For all those who say the weak Yen doesn't matter

[Northstar]

Automotive News / November 13, 2006

How would you like to make $127,000 pure profit on every Camry, RAV4 or other Toyota you sold over your original forecast?

Toyota raised its global sales forecast by 20,000 vehicles from its May prediction, to 8.47 million for the full fiscal year. It also jacked up its forecast for operating profits: to ¥2.20 trillion, or $18.66 billion, from $16.12 billion.

Do the math. Nice margins if you can get them, eh?

Higher volume isn't the whole story. It's barely a footnote.

The weak yen is the real driver behind the higher profits forecast. Toyota now says each dollar it gets on U.S. sales will bring it ¥115 in revenues, not the ¥110 it previously expected.

http://autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?...UB&refsect=1078

[aaaantoine]

That's intense.

The US (and especially the European) companies don't stand a chance.

[Guest YellowJacket894]

There has got to be a way to stop this.

Our economy has a pretty ugly future if we don't counter-react soon. It's sick how our welcome arms are manipulated and abused by other economies/countries. This makes me disgusted at Toyota even more. I've known they desired to be the first automotive monopoly in the U.S. (by slipping through every open loophole, they'll also become the first legal one ever) for a while now, but I would have never guessed they were coming so close to their sick little goal. They want their cars to be the only cars and they're going to make that a reality by any means possible.

And what pisses me off is Mr. Curious George Bush who just sits at every meeting to try to fix and reverse the problem with this disgusting apathetic attitude. The man doesn't care. As long as his wallet is lined with and stuffed full of cash from the oil industry, he doesn't give a flying f@#k about this country or what shape it's in.

[Northstar]

Why blame Toyota? They're goal is to make maximum profit in the first place, the same as every other company in the world.

Blame Mr. Bush and company.

216015[/snapback]

Who says I'm (or the article, whatever you're referring to) blaming Toyota? It's simply showing the (unfair) competitive advantage that Toyota has because of the Japanese's government's manipulation of the Yen.

I'd like to know where Toyota would be if it didn't have this competitive advantage. We're talking decades of inflated profit. What if GM, Ford, Chrysler, BMW, etc., had this same advantage? Where would they be? Where would Toyota and Honda be?

[Guest YellowJacket894]

Why blame Toyota? They're goal is to make maximum profit in the first place, the same as every other company in the world.

Blame Mr. Bush and company.

I blame them both. Or can't you read?

[avant1963]

And what pisses me off is Mr. Curious George Bush who just sits at every meeting to try to fix and reverse the problem with this disgusting apathetic attitude. The man doesn't care. As long as his wallet is lined with and stuffed full of cash from the oil industry, he doesn't give a flying f@#k about this country or what shape it's in.

Amen. He don't care what kind of car/SUV burns the oil, just that Americans are buying them and making him and his minions rich.

[ocnblu]

Cadillac should take their car back. Maybe Toyota would give him a Century. And what's he gonna do for spare parts for his Super Duty when there's no more Ford Motor Company?

[Northstar]

Cadillac should take their car back.  Maybe Toyota would give him a Century.  And what's he gonna do for spare parts for his Super Duty when there's no more Ford Motor Company?

216105[/snapback]

Buy a Tundra.

[CARBIZ]

Boys and girls, this is not news. MITI is God over there and they call the shots. An American company can't even get a Japanese visa without it going through MITI. All external trade is governed by that ministry and they are POWERFUL.

Only now are we starting to see the whole truth of what MITI pulled off in propping up Toshiba, Sanyo, etc. 40 years ago when they initially dumped their cheap TVs and electronics on the North American market. Sugar beet import quotas to an electronics company? Hmmmm.....

Currency manipulation is only the latest in a long list of weapons in MITI's arsenal. Zero percent business loans. What kind of advantage would GMAC have if it could borrow money at ZERO?

Wake up!

[Drew Dowdell]

Buy a Tundra.

216154[/snapback]

why not, he's already sold out the country to chinese investment bankers.....

[BrewSwillis]

Buy a Tundra.

216154[/snapback]

I think Toyota already gave him one:

[siegen]

216278[/snapback]

Wow, Presidential Texas Edition. It doesn't get any more American than that!

[deftonesfan867]

That makes me sick, as a Texan and as an American.

[Northstar]

I think Toyota already gave him one:

216278[/snapback]

That's disgusting.

[SableStyle]

It's like any other company with monopolistic tendencies. You can't blame Microsoft for wanting to make a profit and increase their market share, but they did it so well that they had to be contained. Toyota needs to be treated equally.

[FAPTurbo]

It's like any other company with monopolistic tendencies. You can't blame Microsoft for wanting to make a profit and increase their market share, but they did it so well that they had to be contained. Toyota needs to be treated equally.

216632[/snapback]

Keep in mind that Microsoft introduced an OS that the lay person could use.

And Apple kinda chose the path they took by making their own computers, and components. People vote with their dollar.

But when it comes to Toyota, well, a monopoly is impossible. Way too much competition.

That Bush Tundra is pretty damn funny. . Who the hell would buy that?!

[loki]

I'd like to know where Toyota would be if it didn't have this competitive advantage. We're talking decades of inflated profit. What if GM, etc., had this same advantage? Where would they be?

216018[/snapback]

well the camaro might not have been canceled, but if something drastic like all the red that was coming into GM didn't happen, we might still be getting W-bodies for another 5 years.....?

[Guest YellowJacket894]

Well, the Camaro might not have been canceled, but if something drastic like all the red that was coming into GM didn't happen, we might still be getting W-bodies for another 5 years.....?

You have a point. The automotive market is very competitive right now and will remain as such for . . . well, it's really impossible to say when it might cool off. The increased competition from Japanese and European competitors have improved American cars drastically. And it'll continue to get better.

However, Toyota, and Honda for that matter, has a very unfair advantage here and their growth is bordering on tumorous and parasitic. The playing field must be leveled. I most certainly do not like Toyota and the soulless products they clog our city streets with, but I'm not saying to cut off the head here so the body will die. Obviously, there are a good deal of people (which most of them are probably as soulless as the cars they drive) that like Toyota, and if that's what they want to drive, fine then. Let them. It's America and they have the right to.

Also, it sickens me to take one look at the -- ahem! -- "special edition" Tundra posted in this thread. It reflects Toyota's egotistical, disgusting, arrogant attitude. It's also fine example of a corporate "f@#k you" to Americans as well. America knows that Toyota is not a slice of Mom's apple pie like Chevrolet is, and for Toyota to suggest that they are even remotely like that makes me sick and insults a person's intelligence.

Toyota, right now, is like some Asian kid who dresses to reflect which musical scene is in. And everyone is just waiting to corner him and beat his ass for being so fake.

Edited November 17, 2006 by YellowJacket894

[loki]

Well, the Camaro might not have been canceled, but if something drastic like all the red that was coming into GM didn't happen, we might still be getting W-bodies for another 5 years.....?

You have a point. The automotive market is very competitive right now and will remain as such for . . . well, it's really impossible to say when it might cool off. The increased competition from Japanese and European competitors have improved American cars drastically. And it'll continue to get better.

216671[/snapback]

THX!

styling should always be competitive... otherwise new cars will go the way of (something not cliche) pluto's planet-hood. and consumers would have to learn much more "techno-babel" and we all know how well the public can do that...

[carstar]

Well, the Camaro might not have been canceled, but if something drastic like all the red that was coming into GM didn't happen, we might still be getting W-bodies for another 5 years.....?

. Obviously, there are a good deal of people (which most of them are probably as soulless as the cars they drive) that like Toyota, and if that's what they want to drive, fine then. Let them. It's America and they have the right to.

216671[/snapback]

Does the current Impala and malibu have a soul? very little.

[AxelTheRed]

. Obviously, there are a good deal of people (which most of them are probably as soulless as the cars they drive) that like Toyota, and if that's what they want to drive, fine then. Let them. It's America and they have the right to.

216671[/snapback]

Does the current Impala and malibu have a soul? very little.

216749[/snapback]

True, maybe they don't have a lot of soul, but there are plenty of American cars with enough soul to make up for their lack of it.

[ellives]

Does the current Impala and malibu have a soul? very little.

216749[/snapback]

True, maybe they don't have a lot of soul, but there are plenty of American cars with enough soul to make up for their lack of it.

Strange for a car with no soul, the Impala enjoyed a 12% sales increase in an absolute SEA of 20% or more decline in GM's sales numbera by model in June. I actually like the current Impala. It's the first time in a long time I've found the Impala to be a desirable product.

Go GM!