If you're a manufacturer with operations all over the globe and a model is bombing in one market, what do you do? You send it to other markets to see how it fares. At least that seems to be Toyota's plan for the Tundra and Sequoia, according to Steve St. Angelo, president of Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky Inc. Automotive News [sub] reports he stated today that the humongous "trucks could be attractive to overseas buyers." They have to do something to reclaim their investment in design and manufacturing as they aren't selling here. They halted production on both last Friday to try to clear an inventory backlog, with plans to resume production – most likely at a greatly reduced rate – in November. St. Angelo didn't say just where they plan to sell these gas-sucking mega-trucks, or who they think will buy them, but I have a feeling Europe and Japan are pretty low on their list.
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Middle East is the first place that comes to mind, but even that is questionable.
Trucks like the Tundra are a uniquely North American phenomenom and likely always will be.
Russia seems to be a great place to try to sell luxury SUV’s, not sure about monster pickups. At least they’ll provide a little inflow of money into the US from some exports, if they can pull it off.
If they can handle cold weather well they could be big hits in Russia.
If they can run on ethanol, then Brazil might be a good place?
All that timber and fruit needs trucking somewhere……
Considering that the F-250 is the most stolen vehicle in New Mexico with entire vehicles and parts going to Mexico, why not try Mexico and other Central American countries? Venezuela possibly – they’ve got lots of oil and a crazy ass dictator. Just might work.
Gas prices are high worldwide right now, I doubt they’ll find a place for these trucks.
Toyota pickups seem to be the transport of choice of the Taliban. There’d be some sweet irony seeing a bunch of blokes shooting into the air shouting “death to America” on the back of an American built pickup.
The Luigiian: “Gas prices are high worldwide right now, I doubt they’ll find a place for these trucks.”
The Russian gummint is subsidizing fuel prices, so we might be seeing Russian gangsters living large in pimped Sequoias.
The Russian gummint is subsidizing fuel prices, so we might be seeing Russian gangsters living large in pimped Sequoias.
Ah, this I did not know. Interesting.
I think this could work, actually. Think of all the warlords who could have bigger guns installed in their fleets…
dastanley
Considering that the F-250 is the most stolen vehicle in New Mexico with entire vehicles and parts going to Mexico, why not try Mexico and other Central American countries?
But Toyota would expect them to pay for them.
This illustrates the folly that is the Tundra. Toyota can easily withstand the financial dent this will make, no doubt, but I’m not convinced of their wisdom in this venture. I guess they didn’t see the rapid rise in fuel prices, either?
In addition, I can’t wait to hear about what Kia plans to do with it’s dinosaur, the Borrego (sp?) Another monumental mis-step.
Definately send them overseas. Venezuela, Russia, Middle East, wherever – export dollars are a great thing for the NA economy.
Saw pictures on the news of the former Soviet Republic of Georgia and thier current skirmish with Russia. There was an attack and the government folks who were scurrying for cover all got into an, umm, armada of Nissan Armadas. Looks like that vehicle has a future, like the Sequoia, as that 2nd and 3rd world leaders new fave form of transport.
Toxicroach…
Yeah, they can handle to cold. Top Gear… google the Hilux in the North Poll.
@geozinger: I think Toyota may have been surprised a little by how fast the gas prices escalated, but I believe they probably would have made the same decision regardless. They made a serious committment to develop a competitive pickup truck because they felt there was room for growth in market share, if not market size. Toyota’s advantage is that they can weather a few bad years and be well positioned should the truck market rebound.
Your comment about the Borrego is spot on. I’ve seen the banner ads on this site and I can’t help but feel for the marketing people that are trying to find an angle to sell this thing in an era of $4+ gas!
The Russian gummint is subsidizing fuel prices, so we might be seeing Russian gangsters living large in pimped Sequoias.
Last time I checked, their prices are ~23 roubles a litre – a little under 3.70$ a gallon. Hardly a subsidy considering that they make the friggin stuff well-to-pump, without tarrifs or extra transporting.
Which is why most normal people there still buy the sensible 1.6-liter compacts. The oldschool mafia either got killded off or turned legal (and now drives 7-series), so everyone left with huge SUV’s are in the same position as their brothers over here (as in, weeks away from foreclosure).
Toyota should try selling these in Turkey ^-^ I’m paying 3.35 YTL to 1 liter gasoline, equals to 2.86 $ PER LITER. Equals to 10.82$ per gallon :) You’ll pay the same oil price by using a fuel-crazy ridiculously-big SUV in North America or using a 500cc motorcycle in Turkey. At least bikes produce far less CO2.
I hope Toyota fails to sell these meaningless pieces of machinery all over the world, these barbarous vehicles only belongs to mining industry, not cities or roads. If US can be like Europe, all the global warming stuff wil slow down.
Wait, there is a market for V8 bling-over-practicality trucks outside of NA?
Thank God all companies dont operate on these beliefs otherwise Europe would be saturated with GM/Chrysler cast offs
@dean,
I guess by that reasoning, you could say the same thing about all automakers in NA, couldn’t you? I think everyone was surprised by the rapid rise in prices. I know I was.
It seems like (at least in my neck of the woods) many people adjusted to $3/gallon gasoline rather quickly. I guess it would have been hard to know that ~ $4/gallon gasoline would have been the breaking point for this many people.
Nonetheless, I’m glad I don’t have to hawk Tundras or Borregos (or any car for that matter) for a living.
At least Toyota has options. They only have to sell a few thousand in every country to make it worthwhile.
And heck, long-term, if they surprise themselves and find some new markets for pickups, so much the better.