http://www.detnews.com/2005/autosins...oyo-359513.htm

 

And in other news, computer software programs today take up much more space than 20 years ago. Users outraged.



There are agencies that protest on vehicle safety. So we get air bags, passenger airbags, side airbags, curtain airbags. Then we get side impact beams, strengthened cabin. Then we get mandatory tire monitoring system. Then we get a whole bunch of other things due to various regulations. Then we want decent power to move that extra 500-1000 lbs in added equipment. And we want the fuel economy to diminish while driving 300+ HP trucks/SUVs?

That is ignorance and idiocy at its best. Instead of comparing now to 20 years ago, why not compare now to now? Why not get numbers across all manufacturers and see who stacks up where?

 

because toyota doesnt care about emissions any more... they care about selling more cars then they do about emissions or fuel ecconomy...

that is what the artical is saying...

 

Newsflash - the number one goal of EVERY auto maker is to sell cars and make money. The only time an automaker will care about emissions or fuel economy is when it helps them sell cars.

Edit: Or the government makes them.

 

I almost take this as a claim of false advertisement and can even help toyotas competitors. Toyota claims the prius gets over 60 mpg so everyone buys them bc they think theyre going to be saving a lot of money on gas and helping the environment. but really they only get 40 which they could get in many other non hybrid cars. but toyota made false claims and stole the market.

 

Toyota, on one hand, is saying to the public "Look at us! We're green, green green green!" to help them sell cars. They have an ad campaign running right now touting Hybrid Synergy Drive that several publications have said cost somewhere around $60 million - equivelant to what the domestics often spend on a whole new vehicle launch - but on the other hand, they have one of the largest SUV selections of any manufacturer and those products get equivelant or worse mileage to their competitors. It's an "Ignore the man behind the curtain" thing. If you scream from the rooftops that you're all about the environment, and that you're making life better and the air cleaner, people are going to scrutinize that statement.

 

Yep, that's the basic premise of the complaint. One thing, though. $60 million is not what the domestics would spend on a whole new vehicle launch. I think even the GTO, which was created from an already existing car, cost more than that (guionM posted numbers in a recent thread). Other major new cars (epsilon Malibu, G6, GMT900 trucks, etc.) cost hundreds of millions of dollars, sometimes even crossing into the billion dollar range for a biggie.



The biggest success of the Prius for Toyota has been as an unbelievably strong marketing tool, not as an actual environmental success. Bob Lutz ha commented on the wisdom of this move by Toyota on many occasions.

 

I'm saying that Toyota is spending as much or more for the Hybrid Synergy Drive advertising campaign as the domestics would spend on a launch advertising campaign for a new model - not the sometimes multibillion dollar development costs to design, engineer, tool, and manufacture the car.

If GM could make a new car from start to finish 60 million, I'm sure they'd be thrilled! Sorry if that wasn't clear. I was only referring to the advertising.

 

Ahh, I see. You did say ad campaign, but when I read "whole new vehicle launch", it threw me.

 

Umm... so what was the average size, weight, and displacement of a Toyota vehicle 20 years ago? Probably about the size and weight of a Miata with a whopping average 1.2 liters of displacement? How does that compare to their average size and displacement today? Whoopee... physics lesson learned!

So a company is critisized by hippies for moving from almost exclusively econo boxes to a more full sized lineup? Not really surprising.

As was said, all any car company has any interest in doing is making money; fuel economy is only going to become a priority if we as a consumer base and/or the government make it a priority.

How are they on emissions content? I see all sorts of 'letter-ful' ratings on cars these days to the point where it's hard to keep track of... like "extra extra super duper clean plus plus"

 

Yeah, I coulda worded that one better.

 

This will spell the end for Toyota.

And if it doesn't, the Prius's dieing on the Interstate and getting slammed by a Peterbuilt will.

I did hear a rumor that Toyota has developed a vehicle that will have 0 emissions. It comes supplied with a little Chinese man in the trunk and he pedals a unique planetary gear set. All you have to do is supply rice and water through a nice hatch in the back...

 

My primary observation and reason for posting the link was that the environmentalist are actually targetting an import for a change in highlighting the image vs. substance inconsistency at Toyota. That's usually something one only sees at the Autoextremist.

 

Hrm...finaly, they are peeking behind the Green Cloth that Toyota has strung around its gas hogging SUV's. Even there cars dont really get that great gas milage compared to its compeditors. Look at Camry to Malibu or Impala.

 

camry: 34mpg hwy
malibu: 32mpg hwy
impala (211hp v6): 31mpg hwy