Details on Toyota North American Reorganization: California & Kentucky Lose, Texas & Michigan Gain

Toyota has released a statement (below the fold) on the reorganization of its North American business operations and the consolidation of most of those functions at a new regional headquarters to be built in Plano, Texas. Approximately 4,000 employees of four different business units will be relocated, mostly to Texas, though some functions will be relocated to Toyota facilities in Georgetown, Kentucky and near Ann Arbor, Michigan. Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A. and Toyota Financial Services in Torrance, Calif., Toyota Motor Engineering and Manufacturing North America in Erlanger, Ky., and Toyota Motor North America in New York City will be moved between now and early 2017, when the Plano campus and new facilities near Ann Arbor and Georgetown are expected to be completed.

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New or Used: A Prius Seller's Market?

TTAC Commentator gman37 writes:

Steve and Sajeev: I was hoping to pick your brain for a second regarding the used Prius market right now. Help a Hammer Time follower out! I own a 2010 base Prius (Model II), and I have been seeing listings at local dealerships for base model Prius’s (????) selling for 3-4K above new MSRP prices. For instance there is one with 15K on the clock selling for 27K, when new the MSRP was around 24K.

Is this actually occurring right now or are these people out of their minds? My wife and I were debating on selling it and buying a cheaper car with a smaller payment if we could actually make a decent profit on it. On the other hand, 50 MPG in the era of $5 a gallon gas is pretty great. Its a gas! Thanks for your time.And Sajeev, I always wanted a Mercury Marauder!
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  • Namesakeone It should be a name that evoques the wild west, that emphasizes the go-anywhere nature of how an SUV should be used. Something like a wild animal, maybe something like a horse. I've got it! How about . . . Mustang! Oh, wait. They already did that, didn't they?
  • Slavuta There Used to be Pontiac Trans Sport.... That "Trans Sport" part has a totally new meaning these days
  • 210delray You need to change the headline -- it's a 2025 model.
  • Jeff How about Aspire for a new subcompact crossover from Ford because it aspires to be bigger and its buyers would aspire for a better vehicle if they could afford it.
  • Jeff Carlos Travares wants to cut costs by 1/3. I don't see Chrysler or Dodge surviving too much longer especially since they are being literally starved for product. The success of the new Charger could extend Dodge a few more years but a failure might be a quick end to Dodge. I could see Stellantis moving more manufacturing for Jeep and Ram to Mexico which I believe will eventually be the only surviving brands of the old Chrysler. As for the Durango if it continues it will not be for too many more years it is an outdated product that I doubt will be redesigned especially when Jeep has a comparable product. Stellantis needs to address the high dealer inventory level by giving better incentives and low interest rates to clear excessive inventory.