Comments on: “Without improving quality, Toyota cannot expect to grow”

By: 210delray

210delray — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 02:23:04 +0000

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.

By: KixStart

KixStart — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 01:13:02 +0000

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.

By: Cicero

Cicero — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 22:43:57 +0000

If the Forest of Toyota is full of fluffy bunnies and bluebirds, shouldn’t GM have its own Jurassic Park?

By: jazbo123

jazbo123 — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 21:53:08 +0000

“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.

By: Johnster

Johnster — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 21:31:02 +0000

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.

These kinds of things shouldn’t cause permanent damage to the car.

By: Virtual Insanity

Virtual Insanity — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 19:21:23 +0000

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?”

By: PerfectZero

PerfectZero — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 19:12:49 +0000

That’s an interesting contrast to Lutz’s defeatist, f-you approach to increasing mileage.

By: Sammy Hagar

Sammy Hagar — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 18:34:08 +0000

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!

By: jthorner

jthorner — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 16:36:27 +0000

Well at least now we all understand why Wagoneer and Lutz are paid so much more than Watanabe …

By: Sajeev Mehta

Sajeev Mehta — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 16:32:46 +0000

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.

By: Raskolnikov

Raskolnikov — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 16:28:43 +0000

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.”

By: Sherman Lin

Sherman Lin — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 15:59:16 +0000

What does anyone expect them to say?

By: umterp85

umterp85 — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 14:37:00 +0000

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 ? :)

By: Steven Lang

Steven Lang — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 14:28:13 +0000

“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).

By: driving course

driving course — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 14:07:31 +0000

‘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%.

By: Cammy Corrigan

Cammy Corrigan — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 14:07:23 +0000

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)