42 Votes

Low Blow?: Did Toyota Pull a Fast One on VW?

Agent009 submitted on 1/17/2007 Official Bell & Ross Timestamp: 12:00:49 PM

65 user comments | Category: Spy Shots | Source: | SOURCE: www.topspeed.com

While the Volkswagen Tiguan concept car has just been unveiled at LA auto show last year, it seems the hostility already started from Toyota.

The new weapon: Tiguan.com domain name. This name will obviously be typed in by numerous buyers when the car will be available someday in 2008 but they might be surprised to see toyota.com website coming up on their screen. it is surprising to see this kind of maneuver from a big car manufacturer. Are they really afraid of the Tiguan that much ?

The domain name was for sale just a few days after the name Tiguan was released by Volkswagen but it appears Toyota beat VW to the punch.

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Low Blow?: Did Toyota Pull a Fast One on VW?

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"If everything seems under control, you're just not going fast enough."
— Agent009 (View Profile)

User Comments

Toyota needs to fix that right now!

Not cool.
— EL34 (View Profile)

Posted on 1/17/2007 12:12:09 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -1

This kind of crap is not gunna fly in my book.

Toyota, do the right thing!
— EL34 (View Profile)

Posted on 1/17/2007 1:26:39 PM | | Votes: -1

How do you konw that Toyota owns this domain name??? It may be some one else isn't trying to play games as XeroK00L pointed out. Also Toyota doesn't need to be afraid of the Tiguan.

The biggest thing here is that VW is really stupid. How the hell are they going to release a product and not register the domain name first. I remember the Sony registered PS3 way before any announcements so other people don't. It is really stupid of VW not to do it themselves first, I sense a slip up here.
— kart1 (View Profile)

Posted on 1/17/2007 1:27:51 PM | | Votes: 4

goto www.tiguan.com and see where it goes
— Agent009 (View Profile)

Posted on 1/17/2007 1:52:29 PM | | Votes: -2

I'm just pointing out where it goes when typed. Could it be an errant Toyota fan instead?

You decide why.

I am quite aware of how sites can be redirected and may just be able to school you on the ins and outs.
But don't think for a minute were are not aware that the IP address lands in Beijing China. Where Toyota has a major office. Coincidentally.

But I never would be the one to speculate.
— Agent009 (View Profile)

Posted on 1/17/2007 2:43:44 PM | | Votes: -2

009 I know where www.tiguan.com goes.
— kart1 (View Profile)

Posted on 1/17/2007 4:03:00 PM | | Votes: 2

VW should ask Toyoda to solve this .com mess or else
sue the crap out of them.

EL34
— EL34 (View Profile)

Posted on 1/17/2007 5:33:40 PM | | Votes: -5

Why did Toyota buy it then?
I don't really care much for VW or Toyota, but a big company like that must have known about that VW already has a car like that.

Toyota is acting like a world dictator. And that is damn shame.
— silverarrow2 (View Profile)

Posted on 1/17/2007 6:46:11 PM | | Votes: -5

Even if Toyota does actually own the site "Tiguan.com" I say VW's must be full of idiots and its not Toyota's responsibility.

Every company should take into account whether or not the dot.com name is available when chosing a vehicle's name, and then the company should register or purchase the site before announcing the new name to the world

So to summarize VW made two basic mistakes (a.) picking a stupid name "Tiguan" and (b.) not controlling the dot.com site with the name "Tiguan" before announcing "Tiguan" as the name for its new vehicle.

This is basic brand management in the modern world and VW apparently failed. . . boo hoo !!!!!
— MercBasher (View Profile)

Posted on 1/17/2007 8:58:04 PM | | Votes: 3

XeroKOOL is the true idiot. If you want to be taken seriously attend Dale Carnegie or something, figure out how to debate.. Fool.
— twistedneck (View Profile)

Posted on 1/19/2007 11:12:45 AM | | Votes: -1

Gogo, please stop your flame war baiting. Your anti-Toyota stance is getting silly.
— Bill (View Profile)

Posted on 1/17/2007 1:22:14 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 19

So XeroK00L points out that it isn't Toyota doing this and his comments get a negative boost?
— Ironman273 (View Profile)

Posted on 1/17/2007 12:49:36 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1

How do we even know this even belongs to TOYOTA?

This article seems BOGUS to me.
— Sauceboy01 (View Profile)

Posted on 1/17/2007 1:36:08 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 5

goto www.tiguan.com and see where it goes
— Agent009 (View Profile)

Posted on 1/17/2007 1:53:31 PM | | Votes: -4

Why blame Toyota? They probably don't even care about this silly car
— BMWRocks (View Profile)

Posted on 1/17/2007 1:47:14 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 9

If that did happen I would want VW to contact the misfit and correct the situation.

Carry on,

EL34
— EL34 (View Profile)

Posted on 1/17/2007 3:04:58 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -4

Toyota. How low will they go?
— EL34 (View Profile)

Posted on 1/17/2007 3:57:06 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -5

What do you mean how low will they go? They don't have to go anywhere they are beating everyone just as they are.
— kart1 (View Profile)

Posted on 1/17/2007 4:04:24 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 5

Isn't it obvious they're hitting below the belt??
— EL34 (View Profile)

Posted on 1/17/2007 5:34:36 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -3

agent 009 is at it again. Downing Toyota whenever opportunity arrives. On the other hand, he could just rename any thread to say bad thing about Toyota even if it have nothing to do with Toyota.
— jon21 (View Profile)

Posted on 1/17/2007 2:25:44 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 7

Oh...gogo girls needs to be banned ASAP. She is only here to start a flame war.
— jon21 (View Profile)

Posted on 1/17/2007 2:28:28 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 6

Agree.....please block Gogo.
— Mark (View Profile)

Posted on 1/17/2007 2:31:11 PM | | Votes: 5

You just contradicted yourself, because up the thread you said you wanted a flame war. Your maturity level is becoming quite evident to all.
— 1970toyotamarc (View Profile)

Posted on 1/17/2007 8:21:00 PM | | Votes: 4

LOL! hillarious! ALmost as funny as googling "failure"!
— BimmerFan (View Profile)

Posted on 1/17/2007 3:25:11 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1

Same thing and probally the same misfit.
— EL34 (View Profile)

Posted on 1/17/2007 3:33:24 PM | | Votes: -4

Hahahahahaha Googling "FAILAURE" was real funny.
— underthegravity (View Profile)

Posted on 1/19/2007 8:20:03 AM | | Votes: -1

more info.

Domain name: tiguan.com
Status:resolve

Registration Registration: public
( make contact info private at http://www.now.cn/domain/domainPrivate_des.php )

Registrant:
Name: Pan Shaokui
Organization: Pan Shaokui
Address: NO.206 QianShan road
City: zh
Country: CN
Postal Code: 519070

Administrative Contact:
Name: pan shaokui
Organization: pan shaokui
Address: NO.206 QianShan road
City: zh
Country: cn
Postal Code: 519070
Phone: +86.13711157334
Fax: +86.13711157334
Email: Panshaokui@126.com

Technical Contact:
Name: pan shaokui
Organization: pan shaokui
Address: NO.206 QianShan road
City: zh
Country: cn
Postal Code: 519070

— rack (View Profile)

Posted on 1/17/2007 8:32:03 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 4

NO.206 Qianshan road is :

Zhuhai College, Jinan University,No.206,Qianshan Road,Zhuhai City,Guangdong .

It a college.

Conspiracy busted?
— rack (View Profile)

Posted on 1/17/2007 8:36:19 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 4

See this

http://tkfiles.storage.msn.com/x1pIjpkUX-8gH8JWDAOuAuIHPvGCBsVgoIFgMXD-2Dma4TKAgTdluekuvY-N2UXNgBLxv9e3-bRTi9GGKPsAnyK62wYTfb2kqwUv63ixFGkrlY

http://tiguan.spaces.live.com/ <------ scroll down the page.

And now,'www.tiguan.com' is for sale,contact us by panshaokui@126.com

Maybe Toyota bought it, maybe he's pissed at VW WTF cares?
— rack (View Profile)

Posted on 1/17/2007 8:41:23 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 3

Oh that is too funny. See this is the real reason to love Toyota. Not because of reliability, but the fact that they pulled a fast one on Volkswagen.
— lexusis350 (View Profile)

Posted on 1/17/2007 9:50:25 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -2

I think the Tiguan will make it on its own. I mean, seriously, I was surprised at how good-looking it is. After the Jetta, I expected nothing good to come out of VW- and I thanked God that Audi had its own designers. Then the Passat was introduced, and my hopes were once again in the skies. This Tiguan won't disappoint!

The occassional styling lapse won't ruin a brand. I mean, look at Toyota- they're still selling well.
— S4cabriofoxone (View Profile)

Posted on 1/17/2007 11:10:14 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -2

Audi may as well not have their own designers. They're the same anyway.
— lexusis350 (View Profile)

Posted on 1/18/2007 12:17:52 AM | | Votes: 4

I agree. So far in the U.S., Volkswagen has a bad reputation of being horrible cars to buy. But then again, they have Toyota to compete with. That makes it a little more difficult to achieve a high status.
— lexusis350 (View Profile)

Posted on 1/18/2007 12:19:30 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 4

I just checked and Toyota has done nothing to fix the problem.

www.tiguan.com still goes to the mail Toyota website.

Boooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!
— EL34 (View Profile)

Posted on 1/18/2007 4:35:10 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -2

That would really be Toyota's fault if Toyota actually owned the site. It is obvious that someone is just trying to make some money off of this. Register the name first and then try to sell it to the company that needs it. Plus no copyright problems will occur because the site is registered in China. The main thing is that VW needs to be more quicker in registering sites on the internet it was their slip up.
— kart1 (View Profile)

Posted on 1/18/2007 5:53:10 PM | | Votes: 4

How can anyone blame on Toyota?!? Whoever does must be the biggest idiots on earth!! It's obvious that some Chinese student took an opportunity and is trying to make some $$ off VW. VW screwed up in the first place. The Chinese dude probably put Toyota.com on there to start this type of controversy....HEY IT WORKED!!
— WalterMax (View Profile)

Posted on 1/18/2007 7:09:21 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 6

I smell a lawsuit!
— toyotasucks (View Profile)

Posted on 1/18/2007 8:41:08 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -5

Why?
— BimmerFan (View Profile)

Posted on 1/18/2007 9:38:52 PM | | Votes: 2

Good luck going through the legal system in China. They are major protectors of intellectual propery such as trademarks and copyrights. (NOT!)
— no1listensanyway (View Profile)

Posted on 1/19/2007 2:35:25 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 4

poor volkswagen.

but they have a pattern of getting outsmarted.

remember how they once THOUGHT they bought rolls-royce, but got snookered out of that by BMW.
— XYZZ (View Profile)

Posted on 1/19/2007 6:08:56 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0

Agree with general tone of these comments that Toyota risks becoming a true lo-life. I was in a Toyota showroom the other day looking for a RAV4 for my daughter and discovered that even the Limited model lacks a power seat and proper seat height adjustment for the front passenger. They have also eliminated the door-ding-protective strip on the side just to make sure that your vehicle quickly gets all beat up in shopping center parking lots. That is short-changing the customer in my book. Deliberately abusing the Internet and thus inconveniencing car shoppers makes me wonder what Toyota executives are smoking these days.
— EnnNorak (View Profile)

Posted on 1/19/2007 7:39:43 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: -2

Being auto-directed to a Toyota website does not prove ownership of a domain name.

If Toyota actually had taken the domain name, VW was lax for letting them if they themselves had wanted it.

VW would have many other domain name/marketing options if Toyota actually were responsible.

Gogo is an idiot.
— answer (View Profile)

Posted on 1/19/2007 1:42:26 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 3

As of this morning the site now goes the VW and information about the Tiguan.

So the mystery remains but the world order has been restored.
— Agent009 (View Profile)

Posted on 1/19/2007 2:16:52 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -1

Yep, the site has VW Tiguan content now, the redirect.

Check out the small video below the youtube one. There some new ones. They are pretty awesome.
— chewy (View Profile)

Posted on 1/19/2007 5:47:27 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0

Yes Toyota is very scared of the Tiguan. It will show America the great benefits of modern, clean diesel technology for automobiles.

Toyota does not have the diesel technological know how to compete with VW, BMW, Audi, MB, or even Ford on clean diesels from the U.S.

In the near future, we will see Toyota become very bold on talking up hybrids and denouncing the prospect of clean diesel technologies. It already started last week with Toyota stating that clean diesel autos were not economically feasible in the U.S., and this is coming from a company losing thousands, per unit, on hybrids.

Yes, they are scared.
— gregsfc (View Profile)

Posted on 1/21/2007 7:53:52 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1

It seems be someone buy the domain name to change the controller of it,Maybe that was the VW?
— neeza (View Profile)

Posted on 1/23/2007 2:49:08 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1

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Low Blow?: Did Toyota Pull a Fast One on VW?

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