Toyota's Jim Lentz On Today Show: No Conspiracy, New Parts Shipping Today

Edward Niedermeyer
by Edward Niedermeyer

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Matt Lauer turns the screws on Toyota’s Jim Lentz, who responds to conspiracy claims by saying that his family, friends and neighbors drive Toyotas. “I would not have them in products that I knew were not safe,” he says, although he does acknowledge that rapid growth could have played a role in a general decline in quality.


Edward Niedermeyer
Edward Niedermeyer

More by Edward Niedermeyer

Comments
Join the conversation
5 of 11 comments
  • Runfromcheney Runfromcheney on Feb 01, 2010

    "he says, although he does acknowledge that rapid growth could have played a role in a general decline in quality." You are completely right about that. That was the biggest problem with Katsuaki Watanabe: he completely abandoned Toyota's regular business plan of slow and steady growth by building quality products in favor of chasing market share. He had his eyes set on making Toyota the biggest, and he didn't seem to care what price he would have to pay to get it there.

  • Ott Ott on Feb 01, 2010

    I would hate to be a sales guy in a Toyota store right about now... It will be a skinny month, me thinks. Come to think of it, I wouldn't want to be one of their service guys right now either!

    • Bimmer Bimmer on Feb 01, 2010

      Service guys will have a killer month due to all overtime they'll be getting.

  • Telegraph Road Telegraph Road on Feb 01, 2010

    “he says, although he does acknowledge that rapid growth could have played a role in a general decline in quality.” This is the latest simplistic meme to overwhelm thoughtful analysis in the auto industry. I am no fan of Toyota (obviously). Many want to reduce this problem to a moral tale of a company reaching too high. But the fault likely lies deep in the specs or execution of an auto component, comprehensible only to trained engineers.

  • Akear Akear on Feb 01, 2010

    "The truth about the engine control module" We know what is going on here. Remember, Ford and the "let them burn case". There are plots and conspiracies hatching everywhere.

Next