can easily identify.
Image copyright Tixgirl
The Chevy Silverado & GMC Sierra
GM makes about a quarter of their trucks in either Mexico or Canada, so it’s important to identify someone with appeal across the continent. How about Canadian born mega-star Pam Anderson? She’s aged very nicely (just like GM), she’s recognizable anywhere on the planet (just like GM), and she’s rumored to have some money problems (just like GM).
Image copyright Darren Stone
The Nissan Titan
Dwindling sales and an old design had us predicting the Titan will be canceled this year (we’re probably wrong about that, by the way, but the year’s not over yet…). Still, you can’t deny the Titan’s mix of good power and clever features (class leading at the time it was introduced). Built in Mississippi, the Titan sources quite a few parts from Japan…so we’re looking for a Mississippi woman whose commercial success is limited (but whose skills are widely recognized). How about Mississippi girl Sela Ward? She’s turned down a couple of good TV roles to spend time with her family – got to respect that.
Image copyright MSNBC.com
The Dodge Ram
Dodge used to be an American company, and wild financial success in the late 90’s saw Dodge acquired by Daimler (who screwed it up). Cerberus Capital bought Dodge (it was American again), but they couldn’t make it work…and now it’s a mix of Italian, American, with some German influence still mixed in to the existing product line.
Dodge is also famous for changing the look of every truck with the intro of the 1994 Ram, a revolution in truck design. Basically, we’re looking for a beautiful woman with a mix of backgrounds, a revolutionary streak, and who has a roller coaster kind of career. How about Madonna? She’s 50% Italian, 25% Canadian , and 25% German. She revolutionized pop music, but she’s also been the punchline of a lot of jokes (just like Chrysler).
Image copyright David Shankbone
Comments? Feel free to chew me out for wasting your time on this one! 🙂
Filed Under: TundraHeadquarters.com
Jason, have you lost your mind? Furthermore, i think you just insulted my GM heritage……. LOL.
Jason, Ironically, with the Titan being made about 90 miles away from here, you don’t see too many around. I think there are 3 or 4 in this lil’ town. GM is still king here and Ford a close 2nd. Then its the Tundra, Ram and lastly the Titan. Just food for thought.
I have to say that’s different.
Why is it the Tundra the “most American” and have the most problem’s? Then it says “the F-150 is as American as trucks gets”, which is it?
Anonymous,
Tundra the “most American” meaning the Tundra has the highest percentage of American parts and actually made in the USA as compared to its so called American counterparts. As for the most problems, well thats debateable.Unfortunately, if you consider most American parts and American labor and it has the most problems, what does that say about American made products?
“the F-150 is as American as trucks gets”, well this is like baseball, apple pie and ford trucks are synonymous with America.
Anonymous “Ditto” what Danny stated. It’s a proven fact from NHTSA that the American parts content in the Tundra is higher than the other truck manufacturer’s. I think it was at 80%. I think also GM was around 70% and Dodge with 65% and Ford had 55%. Jason put this part content out before in another thread.
So is the NHTSA good or bad today? One day its they don’t know what they are doing and signaling out Toyota for the recalls and then if he information is in Toyota’s favor you use it?
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Frame rust issue, American company didn’t rust proof them or something.
Engine, VVTI issue within hours of purchase, its made in the USA.
We can go on all day about this. Some think made in is a good thing. It use to be, but these days it represents junk. Case in point all the issues Toyota is having. Kia is going down the same road. Americans are lazy and will find any way out of work. I know its cold and said but he truth. When Chrysler had recall for a improperly made brake component it affected only a few vehicles. This is because the quailty control in MEXICO works and they take pride in their work not just showing up for a paycheck. Why do you think so many other company outsource? Americans are to needie! I want this. I deserve that. Why is he getting paid more.
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Hey now I get it Toyota owners sound a lot like the American workers!
Oh don’t forget the rusting bumpers on the lastest generation. If they can not complete the simple job of dipping it correctly you expect the complex parts are right! VVTI SPRING, ACCELERATORS, just look at the page of all the 2007 issues!
Why not blame the workers. This site blames everyone else. Anonymous is right is the NHTSA good or bad today? The same people are running it, but depending on what their veiw they are a creditable source or don’t know what they are talking about just like some people like to reference CR. Could someone let us know what sources are good or bad depending on their veiw and day.
Okay look it up for yourself MJB and anonymous. I’ll give you the date the thread was put out 07/03/09. It has also Cars.com as a reference too. The two of you are trying hard to say that apples are oranges. Since the both of you are the least bit constructive than you are the American that complains. If you don’t like the site move on. It shows your intelligence by not even checking other mnanufacturer’s who have issues out there but you so kindly pick on Toyota. Is it that you are scared at what Toyota brings out? Before you speak make sure your backyard is clean first.
Okay look it up for yourself MJB and anonymous. I’ll give you the date the thread was put out 07/03/09. It has also Cars.com as a reference too. The two of you are trying hard to say that apples are oranges. Since the both of you are the least bit constructive than you are the American that complains. If you don’t like the site move on. It shows your intelligence by not even checking other manufacturer’s who have issues out there but you so kindly pick on Toyota. Is it that you are scared at what Toyota brings out? Before you speak make sure your backyard is clean first.
You got it twice because the two of you are now known as Heckyl and Jeckyl.
Mickey, CARS.com has the top american made cars 09 F-150 as #2 and tundra as #5. This isn’t the parts content. Are you the same Mickey who was concerned about the Forbes article another the F-250 and Colorado? Wasn’t that the same time the GX460 was placed on the “Do not buy” list and Toyota halted all sells. Funny how someone says to take care of their own back yard but focuses on another brands. Seems a little hypocritical doesn’t it or that someone is really jealous or concerned about keeping up with the Jones. Also maybe if you stayed on Toyota topic and stop worrying about the Jones you would have less trolls. Take this page for instance, your asking for comments, its just like poking a bee’s nest then wondering why you got stung.
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Yes I am scared of what Toyota is bring to the table. I have my family on the road and the last thing I want to see is a Toyota behind me. We all know safety is not at the top of their list of things to do.
well, back to the american parts content, i just spent a lot of time trying to find a current breakdown, but every list i found has Ford and GM listing parts content as “American/Canadian” parts or “mexican” or other. No one wants to seperate USA and Canadian parts. Marketing ploy??
No one is denying that Toyota is having major difficulties, but lets not forget that evrybody else has too. We could easily exchange banters on who was recalled and for what reasons. GM, Ford and now Toyota are ALL in a special class of heavily recalled vehicles and i think they are ranked in the same order too. I think GM grossly leads the catagory on the most deadly defect that was never recalled, something like 2100 deaths linked to unprotected side saddle gas tanks. We all have our bias but can we put this behind us and work together. As truck owners, we would all like to take the best from every manufacturer and put them all in one vehicle, so lets work toward that, please. Eventhough i now own a Tundra, i still visit the GM blogs and sometimes the Ford ones too. This same destructive stuff happens on their sites too. Can you imagine if the buying public actually worked together to force the manufacturer to produce a better truck that actually meets or exceeds a truck owner’s deemanding needs. That would be sweet.
See once again focusing on others, who cares about others? What does it matter if someone has more American content? Toyota should be one of the last to speak of American content after shutting down NUMMI and sending production to Canda. The GM saddlebags, your reaching don’t you think. Here is a question, how many other manufactures have ceased all sells of all but 2 or was it 3 models?
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Now its can’t we get along! “Poor is the man whose pleasures depend on the permission of others” ( Madonna ). So in closing I envie every Toyota owner, there you feel better now!
MJB, then you explain why GM isn’t held accountable for NUMMI? Also look up NHTSA part content like I originally put out and you will see. You will see what was mentioned that the Tundra has 80%, SIlverado and F-seires had 75% Ram has 53% where the Titan has 65%. Now what was it you were saying? Google it bright one. Other than that I really don’t give a crap what you think or want. As far as trolling is definitely what you’re doing. SO what that a Lexus hit a do not buy list. They aren’t the first and won’t be the last. News there guy, all SUV’s have that issue of rollover when a tire blows. As far as reaching you are with the NUMMI crap. You don’t mention anything about why the Big 3 move to Mexico and Canada, but yet you bring up NUMMI? Who’s reaching? With your statement about any Toyota’s around you, you are scared? Who’s reaching there? Personally I don’t get along with trolls.
BTW MJB that was a 2009 listing and it was with American/Canada parts. Go ahead read between the lines.
MJB,
?? you must not understand too much. wasnt concerned about others, just trying to get everyone to be constructive, but i guess you can’t change your ways. As for NUMMI, GM left Toyota holding the bag. They bailed out 1st so you definitely dont understand that either.
and we dont do Rodney King but you probally dont understand that either. I guess that’s why you didnt respond to my reponse to you about Toyota bottoming out. I guess market capitalization, return on equity, return on assets and earnings per share was completely over your wee wittle head. But thank you for visiting this site. We really enjoy your witless humor. Come on back anytime because we enjoy your comedic relief.
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Mickey,
No need to get upset with MJB. The only truck he’s probally ever owned had “Tonka” stamped on it.
Why does everyone here have to whine. Oh now you wanna talk about stock splits. Can you answer one question first, is NHTSA good now? Before it was they didn’t know what there are talking about but Mickey keeps referring to them. Just trying to figure out is NHTSA creditable today or not. GM left Toyota holding the bag at NUMMI. How is that? GM had one vehicle coming off the line when Toyota had 4. So I that need a business partner. We are gonna make 4 of my product and you can make 1. When its all said and done you owe 50% for operating cost. Sound like a good deal? Mickey what do you know about delco.
Danny, the American/Canadian parts content of vehicles goes back a couple years. Just look at the Tunda more american than ram page. the one that dates back to 2007 and has pictures so you SHOULD be able to understand it.
MJB Said in April 18th, 2010 @7:14 am Why does everyone here have to whine.
The pot calling the kettle black. Ray Lahood. That’s all that has to be mention for the negative side for NHTSA. Well why is it that now NHTSA gives the Tundra a five star rating with no change since 2007? When Tundra was the first truck from the Insurance Institute to get the top safety award from 2007. Again MJB you missed the boat on NUMMI. Who asked who to do the joint venture? So if you want to cry about NUMMI go over to GM they may give you a shoulder to lean on. Again MJB you missed the boat. Mr. Toyoda owns half not Toyota. Mr. Toyoda owns Toyota also. Now your point again?
Anonymous look at NHTSA and it goes back to 2005 till 2010. Try again.
anon,
ohhhhh, got pictures! I guess my American ed-u-ma-ca-tion might be able to figure that out. Hahaha, you’re funny 🙂
Boy I wasn’t sure if this post was going to get much traction…looks like it did, but mostly to re-hash things that have been said elsewhere. Here’s what we all know to be true:
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1. Toyota has made some big mistakes lately, but to say they’re ‘unsafe’ is grossly misleading. EVERY manufacturer has had safety problems of this magnitude in recent history – we can all recite lists of recalls and issues until we’re blue in the face. Since this is a site abotu Toyotas, I’ll focus on Toyota’s unintended acceleration issue: NOT ONE SINGLE INCIDENT OF UNINTENDED ACCELERATION HAS BEEN PROVEN…EVER. Not one. There are lots of ‘experts’ who say that it COULD be this or that, but no one from NHTSA, no insurance investigator or cop, or any one of the trial lawyers hell-bent on suing Toyota has found ONE SINGLE SHRED of proof that Toyota has an unintended acceleration problem. The best they can do is chirp about a correlation in data (which is inherently flawed – https://www.tundraheadquarters.com/blog/2010/02/15/runaway-toyota-accidents-driver-error/).
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2. Even IF you think Toyota’s have acceleration problems, NHTSA has only 52 incidents where they believe an unintended acceleration problem was possible (not suspected, not likely, just *possible*). Considering how many vehicles that Toyota has made, the odds of having a stuck accelerator are less than the odds of getting struck by lightning. If you worry every time you see a Toyota behind you, you need to start taking some anxiety medication.
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3. According to Cars.com, which uses federally mandated domestic content stickers (reported by NHTSA) and a sales volume adjusted formula, the 2009 Tundra was 2nd the most ‘American’ truck on the road. While that designation is essentially meaningless – in a global economy, there’s no such thing as an “American” anything – if you have a problem with that designation, take it up with them. By the way, the Tundra’s domestic content label says 80% made in the USA. Ford? 75%.
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4. Where is the logic in the all-or-nothing attitude towards NHTSA, Consumer Reports, or anyone else we’ve been critical of? If we disagree with someone once, we automatically have to throw out everything they’ve ever done or said to be ‘consistent?’ That’s stupid. Smart, well intentioned people can be right 90% of the time and wrong 10% of the time – why can’t that be true of NHTSA, CR, and everyone else on the planet?
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5. Danny explained the ‘most American’ vs. ‘American as it gets’ comments perfectly. Thank you.
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6. This post was obviously tongue in cheek. Take a step back, relax, and tell me who you would have gone with for each manufacturer and why. This is *supposed* to be fun! 🙂
Jason, I would go with GM. But I still have that bad taste of treatment from them so I won’t. I’ve been taken care of with Toyota. So I won’t let go. I personally don’t care what the woman looks like. It’s the piece of mind that has me “Total Satisfied” all the time.
I’m happy to be Eva Longoria…I don’t like the other chicks.
Eva is too small. Pamela anyday even though some of her is fake. Best of the bunch I guess you mentioned here but Beyonce is pretty hot as well and a lot younger and dare I say, less miles on the chassis so to speak.
I like them all! 🙂
Ahh, GM. Why do I immediately think of mid 1950’s Caddilac front bumper guards when I see Pamela Anderson. Back then we called them “Dagmars”.
By the way, did you see her on “dancing with the stars”? Talk about your independant rear suspension. Come to think about it the front suspension looked a little “giggely” Probably needs stiffer shocks.
Her partner definitely had the McPherson strut.
I haven’t seen a Caddy with a bra (Excuse me, front end mask) but looking at the picture, I am sure it is an option.
tote – LOL – good use of euphemisms.
Beyonce, who is that? What is the US content per vehicle? Not the US/Canada percent. No one seems to beable to answer it but some like to claim that they are the Most American Truck. It could be 1% American and 79% Canadian and they would still claim 80% American. But no one will ever know!
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I think Toyota is more like Bernard Madoff. Took the peoples money, lied about the whole and affected the US from coast to coast not to mention the whole world. Just like Toyota answering to Congress, Madoff is someones B;+ch too!
Rudy – The only truck on the list with 80% domestic content is the Tundra, and Toyota doesn’t build the Tundra in Canada…that’s GM and Ford. As for the law, it definitely rolls Canadian and American parts together. I guess your point is that every car has non-US parts? I agree wholeheartedly. The whole idea of an “American” car is an anachronism. The people who say they only “buy American” are kidding themselves.
Rudy before you jump look at NHTSA part content and you will see what you want. While you are at it, parts made in Canada but assembled in Mexico. Does that sound close enough for you? If Toyota is like Bernie, I would hate to see who you refer the Big 3 to.