Photo: Toyota
By now, you might have noticed Toyota is hyping itself up as an automaker who’s bringing the fun back to its lineup. Some new design directions and a sports coupe will help, but the reality is that they will always be a mass-market automaker with cars you don’t like but have to buy.
After last year’s flood in Thailand and earthquake in Japan, Toyota has lot a lot of its global sales might and is sitting behind GM and Volkswagen. But in the short term they plan to claw back some of the lost sales they witness in Europe, where figures have dropped 41 percent since 2007.
The new Yaris hybrid, produced in France, and the GT 86 sportscar will help boost their image this year.
But looking at the gibber picture, BMW diesel engines introduced to various cars across the range starting in 2014 will probably do a lot more for the bottom line.
"Toyota's strengths are in hybrid cars, and this has led to strong sales in the United States and markets that are sensitive to increases in gasoline prices," Satoru Takada, a Tokyo-based analyst at Toward the Infinite World Inc. "Europe is already dominated by the German carmakers, because diesel cars are popular. Eastern Europe is one area where Toyota may be successful, but every company is targeting those markets, so competition there will be tough for Toyota too."
Story via Automotive News Europe
The new Yaris hybrid, produced in France, and the GT 86 sportscar will help boost their image this year.
But looking at the gibber picture, BMW diesel engines introduced to various cars across the range starting in 2014 will probably do a lot more for the bottom line.
"Toyota's strengths are in hybrid cars, and this has led to strong sales in the United States and markets that are sensitive to increases in gasoline prices," Satoru Takada, a Tokyo-based analyst at Toward the Infinite World Inc. "Europe is already dominated by the German carmakers, because diesel cars are popular. Eastern Europe is one area where Toyota may be successful, but every company is targeting those markets, so competition there will be tough for Toyota too."
Story via Automotive News Europe
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