According to a New Year's PR greeting from ToMoCo Prez Katsuaki Watanabe, Toyota is going so damn green you'd be hard-pressed to find it in a field of clover. Just before I nodded off (sorry), Watanabe pledged to "contribute to the sustainable development of society and the earth in the future" in three main areas: research and development, manufacturing and social contribution. Yada, yada, "sustainable mobility," "cellulosic ethanol," "planting trees" and "hands-on environmental education at the Forest of Toyota." And now for the real news: Toyota wants to achieve "hybrid vehicle sales of 1 million units annually as soon as possible in the early 2010s," and put a Synergy Drive (possibly lithium-ion equipped) into every one of their models (hybrid Tundra?). As for those pesky quality issues dinging their brand rep, Watanabe is so committed to rectifying the situation he's quoting himself: "I am always saying that 'without improving quality, Toyota cannot expect to grow', and I believe that quantitative growth is the result of improved quality. For this, we understand well that corporate management must achieve growth that maintains a balance between corporate activities and environmental preservation, as well as between volume and quality." What, a pragmatic approach to multiple demands rather than seamless spin and endless hype? Where's the fun in that?
Jeez, Mr Farago! If Toyota carry on like this you’ll be out of a job! Can you imagine the TTAC commentaries?
“Today Toyota announced the launch of the new Toyota Corolla. It has been lauded by popular press and TTAC (sorry, just my little joke!) as a pinnacle of quality, reliability whilst using a hybrid synergy drive to achieve mpg figures which smash CAFE rules. Mr Farago was quoted as saying ‘where’s Bob Lutz when you need him?!\'”
;O)
‘A Synergy Drive in every model’… I guess Toyota is on track to their affirmed goal – to decrease the SDs manufacturing cost by 50% and decreased the size by 50%.
“And now for the real news: Toyota wants to achieve “hybrid vehicle sales of 1 million units annually as soon as possible in the early 2010s,” and put a Synergy Drive (possibly lithium-ion equipped) into every one of their models (hybrid Tundra?).”
Toyota is using their technology in a way that harkens back to Chrysler’s marketing of airbags in the late-80’s and early-90’s.
I have to praise them for this. Toyota is a very well run company and…. um… what’s that Mr. Watanabe?
Oh, I will be sure to submit my ‘review’ of the 2009 Toyota Corolla ASAP. Yes sir! I will use the words ‘sporty’, ‘luxurious’, and ‘bio-friendly’ at least six times and try to convince the under-50 crowd that it’s actually fun to drive.
Wait, before you leave I wanted to talk to you about reducing the weight on our… I mean your (door slams, quick steps follow).
Toyota: “For this, we understand well that corporate management must achieve growth that maintains a balance between corporate activities and environmental preservation, as well as between volume and quality.”
I think this is what Ford is espousing as well. Although for Ford—-it is a stretch goal while at Toyota a very realistic goal given their overall strength.
RF “What, a pragmatic approach to multiple demands rather than seamless spin and endless hype? Where’s the fun in that?
So unlike you not to name GM explicitly in your “seamless spin and endless hype” comment. Going soft in the new year ? :)
What does anyone expect them to say?
Watanabe also announced that he is assuming control of the UN and changing his name to Nikolai Carpathia.
In addition to this, Toyota’s HQ will be moving to Jerasulem within a few months.
All this spin, and the bottom line is still this: “Toyota wants to sell you a new, fully-optioned and gas guzzling Tundra.”
I’d like to see them provide better plastics inside. (That’s also a component of quality.) It would be nice, you know, to prove that you don’t need crappy polymers to outgun General Motors.
Well at least now we all understand why Wagoneer and Lutz are paid so much more than Watanabe …
I think Toyota would be more entertaining if it was run by the other Watanabe, Gedde Watanabe. In the movie “Gung Ho” he was able to increase production AND quality via his collaboration w/Batman. If you want Toyota’s to last longer, you’ve got to bring on board the Donger!
That’s an interesting contrast to Lutz’s defeatist, f-you approach to increasing mileage.
Sammy:
The best part being is that from now on, whenever talk of the Lexus LF-A comes about, you could always ask-
“Dong, where is my automobile?”
Sajeev Mehta: I’d like to see them provide better plastics inside. (That’s also a component of quality.) It would be nice, you know, to prove that you don’t need crappy polymers to outgun General Motors.
Exactly!
It would be so nice to have interior plastics that would not easily scratch.
Like when you try to clean the clear plastic panel in front of the speedometer with a damp cloth, or when you are not able to open the passenger door more than a few inches and your foot scrapes the the bottom of a door panel when exiting or entering the car.
These kinds of things shouldn’t cause permanent damage to the car.
“corporate management must achieve growth that maintains a balance between corporate activities and environmental preservation, as well as between volume and quality”.
I’d be delighted if they’d just acheive a balance between self-congratulatory smarminess and reality.
If the Forest of Toyota is full of fluffy bunnies and bluebirds, shouldn’t GM have its own Jurassic Park?
Watanabe seems perfectly sensible. Humble, even.
Oh, man, look at the time. I’ve gotta surf over to FastLane.GMBlogs.com to see if Lutz has said anything particularly outrageous or stupid today.
Johnster: It would be so nice to have interior plastics that would not easily scratch.
Like when you try to clean the clear plastic panel in front of the speedometer with a damp cloth, or when you are not able to open the passenger door more than a few inches and your foot scrapes the the bottom of a door panel when exiting or entering the car.
As far back as I can recall, instrument panel gauge covers have always been this fragile. I suppose back in ancient times, real glass was used.
With respect to the door panels, I think the old-fashioned strip of carpeting worked the best. Of course, these disappeared more than a decade ago.