I love the haters... :)

[Mace]

Originally Posted by HZJ60 Guy

I agree completely. Toyota seems to have lost there way. At least they are deaf dumb and blind to a huge market of interest here in the US.

TB

Not huge by any aspect..


Fairly small actually..

go find me 5K people that would buy A 70 series or something comprobable...

[mabrodis]

Originally Posted by HZJ60 Guy

I agree completely. Toyota seems to have lost there way. At least they are deaf dumb and blind to a huge market of interest here in the US.
TB

I think the key there is "market of interest", meaning people would be interested about a vehicle, but would not plop down their $$$ to buy it. Sadly interest in a vehicle does not sell them...can help sell them, but doesn't guarantee money.

The way I see it there is no use for a utilitarian vehicle anymore. Like a 40/70 etc, that is designed to open up, steel floors, etc. Nobody wants that anymore because so few actually do anything with their vehicles except haul people. All those utilitarian tasks are done with trucks now, so the pure utilitarian vehicle is gone I believe..

[HZJ60 Guy]

Originally Posted by Mace

Not huge by any aspect..


Fairly small actually..

go find me 5K people that would buy A 70 series or something comprobable...

God goodness sakes, there are 300 million people in this country. If only 1/3 can drive that's 100 million. Are you telling me that out of 100 million people you dont think Toyota can find 5000+ people to buy 70 series trucks?!?!?!

I disagree.

Once again I go back to Jeep. They see every TJ they make! If that isnt utilitarian I dont know what is.


TB

[firetruck41]

Originally Posted by VTFJ40

They just seem to be going in a different direction. Obviously, not the direction most of us on here like.

Actually most of us on here DO like it, look at the poll!

[Bob_Garrett]

Originally Posted by 3fj40

I bet not one person here has been or has known or has heard of anyone that has been surveyed by Toyota of what they want in an auto.

You lose! Pay up, bucko.. I participated in two surveys back in the early '90s. They weren't exactly surveys of what I wanted in a vehicle though, more to try to understand why I chose a Toyota instead of another brand.

Bob

[shocker]

Originally Posted by HZJ60 Guy

God goodness sakes, there are 300 million people in this country. If only 1/3 can drive that's 100 million. Are you telling me that out of 100 million people you dont think Toyota can find 5000+ people to buy 70 series trucks?!?!?!

I disagree.

Once again I go back to Jeep. They see every TJ they make! If that isnt utilitarian I dont know what is.


TB

If everyone in the TLCA ponied up for a new one, and you know that wouldn't happen, that would get you only 4,000

[bad_religion_au]

Originally Posted by Heffenoche

Face it, Toyota must sell a vehicle that can be driven on a daily basis.it.

My point is that to sell a new vehicle in the US market is that it must handle the DD task fairly well because the buyer may not have a second vehicle to pick up the task of a long hauler.

both point to a lack of daily driving ability, hence my comments

[haystax]

Originally Posted by HZJ60 Guy

God goodness sakes, there are 300 million people in this country. If only 1/3 can drive that's 100 million. Are you telling me that out of 100 million people you dont think Toyota can find 5000+ people to buy 70 series trucks?!?!?!

I disagree.

Once again I go back to Jeep. They see every TJ they make! If that isnt utilitarian I dont know what is.


TB

Jeeps sells every TJ they make because they have the market cornered - no room for another Jeep. A Toyota would be 10K more money, and everyone would call it a Jeep.

Didn't Mercedes introduce a lower-end model? Don't most people think it just looks like another Honda or Acura? They probably lost more revenue from purists switching to other ultra luxury brands just because the "little people" can now drive a Benz. Toyota so far has refused to make this mistake, the $50K LC is their flagship status symbol brand - deal with it, or send hatemail to Japan, I still don't buy the argument for market demand for another Jeep.

[swank60]

Originally Posted by haystax

Jeeps sells every TJ they make because they have the market cornered - no room for another Jeep. A Toyota would be 10K more money, and everyone would call it a Jeep.

Jeep was also the first one on the market with a small 4x4. That's why everyone's 40 is a "Jeep" to the guy at the gas station. As Haystax has pointed out (time and time again, I might add) it's all about the market. Toyota will never, ever beat Jeep at the Jeep game, like it or not.

In marketing, it's the guy who makes his product the generic name for something that's the leader. (Think Coke, Klenex, Xerox, etc...) and when marketers play the "our product is better" game, it never sticks. Look at what Harley Davidson does, for instance; how many Japanese made big cruier type bikes are out there for a lower price, possibly better build quality, etc? Tons. Do they hold the market sway that HD does? not even close.

What can Toyota do to revive the Land Cruiser line? Reinvent it. I think this is what they are trying to do. I love the 70 series as much as anyone else here, but what market does it fit into? It looks like a friggin' farm impliment more than a Land Cruiser - which brings us back to what a Land Cruiser is here in the US - a giant Luxo Barge that comes in at $50k. - a Land Cruiser to us here at mud, you have to realize, is something wholly different than what a Land Cruiser is to the rest of the population in the US.

Is this things something brand new? Not really. It's a little late on the reto-styling gig, but it's something that's better looking and more interesting than a Rav4, it's not as bland as the Highlander, and it's not a street-creep like the Scion. It's direct competion, I bet, is the Subaru Outback, Forrester the Xterra. If they market it right, Jeep won't even be in the picture (Jeep has taken it's self out of that market anyway now that they've gotten rid of the boxy Cherokees and put out the Liberty)

Also, there is no way Toyota was even looking at the average 40, 55, 60/62 driver as a market for sales. However, I have noticed that the younger people here on the board are far more open to the new design than some of the older members. What does that say?

[swank60]

Holy crap, I really don't care that much about the thing, truth be told... ^^^

[Mace]

Define "older members."

[tlcruiser]

One word...UGLY!!!

[Gumby]

Originally Posted by tlcruiser

One word...UGLY!!!

Is that how you're defining "older members"

[tlcruiser]

Originally Posted by Gumby

Is that how you're defining "older members"

Ehhhh, that's a tough one to call. Depends on whether we resemble the vehicles we drive.

[VTFJ40]

Originally Posted by firetruck41

Actually most of us on here DO like it, look at the poll!

Yer right. Must've been all the negativity I was pickin up on.

[VTFJ40]

Or sour grapes maybe?

[mitcher]

I notice a little bit of contempt for the rav 4 in this thread but i think some people miss the point of some vehicles. Obviously nobody has driven one in snowy/icy conditions. gravel roads etc. its an all wheel drive vehicle not even slightly designed or aimed for wheelin' anyway Ive driven them... They are fantastic vehicles

just my two cents.