New Japanese Car Updates
- Thread starter Doggiedog
- Start date
Where's the Smiley, or Winky, or Tonguey to show us you're being sarcastic?
I hope you're being sarcastic.....
That car was the single, ugliest looking one out of all the one's I looked at in the article. :disgust:
Ollie
They made a little mistake. The Q45 is getting revised gearing and a new rear-end dif to improve acceleration.
Originally posted by: NFS4
REPOST
I should put a disclaimer on for any car thread I post:
This information may or may not have been posted by NFS4. Any flaming occurring as a result from the repost is solely those of the author of the flame and may differ from the views and opinions expressed Doggiedog.
In my defense, I have been Internetless for the last week at home because of my move.
NFS4
No Lifer
- Oct 9, 1999
- 72,636
- 47
- 91
Originally posted by: ElFenix
Originally posted by: NFS4
Too bad it won't improve sales
really i'm starting to think you don't like anything unless its toyota or german
I call it as I see it. The Q45 has been a SERIOUS sales disappointment on all counts. Nissan has only sold 2,296 Q45's through July '02 vs 3,699 for the same period in '01. Compare that to the even more expensive LS430, S-Class, and 7-Series which ring in at 15,046 units, 11,426 units, and 12,837 units respectively. Changing the final drive ratio on the Q45 isn't going to do jack squat for sales. They might as well just write off right now b/c it is a complete failure. Also add the fact that Nissan has been giving steep discounts to move the Q45 which hasn't been helping.
[We could even compare the Q45's dismal performance to other high volume luxury nameplates like the E-Class and 5-Series which ring in at 16,223 units and 23,664 units respectively.]
As for vehicles I like, I like BMW, Audi, VW, Toyota, Honda, and some Nissans (350Z, Xterra, Altima to some degree, G35, G35 Coupe)...so I'd say that your observations are off
Finally....Lancer EVO....for less than $30K too......I'll get to see what the fuss is all about
Why the heck the Protege have to share platform with the Focus. I always liked the Protege and Miata, and now one is becoming a Focus clone, and the other might got a brand new redesign by Ford, ack! :disgust:
Speaking about Toyota, if they are introducing yet another SUV, they'll have 6 SUV in the line up. Thats ridiculous, no other manufacturer has that many model, and I can just imagine prospective buyer cross shopping between Toyota's own SUV. I know they want to be the biggest in the world and in the US, but they should attack Ford & GM in the truck division, instead keep branching their SUVs. Like what they did with the Sienna, and hopefully they aimed it go head to head with the Odyssey, unfortunately it wont come for 2 more years
Why the heck the Protege have to share platform with the Focus. I always liked the Protege and Miata, and now one is becoming a Focus clone, and the other might got a brand new redesign by Ford, ack! :disgust:
Speaking about Toyota, if they are introducing yet another SUV, they'll have 6 SUV in the line up. Thats ridiculous, no other manufacturer has that many model, and I can just imagine prospective buyer cross shopping between Toyota's own SUV. I know they want to be the biggest in the world and in the US, but they should attack Ford & GM in the truck division, instead keep branching their SUVs. Like what they did with the Sienna, and hopefully they aimed it go head to head with the Odyssey, unfortunately it wont come for 2 more years
NFS4
No Lifer
- Oct 9, 1999
- 72,636
- 47
- 91
SUV's are more profitable (much more so than) pickups...NUFF SAID
That being said, Toyota's SUV's ALL have a place and are marketed differently.RAV4 - small, compact SUV
Highlander - car-based, mid-sized crossover with car-like ride
4-Runner - body on frame, rugged, off-road capable mid-sized SUV
Land Cruiser - luxury SUV with a name and reputation that needs no explanation
Sequoia - full-size SUV to compete with the likes of the Expedition and Tahoe
Seems like a perfect lineup to me. Just as car-makers have different cars to appeal to different audiences, Toyota does the same with their SUVs. Remember, choice is a good thing and SUVs mean $$$ for Toyota and that's what really matters in the end...PROFITS!!!
And besides, how is having so many SUV's different from Toyota's Echo --> Corolla --> Camry --> Avalon lineup?
GTaudiophile
Lifer
- Oct 24, 2000
- 29,767
- 33
- 81
Damn. Guess I'll have to wait until 2005 to see the replacement for the IS300. Although the current IS300 has good exterior styling, I believe the interior lacks typical Lexus quality and features. I also think the current 5-speed manual is clunky. I'd like to see a bump in power to 250 or so, a 6-speed tranny, and a refined interior. But, since I will be in the market for such a car in early- to mid-2003, the 6-speed G35 might have the edge. We'll see.
Originally posted by: NFS4
SUV's are more profitable (much more so than) pickups...NUFF SAID
RAV4 - small, compact SUV
Highlander - car-based, mid-sized crossover with car-like ride
4-Runner - body on frame, rugged, off-road capable mid-sized SUV
Land Cruiser - luxury SUV with a name and reputation that needs no explanation
Sequoia - full-size SUV to compete with the likes of the Expedition and Tahoe
Seems like a perfect lineup to me. Just as car-makers have different cars to appeal to different audiences, Toyota does the same with their SUVs. Remember, choice is a good thing and SUVs mean $$$ for Toyota and that's what really matters in the end...PROFITS!!!
And besides, how is having so many SUV's different from Toyota's Echo --> Corolla --> Camry --> Avalon lineup?
Gah, I just knew the resident AceReporter and Toyotaman will have to dispute it
With the new suv,toyota lineup will be:
RAV4 --> new SUV --> Highlander --> 4 Runner --> Land Cruiser --> Sequioa
Right now RAV 4 pricing already cut into the Xterra and the likes, so its reasonable to assume the new suv pricing will cross into the highlander, and highlander crossing into 4 Runner. Choice is a good thing, and yes profits is what matters most. But by competing your vehicle against one of its own (by crossing their price/features), they run into the risk of essentially taking out profits from one and pluging it to the other, as opposed of stealing it from the competitors (not saying it wont attract new buyer). You still have the same amount of profits, but now you incur the extra cost of having to support an additional model. Also, how much longer can they expect SUV mania will last and the SUV to continue to be highly profitable ? Ford and GM has to offers lots incentives to move their SUVs fast enough, and the Sequioa is not doing too well either (getting outsold 4 to 1 against the GM Tahoe class, and 2 to 1 against Expedition).
As for the sedan lineup, the Echo is in a bad shape right now and not getting any better with the Korean makers get even more aggresive with their pricing, (hence the rumour of Echo being discontinued ?) So effectively, Toyota only have 3 model in the lineup and it has serve them well.
And my biggest gripe about Toyota......would you please stop playing the Options game????? Just make it straight forward like Honda for crying out loud.
Originally posted by: NFS4
Originally posted by: ElFenix
Originally posted by: NFS4
Too bad it won't improve sales
really i'm starting to think you don't like anything unless its toyota or german
I call it as I see it. The Q45 has been a SERIOUS sales disappointment on all counts. Nissan has only sold 2,296 Q45's through July '02 vs 3,699 for the same period in '01. Compare that to the even more expensive LS430, S-Class, and 7-Series which ring in at 15,046 units, 11,426 units, and 12,837 units respectively. Changing the final drive ratio on the Q45 isn't going to do jack squat for sales. They might as well just write off right now b/c it is a complete failure. Also add the fact that Nissan has been giving steep discounts to move the Q45 which hasn't been helping.
[We could even compare the Q45's dismal performance to other high volume luxury nameplates like the E-Class and 5-Series which ring in at 16,223 units and 23,664 units respectively.]
As for vehicles I like, I like BMW, Audi, VW, Toyota, Honda, and some Nissans (350Z, Xterra, Altima to some degree, G35, G35 Coupe)...so I'd say that your observations are off
Yes the sales did suck, but the increased acceleration (along wiht some other updates regarding the interior, like climate controlled seats, etc..) should boost sales a bit. In any case, the Q45 is a worthy competitor to the LS and S-class and the previous 7-er (the new 7 just blows it away). I would much rather have the Q45 rather than the LS or the S. If Infiniti had marketed it better it would have been a hit.
The good thing is that the G35 and G35C will bring in more traffic into the dealer which would make more ppl aware of Infiniti and they may choose the Q45 over others. I'm liking the M45 too...but I don't see how its any different from the Q. They share the same engine/interior and most of the amenities..only their bodies are different.
It's a shame the 4Runner's off-roadness is getting raped for 2003. Here's what I wish Toyota would do:
Give the 2003 Toyota 4Runner a different name. The '03 4Runner will basically be Toyota's answer to the Ford Explorer. 3 Row seating, V8, horrible off-road performance, etc. That's all well and good, but it's not worthy of the 4Runner name. It would be cool if Toyota made another 4Runner-named SUV based on the Tacoma platform that's being built in here in Amerca. That way, more jobs for Americans, lower prices, and an off-road SUV to compete with the likes of the XTerra. I believe the current 1996-2002 Generation 4Runner is based off an older Tacoma because it's still being built in Japan. I could be wrong though.
Eh, I can dream can't I? But hey, maybe the new off-road SUV from Toyota WILL be based off the Tacoma. So there's still hope.
Give the 2003 Toyota 4Runner a different name. The '03 4Runner will basically be Toyota's answer to the Ford Explorer. 3 Row seating, V8, horrible off-road performance, etc. That's all well and good, but it's not worthy of the 4Runner name. It would be cool if Toyota made another 4Runner-named SUV based on the Tacoma platform that's being built in here in Amerca. That way, more jobs for Americans, lower prices, and an off-road SUV to compete with the likes of the XTerra. I believe the current 1996-2002 Generation 4Runner is based off an older Tacoma because it's still being built in Japan. I could be wrong though.
Eh, I can dream can't I? But hey, maybe the new off-road SUV from Toyota WILL be based off the Tacoma. So there's still hope.
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