Bryan E said:
...wish it was offered in a high tech diesel, etc. etc.,.......At least we have something new to talk about here. The aftermarket will be hurrying to get theirs so they can start production on some new cool accessories for it.
If gas prices don't come down from their current record prices in the U.S., people are going to care more about fuel economy of it than it's off road capability. That would be a really good reason it should be offered in a diesel. It would set it apart from anything else currently in the U.S. market.
It would be fun to at least see one in person, and take it for a test drive.
Gas prices aren't going to drive the decission making process at Toyota Corporate. First of all, they don't offer a US diesel because of the expense. They'd have to retool what they've got to pass US emissions, or create a US only diesel. The profits from doing all of that R&D wouldn't make up the cost in what has proven to be a niche market here. US buyers look at initial purchase cost over God only knows how many other variables, and diesels always cost more (compare the cost of a diesel Dodge, GM or Ford product to their gasser cousins to see what I mean). If a person wants to buy a big vehicle that gets poor milage, $2.50 a gallon still isn't enough to offset the initial purchase price, so why bother?
Basically it boils down to this: fuel buying is the responsibility of the person who buys the car, not the company that makes the car. Also, this is the sort of vehicle that fits a market - just like the Scion - that is very specific. They're not going after the hard-core wheeler, they're not going after the minivan mom, they're not going after the guy who needs a reliable work truck; they're going after the Xterra buyer. That's a market that's young, has a disposable income, probably no kids, is somewhat educated and likes to think of themselves as 'active' and wants the goods and services that they buy to reflect that. (Which is funny, when I look at the person behind the wheel of the Xterra when I'm out and about, it's some young guy with emmaculate hair or a chubby girl in her mid 20s...) --they are also less likely to be that concerned with gas prices - if they want that vehicle, they'll buy it regardless. This is an emotional buyer, a buyer who will budget his or her life around a major purchase like a car, not create a budget and buy a vehicle based on that budget.
Honestly, Toyota probably has an idea as to how many of these things they're going to sell. Any product you see on the market today - any durable good at least - is produced in specific numbers on a month-by-month basis, and the numbers are driven by forecasts. They know where they're going to sell them, how many to ship out, and what months will be hot for sales. This vehicle is a new body on an established platform. They know how many they need to sell to make the numbers work - it's probably not going to be that many - and if you think they're going to try to sell this thing to a guy who drives and FJ40, a 60, an 80 - even a 100, well, you might want to rethink your position.
Even if they run at a loss on these, they're likely to be happy with the press and exposure they get from releasing something "radically different" into the market, or how many people they'll get onto the lots just to look at 'em.
