Toyota's Tundra Tactics

[Variance]

Toyota's Tundra Tactics

Here's the latest on Toyota's plans to challenge Detroit's dominance of the full-size pickup market with an all-new Tundra.

The last of the 2006 Tundra pickups will be built in Princeton, Ind., later this month. That will mark the end of the design that was dismissed by true truckers. The bigger 2007 version, which aims to be a more legitimate challenger to the F-150, Silverado/Sierra and Ram, is set to start shipping to dealers around Feb. 12, which coincidentally is Lincoln's birthday (the 16th president, not the American luxury brand).

The biggest Tundra, the CrewMax that will be shown at the Detroit auto show in January, isn't expected at dealerships until mid-March or even April.

Detroit Free Press

[Northstar]

85k conquests? Good luck with that, even if it's not a very piece of the pie.

[regfootball]

more conquests than nissan sells altogether?

i hope toyota falls on their ass.

[AxelTheRed]

Wow, this plan is really, REALLY optimistic. Going after twice as many conquests as repeat business sales? WOW.

[Drew Dowdell]

Who are they going to conquest? Nissan probably. Dodge, some...

I really can't see Ford, Chevy, or GMC owners trading en'mass to the Tundra. My dad won't trade in his 1996 F-150 with 180k miles on anything but another F-150. Though he is a bit disappointed that they no longer make the I6 model.

The Toyota just isn't *that* much better if better at all. The domestics don't give any reason for people to move from the most fiercely loyal segment in the entire industry.

[Drew Dowdell]

Toyota's Tundra Tactics

Here's the latest on Toyota's plans to challenge Detroit's dominance of the full-size pickup market with an all-new Tundra.

The last of the 2006 Tundra pickups will be built in Princeton, Ind., later this month. That will mark the end of the design that was dismissed by true truckers. The bigger 2007 version, which aims to be a more legitimate challenger to the F-150, Silverado/Sierra and Ram, is set to start shipping to dealers around Feb. 12, which coincidentally is Lincoln's birthday (the 16th president, not the American luxury brand).

The biggest Tundra, the CrewMax that will be shown at the Detroit auto show in January, isn't expected at dealerships until mid-March or even April.

Detroit Free Press

226157[/snapback]

Yeah, let me know how that works out.

[Z-06]

Yeah, let me know how that works out.

226508[/snapback]

Trust me it will when CR, crapmunds and other Toyota lickers start their magic spin. It is already the most significant vehicles of most of these magazines when it is not even OUT!

[bcs296]

Trust me it will when CR, crapmunds and other Toyota lickers start their magic spin. It is already the most significant vehicles of most of these magazines when it is not even OUT!

226541[/snapback]

Mark my words: CR, edmunds, as well as possibly MT and C&D will swing from the new Tundras nuts, HARD. I wouldn't be surprised in the least to see it rated/scored above the new GMT900s.

[BigPontiac]

They must be expecting a HUGE amount of goodwill in TX from building the truck plant there...

[Cadillacfan]

Mark my words: CR, edmunds, as well as possibly MT and C&D will swing from the new Tundras nuts, HARD. I wouldn't be surprised in the least to see it rated/scored above the new GMT900s.

226544[/snapback]

Where have you been? They've already been doing that and it's not even out yet!

Edited December 12, 2006 by Cadillacfan

[big blue]

42.5% conquest sales? Maybe if the new Tundra had the fuel economy of a corolla, or even a camry...

That's damn optimistic. Seriously, unless the Tundra has some new impressive feature that I just haven't heard about yet, then I'm not sure how they're going to convince domestic pickup buyers why there is any need to buy a Tundra. Maybe the Titan and Ram buyers will find a new home but that isn't going to help them hit 42.5%.

Heck the next gen Ford Super Duty at least has the tailgate step-in thing. What's so different about the Tundra?

[Camino LS6]

They're dreaming.

[supermoto]

During any year there are always buyers who had one brand and then switched to another for their next purchase. It's certainly possible for Toyota to sell 30k trucks to the former millions of GM or Ford buyers and maybe nearly that many Dodge and Nissan buyers. There also will be a number of former Tundra buyers going to all those other brands. Expecting 75k new buyers to enter the full size segment in one year and be buyers of their truck when the segment is shrinking from fuel economy concerns is crazy.

I for one don't expect Toyota to sell more than 150k and a lot of that will come from Tundra owners much like the increase from the Double Cab. They should get a lot of flack from bringing out such a large truck and trying to call themselves green, but the media will probably overlook that.

[bcs296]

Where have you been? They've already been doing that and it's not even out yet!

226569[/snapback]

Oh, but I'm talking about CR giving it a top reliability rating after it's barely been out, while C&D and edmunds nitpick the GMT900's to hell and back while excusing the Tundra for any and all quirks, just so MT can go on and give it Truck of the Year even though the Silverado will be superior in several ways.

[FAPTurbo]

CR has been rating the Chevy/GM twins pretty low, as well as the Ford's and Dodge's, and that doesn't seem to have much impact. The current Tundra was one of their highest rated trucks, and look how well that's doing .

[RJB]

Mark my words: CR, edmunds, as well as possibly MT and C&D will swing from the new Tundras nuts, HARD. I wouldn't be surprised in the least to see it rated/scored above the new GMT900s.

226544[/snapback]

Agreed. Its ok when any IMPORT builds a new FULLSIZE TRUCK, but when GM, Ford or Dodge come out with one they go on about how these gas guzzling dinosaurs need to die...HUH?!

[CARBIZ]

The good news is that the average buyer of the F-150 and Silverado doesn't read crap like CR. Maybe some retired teacher, while flipping through the latest electric can opener comparison, will be enthralled with the high rating of the Tundra and rush out to trade in her '92 Camry for the new Tundra - maybe. Otherwise, truck buyers ignore what CR says and buy what they see/drive.

What works for the average sedan buyer, versus what works for the average truck buyer is completely different. People who buy a Malibu or Camry are not trying to make a statement. They want transportation. People who buy a Tahoe or Explorer are (generally) making more of a statement. What does the T-100 or Rav4 say about the driver?