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Profits First?: Toyota Places Hybrids on the Back Burner for Detroit Auto Show

Agent009 submitted on 1/11/2007 Official Bell & Ross Timestamp: 12:37:04 PM

33 user comments | Category: Spy Shots | Source: | SOURCE: www.cnbc.com

When I walked up to the Toyota display here at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit I was struck immediately by the automakers change of pace.

Hybrids are on the back burner. Trucks in front center.

Toyota's turnaround reflects what all the automakers are feeling about hybrids. They're important, but no more so than well designed internal combustion cars, trucks and SUV's.

So at this year's show, there are fewer gas electric models prominently displayed, less talk about the rush to build hybrids, and less fear that American's are running to ditch their gas guzzling trucks and SUV's.

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Profits First?: Toyota Places Hybrids on the Back Burner for Detroit Auto Show

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

User Comments

That's why I'd never be caught dead in a prius.

I don't let advertisements get to me, I make my decision base on experience with a company.

The only Toyota I'd buy is an FJ Cruiser. And it's not because of looks, because I have always liked them way back when I was a kid and my family and friends drove them endlessly.

We still have an old one in the back yard.
— silverarrow2 (View Profile)

Posted on 1/11/2007 12:53:45 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -4

I didn't even have to read through the entire article to know it was posted by 009. What double 009 doesn't get (because he is such a socialist global warming agenda pusher and you can see that in every post he makes... except for the ones continually about citreon and how he loves their hideously ugly cars) is that companies exist for one reason and for one reason only. MONEY!!!!!! But you wouldn't know that because your from Europe... By the way how is that 3rd world socialist economy treatin' ya??? Viva la Free Market Economy and I hope Toyota builds an ever bigger SUV that get like 6 gallons to the mile!!!!!

P.S. Facts are facts everything else is an opinion. Liberalism is a mental disorder and should be treated by a Mental Healthcare Professional.
— jasongoudie (View Profile)

Posted on 1/11/2007 12:57:09 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2

You peddle your wares no matter what they are. Many like to believe that Toyota is the answer for global warming. This is not the case, they have a niche like every one else and market it to the masses. While we all wish automakers would have a "higher" agenda to adhere to, the simple fact remains that Toyota is just like everyone else. Here to make money first and secondly to be a responsible party in the process. Simple economics govern them.

I do think it is pretty odd the Toyota fans think I dislike the brand (I actually admire them at a distance to a degree). Actually I post about 4 or 5 positive articles on Toyota vs. each 1 questioning them. My track record with the other marquees is not nearly as favorable but the backlash appears to only surface with the Toyota guys. Go figure.

Simply put, Toyota is probably is one of the best run companies in the world right now. However to elevate them to a lofty plateau like many do, also invites criticism from others. It simply goes with the territory.

The main hindrance with Toyota is they are a very tight lipped group in general. With a vacuum of press releases, the press is left to create a buzz about them. The American and Germans on the other hand flood the press with positive PR and always in the news because of it. As most of you can tell, I simply report on the current news and events and my posts reflect what is in the press at that time albeit positive or negative.

— Agent009 (View Profile)

Posted on 1/11/2007 1:39:36 PM | | Votes: -2

Will,
You are right but we all know how fast Toyota is growing and mentioning it everyday tends to be repetitive and hence is not really as news worthy.

The whole idea is to spark conversation and debate not to push an agenda of any sort. But the Volt concept did show how much more potential there is in the hybrid market. This type up article tends to make the reader more aware of other technologies and their feasibilities. No one has all of the answers.
— Agent009 (View Profile)

Posted on 1/11/2007 4:32:46 PM | | Votes: 0

I don't know you 009, Im new to this board and two of the first 8 articles I read are of you bashing Toyota, I dont admire a company with such plain cars, but you're bias is uncomprehensible. I hope this is all an attempt to create discussion...
— mynecksonfire (View Profile)

Posted on 1/11/2007 2:07:22 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 4

Which articles?
— Agent009 (View Profile)

Posted on 1/11/2007 2:12:37 PM | | Votes: -3

*incomprehensible. I also read my reply over, sounds harsh, lol, don't take it as such. The other article I mentionned was the Tundra. Everyones got their opinions, I dont like alfa romea while everyone else does, so its OK if you dont like toyota
— mynecksonfire (View Profile)

Posted on 1/11/2007 2:51:29 PM | | Votes: 0

Ok, guys you made me think but here are the facts.

Recent posts by 009 that had Toyota in the content:

1. Con: Hybrids on the Back Burner
2. Con: Tundra Too Thirsty
3. Pro: Top ten movers
4. Neutral: Chevy Volt – Has The Prius Met its match?
5. Con: Toyota Defends the Hybrid
6. Pro: Toyota Pulls no Punches with new Models
7. Pro: Toyota Tundra CrewMax
8. Pro: Lexus Chevy Score International Car of the Year awards
9. Neutral: Is Toyota Growing too fast?
10. Neutral: Will the Prius ever look this good?
11. Pro: Here we Grow Again Toyota Eyes southern US for Assembly Plant
12. Pro: Sales of Hybrid up 24% for the year
13. Pro: Ford CEO Sheds More Light on Toyota Visit
14. Pro: Toyotaru? Toyota to Supply Subaru with Small Cars
15. Neutral: New Top Gun in Town Has the Altima upstaged the Camry?
16. Pro: Hybrid owners Flock to Toyota Community Site
17. Pro: Are These the Top Ten movers and Shakers in the Industry?
18. Pro: Toyota Continues to Expand Hybrid Lineup
19. Pro: Toyota responds to talk of Ford alliance

20. Neutral: Breaking News!: Ford asks Toyota for Help and Partnership

Total Score for Toyota:

Pro: 12
Neutral: 4
Con: 3

Now BMW on the other hand scores like this for the same time period:

Pro: 4
Neutral: 1
Con: 6

Note these guys probably have a beef that has more merit but they aren’t complaining about it.

Just because I pose a question or post another side doesn’t mean I don’t like them. It is to spark conversation and maybe bring light on to topics that others avoid. Actually I have three Japanese cars in the stable currently so I know the strong point and the weaknesses of several brands.

I also do admit 001 is a bit more bias towards the pacific rim makers than I, but
all in all it seems to balance out for those that want to see all sides of the equation. The most commented articles are always Lexus and BMW followed by Audi. So we ask a lot of questions on the marquees.
— Agent009 (View Profile)

Posted on 1/11/2007 3:40:51 PM | | Votes: 0

I would submit that some of your neutrals are cons, and some of your pros are neutrals. Now granted I never claim to be anything other than biased towards Toyota. I also think you're missing a lot of the posts that had nothing to do with Toyota, where your misleading headlines made it appear as if the article would slam Toyota, while the article actually did not. The articles themselves would be neutral, but the headlines appeared negative.

I get a kick out of it, you just keep right on posting. You do a good service. But I hope you expect that I and others will continue to comment on each misleading headline we read.
— 1970toyotamarc (View Profile)

Posted on 1/11/2007 4:09:26 PM | | Votes: 5

You can't please everyone all of the time. Some my not like my posts or comments but at least they make you think and comment some of the time. (The whole point)

There are too many site out there that simply tell the pro's and never mention the cons. Unfortunately a lot of us never want to challenge our beliefs. I approve articles every day that I don't agree with. But my job is to present you with the information, not censor it. Those sides need to be presented as well whether I like it or not.

— Agent009 (View Profile)

Posted on 1/11/2007 4:40:35 PM | | Votes: 1

All Toyotas are hybrids or will be hybrids. Is that what we are meant to believe? Why can't Toyota just be a car company instead of being symbolic of something?
Toyota = juggernaut
Toyota = hybrid
Toyota = reliability
Toyota = conservative
this article = b.s.!
— ElSparquito (View Profile)

Posted on 1/11/2007 2:37:51 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 6

Did it ever occur to anyone that maybe they just want to give more PR to their trucks since they're about to go on sale? They don't really need to put the hybrids front-and-center, people are already aware of their hybrid products and are buying them already. The Auto Show is where you're supposed to show the public your newest and latest. The Tundra is their newest and latest. To imply that hybrids are less important simply because they put their all-new truck out in front is a bit stretching it.
— Anthony (View Profile)

Posted on 1/11/2007 3:29:40 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 4

Agent 009 is a freaking moron. He loves to engineer thread titles to his preference. Anything to bash Toyota and Lexus. Next thing he going to engineer is that Hershey chocolate taste better than any Toyota or Lexus style. Alternatively, he could engineer a thread that say a 30 years old Russian Nuclear Power Plant has more power than 100 new 2007 Toyota Tundra combined.
— spiceace (View Profile)

Posted on 1/11/2007 3:53:45 PM | | Votes: 3

SpiceAce: Actually that article was going to be Godiva Chocolate vs a Lexus.. but you were close..
— Agent009 (View Profile)

Posted on 1/11/2007 4:34:49 PM | | Votes: -1

I'll just echo a few comments here since I seem to have come late to this debate.

As soon as I read the headline, knew it was an 009 post. You know you do this with your headlines, please just admit it so we can move on.

I'm not sure whether or not this article really slams Toyota, because it does appear true that Toyota was focusing mainly on its Tundra this year. But the tome of the articel sends a certain negative vibe out there. (You know the one, Toyota really doesnt care about the environment, only abot making money, they are just as truck crazy and fuel inefficient as the rest.) Indeed to be fair to Toyota (which judging by my name, you can be sure I will do), Toyota had one major vehicle introduction-the Tundra, and one major concept-the FT HS. One truck and one hybrid. There was no new Prius, Camry hybrid or Highlander hybrid this year because none of them are new this year. You show what you have to offer. This is what they had to offer this year. Take it or leave it, I just dont see the issue or problem here. Would I love to see what the plans are for the next long overdue Highlander-absolutely, the next Prius-I can only dream. But it is what is, can we move on to some actual news, now?
— 1970toyotamarc (View Profile)

Posted on 1/11/2007 3:43:49 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 4

009, The reason you’re getting so much flak here is your blurring or simply not defining which side of the article reporting you’re on. For good reason, everyone likes to think there are two clearly defined sides to news. There’s the "Just Bringing You the Facts" side and the "Here’s What I Think" side of it. To be fair, that doesn’t seem to happen with even the largest and most "reputable" news organizations today, you just happen to have a board to hear(read) people’s feedback in real time.

You take an "I just post articles" stance, but just about always spin the headline without any further comment. Maybe it’s just to get people’s goat and get them to read the article, but without a follow-up saying "Yes, of course their profit first! Check out what this moron is reporting," it leaves the audience to assume what you’re motivations were in posting story A over story B.

With that, Phil lives in a small world. He believes the Japanese are growing because of fuel efficiency alone(Read his Dec. 28th article). Of course he’s baffled over the lack of hybrids! It’s symptomatic of a mental disorder plaguing nearly every major news outlet today, handily being exposed by the chain link between brain and public that is blogging. He believes that the rest of the world thinks, behaves and generally mirrors the inconsequential atmosphere created by him and his co-workers.

You mean Toyota sells what ever people will buy?!.. and it’s not necessarily a hybrid? Maybe, just maybe, beneath that gentle, caring veil that Toyota wears for the public is an obsessive compulsive, even devious focus to dominate the automotive world. That’s hard for people like Phil to stomach, which is why Toyota is completing their plans so successfully.
— webguy (View Profile)

Posted on 1/11/2007 4:23:22 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 3

Which title would get you to read the article and the related link?

DETROIT AUTO SHOW: Toyota Displays Tundra CrewMax and 2 Existing Hybrids

or

Profits First?: Toyota Places Hybrids on the Back Burner for Detroit Auto Show

The second title really does tell the story better, because we all know there are tremendous profits in the truck market and these high profit models are being revealed at this show. So the question was asked where is the priority, and you answer them. No one ever mentioned it was a bad thing I simply stated the obvious, and I would expect any maker to have the same priority.

If I truly wanted to mislead you it might have said:

Has Toyota placed the Environment on the Back Burner with These Guzzlers?

Sensational yes, but more fiction than truth.

So I guess guys it could be worse. lol
— Agent009 (View Profile)

Posted on 1/11/2007 4:55:35 PM | | Votes: 0

OMG..I can't believe that people are giving 009 soo much grief over if he's "for or against" Toyota...does it freaking matter?? All he is pointing out is that Toyota has been branded the "next coming" by the media and that the typically "Toyota=good GM=bad" was simply reversed this year. Toyota knows...in order to beat GM they HAVE to do well in the truck market...thus the emphasis on trucks. However, they are thirstier (1 or 2 mpg behind the Silverado) and it just seems that Toyota played down the "green" role this year. I think it was brilliant of GM to take advantage of that and showcase the Volt. But just because someone thinks twice about Toyota's moves doesn't make them a bad person.
— paul3230 (View Profile)

Posted on 1/11/2007 5:08:35 PM | | Votes: -1

Whatever. There aren't any new hybrid models this year. The Tundra is brand new and they invested an entire factory to it. Of course it'll get the attention this year.

When the next Prius and other hybrids come out, you'll see plenty of fanfair.

Profits first would mean companies knowingly pollute for 20 years while they drive their continent into an ever increasing dependency on oil just so they can make an extra few bucks. Can you guess which companies I'm referring to?
— huu76 (View Profile)

Posted on 1/11/2007 9:13:40 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1

Actually you all missed my point... 009 has a socialist global warming slant. I was not ripping on him at all about Toyota. But it was fun to watch!!!

And I can't belive that no one ripped on him about the Citroen articles!!! Becasue those cars are just plain ugly!!!!
— jasongoudie (View Profile)

Posted on 1/12/2007 7:57:29 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: -1

Global warming slant? Maybe
Socialist? Nah, you fell in the ditch there.

— Agent009 (View Profile)

Posted on 1/12/2007 8:35:12 AM | | Votes: 2

Global Warming if you look behind the scenes is being pushed by the socialist and communist supporters. Global Warming isn't true it is just an agenda to fight capitalism and a free market enterprise. You have just fallen into the popular argument. I call it the MTV buzzword Agenda and your posts reflect it.
— jasongoudie (View Profile)

Posted on 1/12/2007 11:05:34 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0

jason find us a scientist that doesn't belive in global warming. not a politician, not a reporter, a scientist.
and as for communist agenda....get out of the 1950s.

btw, US average tempuratures have risen by 1 degree celcius in 100 years, and the 10 hottest years on record have occured in the last 13 years.
— Rupert (View Profile)

Posted on 1/12/2007 12:43:38 PM | | Votes: 1

Well you don't have to be a socialist to believe in global warming. You can't lump everyone in to one group and say it is so.
— Agent009 (View Profile)

Posted on 1/12/2007 2:11:09 PM | | Votes: 1

I think this guy has some pretty good cred!!!

Mr. Lindzen is the Alfred P. Sloan Professor of Atmospheric Science at MIT.

http://www.opinionjournal.com/extra/?id=110008597

And these as well....

http://www.nationalcenter.org/TP38.html
http://www.realclimate.org/ Any article!!!

One of my personal favorites...

http://www.michaelcrichton.net/speeches/speeches_quote04.html

And yet more...

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/11/05/nosplit/nwarm05.xml
http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/11/26/1101219743320.html

A real good one!!! Give the background on the invention itself!!!

http://www.chronwatch.com/content/contentDisplay.asp?aid=12594

Do you need more...

Science isn't about consensus. Consensus can't exist in science!!!

Don't forget I don't know your arguments Rupert as you have flip flopped many times on this yourself.

If the communist agenda is so 1950's then why are these groups backing everything from Global Warming to Illegal Immigration. It still exists and that is the path that Europe is headed down.

Are you ready to stand in a bread line???
— jasongoudie (View Profile)

Posted on 1/12/2007 1:02:19 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2

i give you this graph.
there is a clear link between CO2 levels and temperatures. CO2 levels are now higher than ever before.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Co2-temperature-plot.svg
— Rupert (View Profile)

Posted on 1/13/2007 4:03:48 PM | | Votes: 2

As usual Rupert cowers under a rock.......
— jasongoudie (View Profile)

Posted on 1/12/2007 6:54:14 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1

Rupert,
China finally poked its head out of Mao's armpit about 30 years ago. Now we have concerns about climate change. What happened in the preceding 150years since industrialization? I think we know what's accelerated this.
Funny how everyone has given China and India an exemption from pollution? As the West has worked to reduce/limit emissions, the 2 aforementioned countries are trying to spew as much toxins into the air as fast as they can. I guess it's okay as long as Walmart still gets to sell t-shirts for 99cents each.
— huu76 (View Profile)

Posted on 1/13/2007 6:08:48 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1

Church!
— ElSparquito (View Profile)

Posted on 1/15/2007 3:32:48 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1

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Profits First?: Toyota Places Hybrids on the Back Burner for Detroit Auto Show

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