| Inzane |
My message for Toyota: :read:
STOP MAKING BORING CARS!!!! |
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| cupcake |
At least it's doing well in other markets, but yea, make more exciting cars!
At least we'll have something to look forward to in 2009/2010 when the new Celica or whatever it is comes out with the STi engine. Maybe? |
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| Bad Egg |
quote:
Originally posted by Inzane
My message for Toyota: :read:
STOP MAKING BORING CARS!!!!
Amen, brother.
In the 90's, Toyota had the WRC inspired Celica GT4 (AWD Turbo), the great handling/go fast mid engine MR2, & the 2F2F reknowned Supra, which could go heads up with almost any sports car of the era.
Now they build Japanese built Oldsmobiles.
If they built a car that would inspire enthusiasts, & especially the younger people, they might regain some of what they are losing to the other manufacturers who still value performance. If you have a positive experience with a brand when you are young, you are much more likely to buy that Camry when the kids come along later. |
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| 2ndgenlude |
quote:
Originally posted by Inzane
My message for Toyota: :read:
STOP MAKING BORING CARS!!!!
x1000 |
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| oldraven |
quote:
Originally posted by cupcake
At least it's doing well in other markets, but yea, make more exciting cars!
At least we'll have something to look forward to in 2009/2010 when the new Celica or whatever it is comes out with the STi engine. Maybe?
Does this sound at all like GM in the late 80's/early 90's? Outsourcing production and engineering of their niche cars to smaller firms. That left us with the shittiest four cylinders on earth being developed at home, and even still we have Korean Shevees just like they had Suzuki building all of their compacts that were worth driving.
If that's the forecast, I'm guessing the only two Toyota's worth owning will be the Camry, Corolla/Matrix, and elsewhere in this world the Hilux.
Nissan is also getting Chrysler to develop their next Full-size truck, even whilst they develop Suzuki's new mini-truck. |
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| Dan_Gyoba |
Boring cars... Yeah, there's nothing in their current line-up that I'm eager to get my hands on... Unless I want a Prius to commute in.
Personally, I blame it on the trend of going to the big SUVs. More money went into developing/building the Tundra, Land Cruiser, 4Runner, Lexus RX series etc, and the sports and sporty cars got left by the wayside. I was disappointed.
Still, it takes time to change production. They started with the SUVs when the writing was on the wall, and got there in time. I don't know if the SUV craze is slowing down at all despite the current gas price hikes. I can hope though. It seems as though Toyota is starting to go back towards having some sporty models in the lineup. I just hope that Toyota Canada actually decides to import them, and not just leave them as special order only, like they did with the last generation Supra. |
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| Inzane |
quote:
Originally posted by Dan_Gyoba
Unless I want a Prius to commute in.
I'd rather slit my wrists. |
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| Graphicdude |
| I think their new found status (world's biggest auto maker) has gone to their head and they are slowly finding out what it's like to be GM, Chrysler, Ford. |
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| zhao |
quote:
Originally posted by Inzane
My message for Toyota: :read:
STOP MAKING BORING CARS!!!!
this can't be quoted enough!
i just test drove a 09 matrix. it handled like a bag of ass when i took it on a offramp, floored it coming off an onramp, waited for it, 2 seconds later (it was a auto) the engine starts reving higher but not really doing anything. suspension is so soft you don't feel any bumps and that translates into omg the crappy handling and body roll.
the engine has absolutely no power...... the tranny is majorly unresponsive...... the suspension feels like it belongs in a buick....... and this is their sportiest car?
i would never buy a toyota from their current line up because their cars are about as vanilla as it gets. the scary thing is, it looks like honda is copying toyota's game plan to a degree. honda has been sacking anything that is remotely fun from their line up. all that they will have left soon is the civic SI. |
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| kevito_ |
quote:
Originally posted by GOT BOOST
An interesting read...
http://www.reportonbusiness.com/ser...y/Business/home
Brutal how the USD-YEN-EUR rates are destroying the economy. This is going to be the biggest recession in 30 years... Oil is at an all time high price... so are many food stocks as well as steel, precious metals, copper, aluminum...
Everything to do with increasing means of production needs more capital since the supply is stretched the thinnest it's ever been. Not to mention all the financial corruption and scandles plaguing the States... The war in Iraq isn't making money... consumer credit ratings are extremely poor, housing market is starting to collapse in the USA... and that's even forgetting even the fact that the US election is coming up, too.
There's going to be a lot more wars coming these next few years. There are too many people wanting to have a high standard of living and something is going to give... |
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| cupcake |
quote:
Originally posted by zhao
honda has been sacking anything that is remotely fun from their line up. all that they will have left soon is the civic SI.
And even that's nothing in comparison to the actual fun Civics.
Cars are definitely getting bland. Maybe it's just the way people are getting? |
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| Bad Egg |
What is weird is the domestics like GM are bringing back the Camaro, and even the new Malibu looks like a decent family sedan. The bean counters must have took over Toyota like they did at GM before, and the real car people got pushed to the side.
When you are a smaller player, trying to grab market share, you need an exciting car like an 350Z to get people's attention. Look at Mazda, they have fun cars right through their line-up. They even turboed their crossover SUV (CX-7) for giggles. |
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| zhao |
quote:
Originally posted by cupcake
And even that's nothing in comparison to the actual fun Civics.
Cars are definitely getting bland. Maybe it's just the way people are getting?
ya, i think so, guys at least. a lot of the guys i know have some weird fetish with buying a practical car.... something 4 door, something gay, something pretty much that screams family..... whereas the girls i know pretty much all want something small and sporty, and definitely a 2 door. |
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| oldraven |
quote:
Originally posted by Dan_Gyoba
Still, it takes time to change production. They started with the SUVs when the writing was on the wall, and got there in time. I don't know if the SUV craze is slowing down at all despite the current gas price hikes. I can hope though. It seems as though Toyota is starting to go back towards having some sporty models in the lineup.
The SUV/Truck market is tanking hard. GM, Ford, and Toyota have all announced that they're cutting back their production of these vehicles.
This happened because Toyota was trying to get into the high profit sales (SUVs and Trucks), but I think making $500/pc. on 100,000 Corollas makes more sense than making $2000/pc. on 20,000 Tundras. |
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| Graphicdude |
| Why did Toyota get rid of the Celica? That boggles my mind. Was it sales? IMO that was a nice looking car with some serious potential for performance. |
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| kevito_ |
quote:
Originally posted by Graphicdude
Why did Toyota get rid of the Celica? That boggles my mind. Was it sales? IMO that was a nice looking car with some serious potential for performance.
They like to axe their best models... Supra, Celica, Celica GT-Four, AE86 Sprinter platform, 4-Runner...
Those models don't actually sell too many though. They are niche markets compared to Camrey, Corolla, Tundra... |
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| cupcake |
quote:
Originally posted by Graphicdude
Why did Toyota get rid of the Celica? That boggles my mind. Was it sales? IMO that was a nice looking car with some serious potential for performance.
Lack of sales and it was replaced by the Scion tC. Cheaper for more power. As there were limited tCs being produced, resale value was higher, all that jazz. It sure looks bland though. Of course, not a lot of people like the Celica.
Also, around the same time the 7th gen came out, Acura had replaced the DC2 with the DC5, so market competition, etc. |
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