Toyota Camry

Anthony Fontanelle asked:


Ford Motor Co. and Toyota Motor Corp., two of the world’s three largest auto makers, reported strong first-half sales in China’s fast-growing market. As newcomers in China’s auto market, the sales performance was remarkable, analysts said. The performance is boosted by the launch of new product lines which are aimed at attracting more customers.

Toyota sold 212,000 vehicles during the period, up 77 percent from a year earlier, powered by strong demand for its Camry sedans, the best-selling car in the United States in eight of the past nine years.

Toyota, Japan’s largest automaker, rolled out its first China-made Camry in May 2006 from a new plant in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou, to pull auto shoppers away from competing models such as Honda Motor Co.’s Accord. Sales of the Camry came to nearly 78,000 units, well on track to hit the full-year target of 150,000, or more than one-third of the Japanese automaker’s total China sales goal of 430,000 vehicles this year.

Ford said retail sales of its wholly owned brands in China increased 25 percent during the first half to 93,206 vehicles. Sales of the mid-sized Focus sedan, made by a joint venture between Ford, Mazda Motor Corp and Changan Automobile Co. Ltd., came to 55,676 units, up 66 percent from a year ago, the Dearborn automaker said in a statement.

There also was a soaring demand for luxury models in China, as its growing ranks of nouveau riche snapped up the latest premium models. Toyota sold 12,000 Lexus cars in the half-year, nearly matching the 13,000 sold in all of 2006 and well on track to meet its full-year 2007 target of 22,000.

Meanwhile, Ford’s Premier Automotive Group, which includes Volvo, Jaguar and Land Rover brands, posted combined sales of 8,779 units, up 66 percent from a year earlier. Ford wheels seem to be swerving in the right lane to attain such rewarding gains.

Additionally, industry’s global giants are investing a great deal to ramp up Chinese production capacity to amass a larger slice of the market, where total car sales increased 30 percent in the previous year to 5.18 million units.

Toyota, which gets six percent of the China auto market, completed construction in May of its third plant in Tianjin, increasing capacity at its venture with FAW and its subsidiary Tianjin FAW Xiali Automobile Co. to 420,000 units. The Japanese automaker also is in talks about building a second plant at its venture in south China, which produces the Camry sedan.

Ford, which has less than a four percent share in China, is expanding a facility in the southwest city of Chongqing along with its partners. They are also building a plant in Nanjing, in eastern China. By the end of this year, it will boost its annual production capacity in China to 460,000 units, including 410,000 at Changan Ford Mazda and 50,000 at Jiangling Motors, in which the company holds a 30 percent stake.

In the United States, there’s a different ambiance. Despite more aggressive discounts, Ford on Tuesday reported lower sales for June, underscoring the drag from rising gas prices, weak housing market, and tight auto competition. The automaker’s overall monthly sales, including sales into commercial fleets, were down eight percent, even if it eked out its first monthly gain in showroom sales since October.

Five of the six leading automakers offered bigger discounts in June than they did in May, according to Edmunds. GM was the exception. In a significant departure from usual practice, the three leading Japanese automakers increased their discounting in the face of slack demand, Edmunds said.



Beverly

Mark Clarkson asked:


The Toyota Motor Corporation primarily focuses on the manufacturing and production of their products in the automotive market. That is why Toyota remains undisputed in terms of market profitability compared to its competitors. Toyota also opened numerous regional divisions such as Toyota’s luxury car manufacturer, Lexus and Scion. And when talking about Toyota and the automotive industry, Toyota will be presenting 27 vehicles the 4th China (Guangzhou) International Auto Exhibition. The auto exhibition is currently on going at the province of Guangzhou in China, and had just started last July 24, 2006.

Toyota will be displaying a total of 27 concept vehicles along with their latest production vehicles. This number is a huge amount and actually is the largest that Toyota has ever presented for such a car exhibition. Toyota would also be joining the Guangzhou Auto Exhibition, well, since Guangzhou Toyota Motor Co. Ltd. (GMTC) had been established and started their operation last 2004. During the mentioned auto show, Toyota will present the new safety technology features of their models such as the Toyota Prius and Toyota Reiz. Safety is one of the main priorities of Toyota Motors’ production vehicles.

In addition to these, Toyota will also present a diverse selection of their all-new hybrid concept and production vehicles that include the new Toyota Tundra concept, which will come in availability early this 2007. Also included is the Fine-T concept, the modified version of rugged Toyota RAV4 and Previa, Lexus ES350, Lexus IS300, and GTMC’s new production vehicle, the new Toyota Camry. These are only a few of the 27 vehicles that will be displayed during the exhibition. Various products from Toyota and new Toyota parts like Toyota Camry parts will be also featured in the show.

Hoshibi Inaba, the Vice President of Toyota said that: “This year, we began production of the Camry with the world’s highest quality levels at a cutting-edge plant in Guangzhou, and it has thus far been extremely well received by customers. Toyota hopes to make contributions, modest though they may be, to the balanced development of an automobile society in China through the provision of various products as well as through environmental and safety initiatives.”



Derrick

Anthony Fontanelle asked:


Our existence necessitates loads of expenses, loads of purchases. Should the purchase button turn green, you must be ready to shell out cash. But if the signal blinks in front of an American car, would you dare entertain it?

“A few weeks ago I pointed out a new Buick Enclave large sport-utility vehicle to my daughter and son-in-law and asked for an opinion. ‘Ecch,’ said my daughter, the self-confessed brand snob, ‘I’d never drive a Buick.’ Her husband concurred, though agreeing with me that the Enclave has a nicely styled exterior,” narrated Doron Levin of Bloomberg.

Levin added, “The phenomenon of shoppers that turn their noses up at venerable U.S. automotive brands has been growing for at least two decades, propelled by poor quality, reliability, durability and resale values of many domestic nameplates. Import makes, meanwhile, have made steady improvements.”

This is why domestic automakers, these days, are living in the state of desperation trying to figure out the best way to win back clientele. The touch of desperation also inflicted General Motors Corp.

Earlier, the Detroit automaker has launched a marketing strategy dubbed side-by-side-by-side, asking its Saturn dealers to display the Toyota Camry and the Honda Accord beside the Aura. The campaign encourages comparison and aims to prove that an American car measures up to the best foreign rival.

There is nothing wrong neither with the styling nor with the Saturn radiator and other auto parts. The reasons include the apparent shift of the auto market and the unbending belief that foreign makes are better.

The Aura is a crucial model for both Saturn and GM. It is part of a product rejuvenation plan for Saturn to make the firm lucrative and competitive. Reaction to the Aura has been encouraging, both in terms of sales and reviews.

Some analysts in the industry say the campaign is quite risky because instead of pulling customers closer, it might do the exact opposite. “It’s an extreme measure,” said Levin, “but extremes may be necessary in light of the devastating currents tearing at U.S. automakers these days. Many car shoppers have simply written off American brands. They are impervious to advertising, dismissive of new American models, and disdainful of those who buy them.”

Dan Bonawitz, the vice president of planning and logistics for the Honda Motor Co. in the U.S., summed it up at a June preview for the new Honda Accord, scheduled for introduction this fall. “Very few Accord buyers cross-shop domestic brands,” Bonawitz said, though “they do look at the Toyota Camry and Nissan Altima.”

According to the Ford Motor Co., slightly more than 48 percent of car buyers in the U.S. said they would consider only domestic brands such as Ford, Chevrolet and Chrysler. Today that rate shrunk to 36 percent.

But the new cars from GM, Ford and Chrysler indisputably are built better than ever. Starting in January, Ford began advertising results of the “Fusion Challenge” campaign, a consumer comparison of its sedan to Camry and Accord, sponsored by Car & Driver and Road & Track magazines. The Dearborn automaker said those who test drove the cars rated Fusion higher in categories such as “fun to drive,” performance and styling.

Meanwhile, Jason Vines, a Chrysler spokesman said his company is using pop-up ads on the Internet to intercept shoppers for Japanese models and make them aware of Chrysler’s cars. “A lot of buyer behavior isn’t as linear as it used to be,” he said.

David Champion, the director of automobile testing for Consumer Reports, a shopping guide company, said that Detroit’s cars can get back in the game. But first, they must surmount doubts about reliability and durability.



June

JFLY asked:


Can the toyota camry run on electric mode if I’m on a highway?

Phyllis

Thomas Rosquin asked:


They remind me of the big dumb jock from high school…..he was good for something at one point in time….but now that a few years have passed….what good is he?

Recently Edmunds.com published a story about the top 10 most efficient 4-door cars available. They ranked the cars based on EPA fuel economy numbers. And would you guess that not one car from an American manufacturer made the list!

With gas prices on the never-ending rise…..it’s clear that foreign automakers have their finger on the pulse of the car buying world.

Do American car companies just not care about what consumers want?

We do know that there are domestic hybrids out there……such as: the Ford Escape, Saturn Vue, and Chevy Silverado. But these are not cars at all!!!!!! They are SUV’s and Trucks. It seems that American car makers have decided to take aim at areas outside the hybrid car market.

So the Japanese have such a stranglehold on the hybrid car market, and the big American manufacturers won’t even give it a try. Actually Saturn does have Aura and that’s about it!! But now there is hope on the horizon…..

The Chevy Malibu Hybrid is coming out late this year. Horary for all you Bow Tie fans out there. But wait….just how good is the Malibu Hybrid….well according to the EPA; 27 MPG is the average you can expect to get out of this car. That is absolutely hilarious….my Nissan Sentra which is 8 years old, tops that number by 3 MPG and I don’t even practice gas saving driving.

But what about Ford all the Blue Oval fans out there shout? Nope…sorry…Ford doesn’t make a hybrid car. But the Escape hybrid SUV gets 32 MPG which is still better than the Malibu hybrid.

So 9 out of the 10 most fuel efficient sedans come from Japanese auto makers. The tenth comes from Kia. Kia……a company that is tiny compared to the big American Automakers. The future does not look good for domestic vehicles.

Of course the reigning champions are still there…..the Civic hybrid, the Prius hybrid, and the Camry hybrid are all on the list. The interesting thing is that 6 of the 10 most fuel efficient 4 door cars are not hybrids at all. They are small gasoline powered cars such as the Corolla.

Fuel Efficient Sedans…….Not A Domestic Insight!!!!!

This information was gathered from:

http://www.edmunds.com/reviews/list/top10/125477/article.html



Florence

Jonathon Hardcastle asked:


Major car manufacturer Toyota has produced car models that have consistently ranked high in both the US and Japan market, specifically with regard to the Toyota Camry and the remodeled Toyota Corolla.

While the Toyota Camry has been the best-selling car in the United States for the past four years (2002-2005), back in Japan where Toyota is based, it is the Toyota Corolla that has been the best selling vehicle. Reports say there were 70,675 units of the Toyota Corolla sold from January to June this year. That total is actually a decrease of 11.7% from their total sales during the same period a year ago.

According to figures from the Japan Automobile Dealers Association, the Toyota Corolla has actually been the best-selling car in Japan for the last four six-month periods. Toyota actually released a fully remodeled Corolla in August 2000 and its impressive sales performance since that time attests to its immense popularity.

The performance of the Toyota Camry in the United States has been simply amazing. Not only has it been the best-selling car for four straight years now, it has also been the country’s best seller in eight of the last nine years. It has consistently topped its mid-size competitors such as the Honda Accord and the Chevrolet Impala in that period.

Reports say that plans are currently afoot to launch a hybrid Camry later this year as well a fully redesigned version of the Camry in 2007. The general expectation is that Toyota Camry set to be unveiled Monday at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, the sedan likely will set the bar high for its competitors.

Understandably, Toyota has been mum about the new Camry, hardly releasing any details. However, according to Jim Press, president and chief operating officer of Toyota Motor Sales USA Inc., it will offer better style, technology and drivability. And it will build on the reputation the nameplate has established in previous incarnations.

Press said he expects the company this year to sell about the nearly the same as the 432,000 Camrys it sold in 2005, but may lose some sales as it switches from offering the old model. He said Toyota strives to keep Camry’s style timeless while keeping in mind the goal of a well-balanced car that satisfies drivers’ needs.



Shannon

whereami asked:


It is late november of the year, our family is seriously considering between 2007 toyota camry hybrid and the 2008 model. Some friends told us the 2008 has better handling and engine, since it is a newer model. But, the price of 07 model is cheaper at this time of the year. So whats the improvement of 2008 model from 2007 model? And would a 08 model have a better value in the future?

Alex

Susan asked:


My car is a Toyots Camry 1990, and I am doing a project about it. So, please tell me how many gallons of gas my car holds please.

Henry

Iver Penn asked:


Is the Chevrolet Cobalt American-made or not?

Now the internet world will be finding out what the folks in the Mahoning Valley have known for a long time, that the answer to the question is yes, the vast bulk of the Chevrolet Cobalt is American-made.

The General Motors Corp. Lordstown-built small car ranked fourth on the list released Friday by Cars.com among vehicles with the highest American content at 82 percent.

The study helps consumers identify the top ten vehicles which are truly the most American in terms of their parts (like GMC exhaust tip for instance), where they are produced, and their popularity with U.S. buyers. The study is the third done by the Web site since June 2006.

Cars.com’s American-Made Index highlights the cars that are built in the United States, have the highest amount of domestic parts, and are bought in the largest numbers by Americans. In order to make it to the list, cars must have a domestic-parts-content rating of 75 percent or more. Cars.com also used the figure alongside the window sticker of new cars to determine a car’s domestic parts content. If a car is going to be discontinued in the near future, it was also disqualified.

GM grabbed four of the top five spots, with Ford and Toyota both taking three spots, the study showed.

Ford’s F-150 pickup truck had the most American content at 90 percent. Japan’s Toyota Camry (75 percent) and Camry Solara (80 percent) were No. 2.

The Camry had less U.S. content than the Cobalt but outranked the Cobalt in sales, 144,362 to 79,257, for the year through May. Camry sales don’t include hybrid models.

Chevrolet’s Silverado 1500 pickup truck, built at Fort Wayne, Ind., and Pontiac, Mich., ranked third with 90 percent U.S. content.

The F-150 and Silverado rankings are based on estimated sales and/or production data,Cars.com said. The top four placers all held the same positions in the December study.

The Ford Focus, which wasn’t ranked in December, took fifth at 75 percent.

The next five were the Toyota Sienna, sixth; Chevrolet Malibu and Malibu Maxx, seventh; Pontiac G6, eighth; Ford Escape, ninth, and Toyota Tundra, 10th.

The ranking wasn’t a surprise to Lordstown spokesman Tom Mock, as according to him, it just highlights the importance of the complex and the entire U.S. auto industry.

‘‘We think it’s important not just for manufacturers of vehicles but for manufacturers of parts, too,’’ he said. ‘‘For every job at Lordstown, 7.1 jobs are created in other industries, most of those in parts-related industries.’’

The Lordstown complex employs 5,000 hourly and salaried workers at the assembly and metal stamping plants, as well as nearby suppliers such as Intier and Lear.



Philip

drj_pb asked:


I have a 1988 Camry with automatic shoulder restraints. When I get in they move back as soon I close the door.For some reason when the weather is cold they stay forward until I turn on the heater and it warms up inside the car. As it warms up the restraint will move a little bit at a time.Is there a module, relay or switch somewhere in the car that may need replacing. I hear a clicking noise in the center console. Perplexed.

Gordon