New Toyota large truck

Schmoe · Feb 9, 2006

http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/2006-02-08-chicago-auto-show-trucks_x.htm

Tell me what do you see? I see Ford front end, Dodge front quarter panels, Chevy wheel wells. Geesh, all Toyota did was put a Ford, a GM and a Dodge in a blender and pressed "puree" and this is what dumped out. Why don't they just say it....we ripped all you guys off because we are trying to take away your business....because WE CAN. And for you current Toyota truck owners, you can't honestly look me in the eye and say that this truck doesn't have a LOT of underpinnings in it. Just like the Accord/Sonata thing....why build and re-design something new when we can copy someone else idea, build it cheaper and sell more...

Jimbo · Feb 9, 2006

I see a larger Tacoma, what I expected. The current Tundra has a lot of 1997 F-150 styling themes, but no one accused them of copying Ford back then because no one took them seriously after the T-100 failed to sell. Now they are considered a "threat".

Bryanccfshr · Feb 9, 2006

Toyota is trying to build the kind of truck Americans will buy. And they will!

NJC · Feb 10, 2006

I see a Chrysler front end. If they take this market, next will be apple pie!

VNT · Feb 10, 2006

I see a Dodge front end with a different grill. Blatant copy infringement.

Of course if you cant beet em, copy em. Ask Bill Davis racing and how Toyota copied Dodge for their Craftsman truck development.

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060210/SPORTS16/602100425/1014/BUSINESS01

As far as the new tundra. note Toyota will not release HP Touque and gas mileage specs for fear they might infuriate the treehuggers who do nothing but kiss Toyota's *** as the only "green"
manufacturer. Guess this truck will disprove that theory!

This truck will move people from Toyota cars to trucks but will have a difficult time taking sales from the others, ask Nissan, the Armada has been a flop sales wise, ditto the Ridgeline but that is in a different market.

andyd · Feb 10, 2006

If they take this mkt, it is only because the big 3 let them by putting out inferior products. OTOH, I wouldnt see the mkt segment of 25% of "work trucks" being very receptive to a furrin truck. The other 75% maybe, especially now that Toyota has broken into NASCAR

NJC · Feb 10, 2006

Andy, I'll bet the same thing was said about Japanese cars circa 1975. But I concur, it is the Big 3's market to lose.

LTVibe · Feb 10, 2006

quote:

....we ripped all you guys off because we are trying to take away your business

U.S. to probe Toyota hybrid patents

Joe1 · Feb 10, 2006

They'll be produced in a non-union facility in San Antonio which will give them a big cost advantage over the antiquated UAW process of building automobiles. If they succeed in selling 500k of these a year in 5 years, it may be the knock-out punch for Ford and GM.

Hirev · Feb 10, 2006

I could care less who copied who. This stuff is nothing new in the automotive world. This copying has gone on since cars were 1st invented. Think Ford invented automatic transmissions or Dodge invented power steering think again.

I just want a high quality product that will be as little trouble as possible at a competitive price. Bottom line is value for my money.

Having lived through the 70s and well into the 80s with the total garbage cars the big three were selling at the time. I could not imagine how bad of vehicles the big three would be selling us today. If it was not for Toyota and Honda.

I bought a my 1st Toyota in 1986 and have yet to bring myself to buy another vehicle from the big three.

Recently while looking at new 1/2 ton trucks. I looked and test drove at all makes. The only ones I cared for after test driving, reading the consumer rags, researching on the net was the F150 and Tundra. In the end I went with the Tundra.

Beast of Busco · Feb 10, 2006

I read the article in the USA today, and I guess my biggest problem was the Toyota emblem on the front grill.

When I think of TRUCKS, I think of the big 3 US automakers. In fact, all my trucks have been Chevy or Ford, and have never even test driven a Toyota or Nissan. I am sure the Toyota owners will say I am missing out, but it just seems that trucks are a part of America that the foreign automakers should not be able to take over like everything else.

obbop · Feb 10, 2006

Pshaw, I mumble to the walls in my shanty whose antiquated natural gas heater is struggling to fend off the frigid arctic air enveloping the blizzard-swept tornado-ridden plains of the cultural backwater of Nebraska.

Pshaw to the outter appearances of any vehicle I shout to the spiders and other critters that invaded the shanty last fall and sought out the nooks and crannies to hide within while awaiting the return of spring.

Rather than ponder the "eye appeal" of a truck I would rather slowlt ease my ancient battered body into a prone position and peer upwards at the Hades side of the truck.

Lemme' see how beefy the upper and lower control arms are. Lemme' see the amount of steel used in various parts of the undercarriage. I wanna gaze at the frame, using relativistic subjective measurements in an attempt to gauge how hefty the dern' thing is.

Sure, I'll use reviews and other info siurces in an attempt to ascertain reliability of the propulsion and braking and all the other systems that comprise the greater whole referred to as a truck. I'll consider past reliability and owner comments.

But, when I wanna' buy a truck I want rugged. I want heft. I want raw brutal masses of steel.

Peering at the Toyotas and Nissans 18-months ago I was not impressed with the underpinnings of those contraptions. I was more impressed with what I saw on the Big Three offerings: Chevy, Ford and Dodge.

Of course, today's "metrosexual" emasculated wimpy boy males would likely quiver with delight at the Toyota and Nissan amounts of metal. Fine.

But, as one who kept the Commies off the California shores and scurried about the rat-infested alleys of the most dangerous oriental ports...... only the raw brutal strength of the American trucks called out to me.

And, I answered.

Yep

bar1 · Feb 10, 2006

I'd rather have a Hilux:
http://www.glumbert.com/media/toyota.html

DaveInLA · Feb 11, 2006

Tell me what do you see? I see Ford front end, Dodge front quarter panels, Chevy wheel wells.
--------------------------
... and Toyota reliability.

Seriously, I can't figure out why Japanese automakers haven't been able to sell more of their trucks.

It surely isn't poor reliability. Is it lack of power? Ugly looks? Or the fact that truck owners now are reluctant to leave the domestic market?

Here in SoCal, I see A LOT of Toyota trucks on the street, close in number to American trucks. But when I'm near a construction site, I see nothing but Fords and Chevys. Why is that?

AndyH · Feb 11, 2006

A whole bunch of additional pictures of the new Tundra on Autoblog:
http://www.autoblog.com/2006/02/09/chicago-auto-show-toyota-goes-big-with-new-tundra/

Bret Chase · Feb 11, 2006

Besides brand loyalty, I'd say the fact that there is no Nissan/Toyota 3/4 ton or heavier has a lot to do with it.

JHZR2 · Feb 11, 2006

They arent manual trans or diesel... enough said.

If you buy a full size truck without a diesel engine... well, I just don't know what to think

JMH

1sttruck · Feb 11, 2006

"Here in SoCal, I see A LOT of Toyota trucks on the street, close in number to American trucks. But when I'm near a construction site, I see nothing but Fords and Chevys. Why is that?"

Until the Titan came out the heaviest Japanese truck was the Tundra, and while I don't know what kind of load the Tundar is rated for judging from the axles it probably isn't much. In a similar manner the Honda isn't really designed to be a work truck either, and Honda even says so. Around here it use to be mainly Ford country but there are lot more Dodges now, GM too. Most are 1/2 tons, lots of 'heavy duty 1/2 tons', but there are also lots of 3/4 and 1 ton trucks, diesels are popular, especially for towing.

Gurkha · Feb 11, 2006

Well if I need a truck, I will gladly buy any Toyotas, extremely reliable and gets the job done with least fuss.

1sttruck · Feb 11, 2006

Initial impressions don't matter as much as how well something holds up, especially with a vehicle that is being offered as a work truck. Toyota has certainly done well in their current markets, and there is no reason to think that they won't do well in the half ton market, but time will tell.

New Toyota large truck

Similar threads