Can Toyota overtake GM for #1 slot by 2008?

The Toyota Motor group, which includes Daihatsu and Hino, recently revised its production target to 9.7 million vehicles globally for 2008 under a mid-term business plan, the Asahi Shimbun reported.

If the goal is met, Toyota may overtake General Motors as the world's largest auto maker that year, the newspaper said.

Toyota produced 7.54 million vehicles in 2004, while GM made an estimated 8.99 million that year.

c&d

Saw this on another forum. Ford giving up the #2 spot was a surprise 2 years ago, but Toyota's aggressive market gains are pretty much expected now and with the way things have gone for GM this year, it wouldn't be much of a surprise.

It seems like they plan to do so by 2008....only 2 model years (or less than 3 calender years) away though:eek:. I guess the last 20 years of mediocre cars (not trucks/Suv's) and sub-par quality have finally caught up with the domestic giants. They shouldn't have waited till the 2000's to finally close the quality gap, because public perception still weighs heavily against the domestics.

About the only thing that the domestics have a stronghold on now is the domestic U.S market, but even that's sliding from their grasps with every passing year.

I have no doubt they will, but not by 2008, I'm thinking 2010/2011

I have no doubt they will, but not by 2008, I'm thinking 2010/2011

2010 was the year i had in mind as well, but if Toyota ends up meeting that 9.7 million units globally by 2008, they will easily be #1. They seem to think 9.7mill in 2008 is doable. Quite a gain if they hit their projection, that's for sure.

i'd say by the end of this year :mad:

I wouldn't be surprised if they did it by 08'.............yup.......not surprised at all....:blah:

I'm pretty sure they will do it in 2 yrs. Not so much due to Toyotal making up the whole margin but you have to assume GM's going to give them a lower target to shoot for in the next 24 months as it sqeezes down unprofitable excesses.

Here is my opinion, take it for what it's worth. Just as America lost to Japan in consumer electronics it will lose to Japan in automobiles also. It's just a matter of time.

Here is my opinion, take it for what it's worth. Just as America lost to Japan in consumer electronics it will lose to Japan in automobiles also. It's just a matter of time.

Couldn't have put it better.

And for the best damn country in the world, that's a shame. We should be leaders on every front, not followers. Especially in the technology segment (electronics, automobiles, etc...).

We are the leader in defense technology. I don't think that will EVER CHANGE.

You can't expect us to be number 1 in anything when we keeping pumping out educated idiots into the market.

Look at the Japanese school system and how they are raised. Then look at ours = failure!

sad...

We are the leader in defense technology. I don't think that will EVER CHANGE.
You sure about that?

You can't expect us to be number 1 in anything when we keeping pumping out educated idiots into the market.

Look at the Japanese school system and how they are raised. Then look at ours = failure!

sad...

That is changing pretty quick for the Japanese. A lot of their society is restructuring and in another 15-30 years it will be very interesting to see what happens with their ability to produce high quality products.

We can't lead in everything, we don't have unlimited resources to do that. We still lead in more stuff than anybody else does. By giving up the lead in unimportant stuff like VCRs it frees up resources to be the leader in other more important things like Information Technology, medicine and medical devices, etc. etc.

it frees up resources to be the leader in other more important things like Information Technology.....

.....as more and more IT work gets outscourced to India? :confused:

It has been proven over history that pretty much every great Empire falls. If America ever suffers a similar fate, this is why. We pretty much can't seem to do anything for ourselves anymore. We're a nation of gorging consumers who are not willing to put our money back into the creation and manufacturing of our products. We'd rather just let someone else do it because it saves a few pennies on the dollar. Well, sooner or later when everything is done overseas we'll look around and wonder why America isn't nearly as strong as it was in the 20th century.

End of philisophical rant. :D

.....as more and more IT work gets outscourced to India? :confused:

It has been proven over history that pretty much every great Empire falls. If America ever suffers a similar fate, this is why. We pretty much can't seem to do anything for ourselves anymore. We're a nation of gorging consumers who are not willing to put our money back into the creation and manufacturing of our products. We'd rather just let someone else do it because it saves a few pennies on the dollar. Well, sooner or later when everything is done overseas we'll look around and wonder why America isn't nearly as strong as it was in the 20th century.

End of philisophical rant. :D

You pretty much nailed it on the head.

.....as more and more IT work gets outscourced to India? :confused:

It has been proven over history that pretty much every great Empire falls. If America ever suffers a similar fate, this is why. We pretty much can't seem to do anything for ourselves anymore. We're a nation of gorging consumers who are not willing to put our money back into the creation and manufacturing of our products. We'd rather just let someone else do it because it saves a few pennies on the dollar. Well, sooner or later when everything is done overseas we'll look around and wonder why America isn't nearly as strong as it was in the 20th century.

End of philisophical rant. :D
I hope and pray, that is not our fate, :( but if it is ,I hope I'm dead :death: :death: before then! :( I have always tried to buy American when ever I could. Even when I was a teenager, I rode Hutches( when they were still USA made), I now have a PK Ripper ( both were made in the USA), well not anymore. Hutch was driven into the ground, SE Racing (Ripper) was sold to fuji bicycles. :( I have a USA made Ripper before they were sold). Its like no one cares about Made in USA anymore. IMO Cannondale, had the best quads going, they are now gone. The auto industry though, that was ours. Industrialized the friggin' world. What the hell man? Just the fact that there is the term, Anti-American pisses me off. I am not one who would rather let someone else do it. I do all my own work, I can't even bring myself to pay someone else to do anything, I'd rather do some research and learn how to do it myself! Today the kids could give 2 s***s about it. They get more lazy with every generation. Educating idiots, that's great :bow: , I worked with so many of these college grads dumber than a bag of rocks guys, its not funny. Now before you flame me, I know everyone with a degree isn't dumb, but man we had so many of them workin' where I used to work. Hell some of them are still collecting paychecks probably 5X what I was makin', screwin' up that business( GF still works there so I still get all the scoops, nothings changed)! All they do is... nothing all day. I've seen them even take credit for the pee-ons work. I assume GM has some of this going on as well. :mad:To all the rich guys out there with kids>Don't give them everything for nothin, this does not help. :rolleyes: Make em' work for it!

I wonder if Hyundai can put a damper on Toyota... Hyundai is starting to turn into a selling machine, and its the same type of people, perhaps that might slow Toyota down, and Toyota wont stay on top very long... they aren't making satisfaction, my brothers Ebrake doesnt even work on his Matrix
my parents matrix falls apart left and right, the splash gaurd is hanging and has basically fallen off but its still attached looks like crap

Couldn't have put it better.

And for the best damn country in the world, that's a shame. We should be leaders on every front, not followers. Especially in the technology segment (electronics, automobiles, etc...).
"Best Damn Country in The World" I agree wholeheartedly, however IMHO there are media forces at work who would argue that point. It doesn't surprise me that the auto rags, coming from "A Certain Other Country" will take great pleasure in seeing this come to fruition. I am very disturbed to know that our own Liberal Media (far left hates capitalism to them GM=big evilgasguzzlerproducer) would also take great pleasure in this cenario. It shows in the glee with which they report such stories. I would not, and hope it never happens. :(

I wonder if Hyundai can put a damper on Toyota... Hyundai is starting to turn into a selling machine, and its the same type of people, perhaps that might slow Toyota down, and Toyota wont stay on top very long... they aren't making satisfaction, my brothers Ebrake doesnt even work on his Matrix
my parents matrix falls apart left and right, the splash gaurd is hanging and has basically fallen off but its still attached looks like crap
What I wonder is, did they buy them instead of the Vibe, based on the higher ratings it was given? And do Vibes have these issues? Never imagined myself rooting for hyundai, Oh well! :o I did hear somewhere else about toyotas quality going down! I kinda talked someone I used to work with into getting a Vibe. :D Haven't seen her in a while, last I heard she loved it, though she wanted an Envoy (she couldn't afford one). I should see if I can find her # so I can get an update.

What I wonder is, did they buy them instead of the Vibe, based on the higher ratings it was given? And do Vibes have these issues? Never imagined myself rooting for hyundai, Oh well! :o I did hear somewhere else about toyotas quality going down! I kinda talked someone I used to work with into getting a Vibe. :D Haven't seen her in a while, last I heard she loved it, though she wanted an Envoy (she couldn't afford one). I should see if I can find her # so I can get an update.


Im sorry my parents have 98 Camry not a matrix and my brother has the Matrix XRS...
Since ive been alive my parents had an 80's Toyota truck, a Mitsubishi blue thing... looked like a boat 80's again, Volkswagon Rabbit, not sure probably 80's, Ford F350 1989, Acura Integra 1989, Toyota T100 1993 (i think), Toyota Camry 1998, and now Toyota Tundra 2003, and F350 2003

he swares by whatever consumer says and whatever toyota makes, he was although very unhappy with his camry's original tires, the vent on the camry he had to put a peice of felt to stop it from wiggling whenever the fan was on, the insulation fell off as i put in a couple pizza's on the rear (that sucked) the door handle stoped working on passenger front door, the splash gaurd drags on the ground, due to being to low and being hit by parking curbs, the passenger sun visor the plastic cover for the mirror broke first time it was opened, the plastic peice holding the drivers visor is broken so it raddles as u drive down the road, all the buttons on the radio are haphazardly hanging and seemingly gonna fall off, the original tires only lasted like 7000 miles... the list goes on, i donno why he likes those Toyotas but i suppose that stuff doesnt matter to him, its all about getting from point A to point B

The old T100, has a lengthy list as well, my bros Matrix the E-brake never held his car from Day one, when he got it and put it in the driveway it started to roll back down the street...

both the 1999 corolla and the 2001 corolla that my sister and brother owned respectivly were horrible cars and i assume i could find some dirt on those cars aswell...

ive driven in toyotas for a long time, i dont even fit in my camry at 5'11

i dont understand it my dad, he looks at the G6 review and it says something like
Highs: Aceleration, braking, and one other rather important thing
Lows: ride comfort, road noise, a few other things i forget
and the compareable toyota is exactly flip flopped... and my dad says wow (to the GM car) thats a lot of Lows...

I'm thinking who wants to drive a car with a low of braking? and acceleration?

it sounds like if ur in an emergancy ur screwed

Man except for the fact that you actually mentioned camry, more than once, I would have sworn I was reading a review of some GM car. Or more specifically a Camaro. As it reads like every one I've read on my favorite car. If I followed those reports I might never buy GM either. So, I ask you, does it have anything to do with, GM not knowing how to sell, or for that matter build cars, or are there a lot more guys and gals out there following these publications to the letter? :(

Man except for the fact that you actually mentioned camry, more than once, I would have sworn I was reading a review of some GM car. Or more specifically a Camaro. As it reads like every one I've read on my favorite car. If I followed those reports I might never buy GM either. So, I ask you, does it have anything to do with, GM not knowing how to sell, or for that matter build cars, or are there a lot more guys and gals out there following these publications to the letter? :(

I'm not exactly sure what you just said, but I dont believe much I read, I believe all cars will last as long as the owners want them to, American car/truck owners are generally much rougher on them because imports just aren't made to handle the load required of American drivers (weather driving a 4 horse trailer accross the country or making it up to San Fransisco from LA in 3 hours[the acura died after that trip nearly blew up the engine going over the grapevine at 120]) but around here its not uncomon for Vipers, or Vettes, to top out on the freeway viper at 187)... and they keep on running...

BUT the same reason imports arent enough for American car drivers, neither are american cars and therefore an unhappy review is due... Think how a import would be reviewed if these picky people were forced to drive them?

Consumer Reports says the following brands are the only cars in which recieve over 80% of owner satisfaction with their vehicle

Acura TL
Acura TSX
BMW Z4
Chevy Vette
Honda Accord
Honda Element
Honda Pilot
Honda S2000
Jaguar XJ8
Lexus GX470
Lexus LS430
Lexus LX470
Lexus RX330
Lexus SC430
Mazda MX-5 Miata
Mazda3
Mini Cooper
Nissan Titan
Porsche Boxster
Scion xB
Subaru Forester
Subaru Impreza
Toyota Avalon
Toyota 4Runner
Toyota Highlander
Toyota Land Cruiser
Toyota Prius
Toyota Sienna
Toyota Tundra

Notice all Toyotas Hondas Acuras and Lexuses... now i know all the customers ive asked at my work if they like their GM vehicle i probably get 95% total satisifaction, weather its a Tahoe, camaro, silverado, escalade, s-10, and impala ive only heard one complaint about a Tahoe being a lemon...