In today’s economic times we sometimes wonder what really put us in this position. The Automotive Industry has a big influence in a lot of things and not just the economy. Peter M. De Lorenzo, founder of Autoexremist.com which started back in 1999, did a book called “The United States of Toyota”. Basically, a business story outlining the automotive industry in a provocative tone discussing many “issues” that many of us have recently been brought to light of.

FROM THE UNITED STATES OF TOYOTA – Peter M. De Lorenzo:

“People who flippantly dismiss the fate of the domestic automobile industry in general are simply missing the point. I continue to be amazed by Toyota’s “enablers” — the media intelligentsia on both coasts and certain members of Congress in Washington (who just happen to have import auto plants in their states) who dance around this issue, insisting that what’s going on in Detroit will not negatively affect the entire country in some way, shape or form.”

I urge you to visit www.unitedstatesoftoyota.com and then check out www.autoextremist.com. You will defiantly open your mind to the thoughts and happenings (behind doors) of the automotive industry as a whole around the world and not use in the US.

We are going to take ride into the danger zone…. In a new Toyota Yaris.

We recently posted an Epic Fail on the failure of the Nissan GT-R Tranny situation. So what does that have to do with this interesting Toyota Yaris commercial? It too is an Epic Fail! So, they have something in common. Watch the video below of a silly commercial of a Toyota Yaris being driven off of an US Naval Aircraft Carrier.

Try to Enjoy!

Enjoy! – MotorWeek’s Hybrid Round Up:

U.S. sales of the Toyota Prius fell 3.9 percent through July vs. the same period of 2007

TOKYO (Thomson Financial) — Toyota Motor Corp. said on Thursday its operating profit dropped 39 percent in the fiscal first quarter ending in June, from a year earlier. The company said this was due to slowing sales in the U.S. and Europe, higher purchasing costs of basic materials and a strong yen.
Toyota left its earnings guidance unchanged but still warned its operating profit will drop for the first time in nine years.

The company registered an operating profit of 412.59 billion yen ($3.8 billion), down from an operating profit of 675.43 billion yen ($6.17 billion) a year earlier. This was also the second straight quarter that its operating profit had fallen…

Read the full article on autonews.com here.

The HEYA site was created to answer the question “What can we do together?” Through various promotions and partnerships, Toyota offers members the opportunity to brainstorm solutions and creative strategies regarding timely topics. Together with the Quiksilver siteLA project, Toyota is currently searching for modern ideas surrounding the future of transportation in its program, “From Here to There: A HEYA Project.”

From now through July 31, HEYA members can register at www.HEYA.toyota.com and upload their creative concepts of how to advance the future of transportation. Creators of the winning ideas will partner with a siteLA visionary who will build and expand upon the concepts for display in the opening night exhibit. The winners will be flown to Los Angeles for the final installation and grand opening of the event display.

TOYOTA HEYA PROJECT EXPLORES THE FUTURE OF TRANSPORTATION AT QUIKSILVER’S siteLA

LOS ANGELES (July 25, 2008) – Hovering cars. Wind-powered bicycles. An improved super-highway. These are the types of ideas that Toyota aims to bring to life with “From Here to There: A HEYA Project,” a collaborative effort designed to explore its HEYA members’ ideas on the future of transportation. The top concepts will be brought to life at siteLA, a communal work and exhibition space sponsored by Quiksilver. HEYA is Toyota’s online program that allows young adults a platform to voice their opinions and work together on innovative projects… read more…

Ever since GM announced that they were going to close plants that made big SUV’s and restructure the organization to better meet today’s slumping economy others seem to be following suit such as Toyota. Two of Toyota’s gas guzzlers, the Tundra and Sequoia will not be produced for 3 months. That does not mean Toyota will stop making the Tundra or Sequoia. It means production will be at idle for 3 months while Toyota utilizes the Tundra and Sequoia plant to make more Toyota Prius’s. The Prius remains to be the hottest selling and most efficient hybrid that you can buy at a local dealership.

Below is the excerpt from Automotive News further explaining this new strategy that Toyota will attempt. Sounds good? You bet your ass it sounds good! I was put on a year long waiting list to buy a Toyota Prius for my wife. I don’t want to wait that long just like thousands of other consumers. Do you think this is a good move by Toyota?

[source: automotive news]

Toyota Motor Corp. today revealed that it has scrambled its manufacturing plans to produce fewer light trucks and more hybrid cars in the United States.

Toyota said it will build the hot-selling Prius hybrid at its Tupelo, Miss., factory in late 2010, scrubbing a plan to make the next-generation Highlander crossover there.

Instead, the Highlander will be added to Toyota’s underutilized truck plant in Princeton, Ind. Toyota also will suspend all production of Tundra pickups and Sequoia SUVs from Aug. 8 until November.

When production resumes, all Tundra output will be consolidated at the San Antonio plant.

PRESS RELEASE: Toyota to Build Prius in U.S.

Highlander to Indiana; all Tundra to Texas

ERLANGER, Ky., July 10 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Toyota is responding to changes in consumer demand and improving the production efficiency and stability of its North American operations by adjusting production mix at three plants. The changes include the addition of the Prius hybrid sedan to its North American lineup.

The changes are as follows:

– Prius will be built at a plant under construction in Blue Springs, Miss. Production is scheduled to begin in late 2010. Prius, which will join the Kentucky-built Camry Hybrid as the second Toyota hybrid built in North America, enables Toyota to better respond to increased consumer demand for hybrid vehicles.

– The Highlander mid-size SUV, originally scheduled to be built in Mississippi, will now be manufactured in Princeton, Ind., beginning in Fall 2009.

– Production of the Tundra full-size pick-up truck, currently built in Indiana and Texas, will be consolidated at the San Antonio plant in Spring 2009.

In addition, Toyota will temporarily suspend Tundra and Sequoia production beginning August 8 due to the declining overall market for full size trucks and SUVs. Production is scheduled to resume in early November. Team members at both facilities, as well as the Huntsville, Ala. plant that builds Tundra and Sequoia engines, will continue to be provided work.

“The truck market continues to worsen, so unfortunately we must temporarily suspend production. But this good news about production mix demonstrates our long-term commitment to our North American operations and to our team members, supplier partners, and communities where our plants are located,” said Jim Wiseman, vice president/external affairs for Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America (TEMA). “By using this downturn as an opportunity to develop team members and improve our operations, we hope to emerge even stronger.”

Toyota (NYSE:TM) established operations in North America in 1957 and currently operates 13 manufacturing plants. In addition, new plants are under construction in Ontario and Mississippi. Toyota directly employs over 43,000 in North America and its investment here is currently valued at more than $21 billion, including sales and manufacturing operations, research and development, financial services and design. Toyota’s annual purchasing of parts, materials, goods and services from North American suppliers totals more than $30 billion per year. For more information about Toyota, visit www.toyota.com

Do you like saving gas? Do you like driving a stylish car? Well which Toyota does best in either situation? Many of us already know about the Toyota Prius being the most fuel efficient gas powered car that you can buy from a dealership. What about the Toyota Camry Hybrid? People wont stare you down in a Toyota Camry right? Correct, if you are caught driving in a Prius you get this disliking “look” from other people on the road probably implying that you are saving more $$$ than they are at the gas pump… a lot more!

So what if you want to be stylish and save some cash at the pump. It is a no-brainer to go for the Toyota Camry Hybrid. Even though the Camry Hybrid gets slightly less MPG than the Prius, you will be happy to know that you are still SAVING!

Note: Currently the Toyota Camry Hybrid and Toyota Prius require that you get on a waiting list to purchase one. The waiting lists from some reports are between 6 months to over a year at some Toyota dealerships around the US. So, you may have to wait a while to drive home one of the most fuel efficient cars around.

Sponsored Link: Toyota Camry for sale

All vehicles listed are the newest 2009 or 2008 model – whichever is currently available (June 2008).

#1

Toyota Prius
Price: $21,100
Gas Mileage: 48 mpg city / 45 mpg highway
Link: Toyota.com

Notes: The new Toyota Prius may be very difficult to come by if you are not on one of the Toyota dealership’s waiting lists. Some of the current lists are upwards of 6 months long.

#2

Honda Civic Hybrid
Price: $22,600
Gas Mileage: 40 mpg city / 45 mpg highway
Link: Honda.com

#3

Smart for Two
Price: $11,590
Gas Mileage: 31 mpg city / 41 mpg highway
Link: Smart.com

Notes: This may be the smallest vehicle you can currently buy so it may not appeal to everyone especially guys over 6ft tall.

#4

Volkswagen Jetta TDI
Price: $20,000
Gas Mileage: 29 mpg city / 40 mpg highway
Link: VW.com

Note: The VW Jetta TDI runs on diesel fuel.

#5

Nissan Altima Hybrid
Price: $25,170
Gas Mileage: 35 mpg city / 33 mpg highway
Link: Nissanusa.com

#6

Toyota Camry Hybrid
Price: $25,350
Gas Mileage: 33 mpg city / 34 mpg highway
Link: Toyota.com

#7

Ford Escape Hybrid / Mazda Tribute Hybrid / Mercury Mariner Hybrid
Price: $26,640 / $25,310 / $26,955
Gas Mileage: 34 mpg city / 30 mpg highway
Link: Ford.com / Mazdausa.com / Ford.com

Note: The Ford Escape Hybrid, Mazda Tribute Hybrid and Mercury Mariner Hybrid all share the same basic components and are produced in the same factory.

#8

Toyota Yaris
Price: $11,350
Gas Mileage: 29 mpg city / 35 mpg highway
Link: Toyota.com

#9

Mini Cooper
Price: $18,700
Gas Mileage: 29 mpg city / 37 mpg highway
Link: Miniusa.com

#10

Toyota Corolla
Price: $15,250
Gas Mileage: 28 mpg city / 37 mpg highway
Link: Toyota.com

Runners up:

#11

Honda Fit
Price: $13,950
Gas Mileage: 28 mpg city / 34 mpg highway
Link: Honda.com

#12

Nissan Versa
Price: $12,710
Gas Mileage: 26 mpg city / 31 mpg highway – manual transmission
Link: Nissanusa.com

#13

Honda Accord LX
Price: $20,360
Gas Mileage: 21 mpg city / 31 mpg highway
Link: Honda.com

#14

Mazda Miata
Price: $21,220
Gas Mileage: 22 mpg city / 27 mpg highway – manual transmission
Link: Mazdausa.com