THE ALL NEW LAND CRUISER.... (1 Viewer)

[OGBeno]

Again, all opinions. There are no opinions when it come to worldwide product planning. Everything Toyota does is based on cold hard facts and numbers.

Unless you have a business plan that conforms to long-term Toyota profit forecasts, provides share holder return, conforms to NHTSA regulations, EPA standards (including the new 2019 CAFE standards), infrastructural needs at the dealership level, necessary corporate planning with the sale of an SFA SWB/MWB vehicles into a new market that has never received such a vehicle, marketing expenses, liability, manufacturing planning and design planning expenses, then I doubt they are interested in talking with you. (or me or anyone on MUD for that matter)

 

[Glockenspiel]

Lexus started selling a two (2) row LX for MY18 - so someone is listening to the customer. It is also missing front seat cooling, rear screens, and the cooler box.

I am in the market for a new ride and hope the MY19 LC will offer the same two (2) row configuration from the LX. They can take away the wood trim too and I wouldn't be upset.

An all new LC in MY20 would be awesome and the renderings look great - but I have no desire for the corporate turbocharged 3.4L V6 and a 10 speed that seems to be part of the package.

Panic starts now.

 

[ryanCA]

-the new tacoma engine? WTF? Did no one drive it before selling it? You have the best selling small pickup in the world with world famous reliability, why screw with it? And if you do, you can easily test the competition.....make it at least the same if not better.
.

I own a gen 1 Tacoma, it is fantastic. I own a gen 3 Pro 6MT, and the engine is nothing to write home about.

I agree with you 110% on Gen 3 3.5 motor.

HOWEVER, the market has said otherwise. Market is buying Tacomas regardless of the engine. As @beno says, its all about the $$$benjamins baby.

 

[ryanCA]

- The Lexus front end is terrible, across the board
.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder


The spindle grille is not to everyone's liking. I personally LOVE them. I have owned Lexus vehicles since the first GEN LS400, and my 05 LS430 was my favorite and highest quality.

That said, for me personally, the designs were getting stale. I LOVE the current design language. I know many people don't like the design, and variety makes the world a fun place to live.

That said, sales hasn't hurt at all, with the new spindle grilles. Old people dislike it, young people love it.

 

[Canyonero]

Again, all opinions. There are no opinions when it come to worldwide product planning. Everything Toyota does is based on cold hard facts and numbers.

Unless you have a business plan that conforms to long-term Toyota profit forecasts, provides share holder return, conforms to NHTSA regulations, EPA standards (including the new 2019 CAFE standards), infrastructural needs at the dealership level, necessary corporate planning with the sale of an SFA SWB/MWB vehicles into a new market that has never received such a vehicle, marketing expenses, liability, manufacturing planning and design planning expenses, then I doubt they are interested in talking with you. (or me or anyone on MUD for that matter)

Yeah... but you’re glossing over a pretty key point in the conversation. Vehicles are not engineered in a void. They are designed to be competitive in a particular class or segment.

Jeep wranglers are a in particular segment - one where Toyota has made the predictably conservative mistake of only dipping a toe into those waters (with the FJ), vs. doubling down and taking over the space (as they have the resources to do.) maybe the FJ really was always intended as a single cycle vehicle, but that’s doubtful. By the time they realized a solid front axle was really, truly necessary to compete, they probably ran the numbers and didn’t feel like spending the many millions on a re-launch. Game over.

-the FRS/GT86 is in a segment, and Toyota missed the mark there with not making a vehicle that sells in any real volume. It was not the aspirational sports car for 20-something’s Toyota hoped it would be. They mis-calculated the fact that there are so few young vehicle enthusiasts, and the ones there are, are horsepower jaded and don’t appreciate the scalpel that is the GT86.

FWIW, I’ve owned an FJ, an FR-S and a 200, as well as countless other vehicles. I loved them all. But just because Toyota is an 800 lb gorilla, doesn’t mean they aren’t making big and expensive —and objectively measurable —mistakes in various segments.

In the last year alone they’ve lost money on me in the form of a Honda Ridgeline, a Ford F-150, and a Porsche 718 Cayman GTS. All classes they should be able to compete in, but they really don’t.

Toyota is, however, very well positioned to dominate in the hybrid and EV space in the next 10 years. Ultimately, they are about moving widgets.

Akio Toyoda wants to make sports cars, so good for him, but the Supra on paper already looks like a likely miss—or at least a tough sell.

 

[FJ73Texas]

The FJ Cruiser was basically a shortened 4Runner with much worse visibility all around.

And was even produced as 2WD as well. No idea why.

 

[onemanarmy]

And was even produced as 2WD as well. No idea why.

Jeep made this mistake early on with the JK as well. It was quickly realized and corrected. No more 2wd wranglers.

Yes, the Tacoma is selling well. No one is disputing that. Its basically it's own niche. Nimble, can get a manual, and for a while there wansnt much if any competition. They are selling on their legacy and reliability reputation, which is warranted. However, others are getting into the game with some nice trucks. Toyota knew this when they were redesigning the Tacoma. Why not knock it out of the park? They have the manpower and tech know-how and the money. Yes, they Are making money, but a better effort would have quite possibly made MORE money and futher reenforced the Toyota brand reputation. Same with the FJ cruiser. What was the purpose of that? Had to cost billions to bring it to market...did they not have any focus groups during the process?

Yes, the Lexus front end is striking and yes they are selling, but with such aggressive stying, it will be dated very shortly, which will require a quicker refreshing, which takes lots of money. It also turns quite a few off, why not tone it down and possibly sell more? That's more profit.

I'm glad they make the 200 and the Tacoma.

Anyway, I'm enjoying the convo.

 

[M1911]

And was even produced as 2WD as well. No idea why.

I believe that Jeep made 2wd Jeep Grand Cherokees as well — I really don’t understand the point of a 2wd Jeep, but what do I know...

 

[coleAK]

I spent 2 years in Florida (over 20 years ago). Pretty much every Cherokee, grand Cherokee, 4-runner (2-runner), Explorer, tahoe, suburbian, and most trucks were 2wd.

 

[MikeVpdx503]

I enjoyed my 2017 Tacoma, I can say for certain in my 20's it would have been the truck of my dreams. After driving it for a year, found out it just wasn't for me as I'm rounding out middle age now. Traded in for a 2013 LC 200 and haven't looked back. I think the 3.5 engine is fine, but has to be in fairly high RPMs to get the available power/torque which is a little uncomfortable for the driver/passengers.

I think Toyota (and all manufacturers for that matter) have many challenges dealing with the regulatory nonsense in the North American/US market and we see the results of that in the offerings in trims/models. It seems to all boil down to the fuel efficiency requirements. I wish Toyota would go head to head with the Wrangler with a duel solid axle version of the Cruiser, but doubt that will ever happen, but I would make room in the garage for something like that.

 

[T4Runner]

Obviously I’d rather see a modern FJ40, but hell, at this point I’d settle for a panoramic sunroof on the 200...

 

[SWUtah]

And was even produced as 2WD as well. No idea why.

I owned a FJ when I lived in Maui was a 2 Wheel Drive had the roof rack really nice vehicle perfect for Maui

 

[linuxgod]

Yeah... but you’re glossing over a pretty key point in the conversation. Vehicles are not engineered in a void. They are designed to be competitive in a particular class or segment.

This^^^

As an MBA I can say that this is how large companies operate. They segment the market (so as to avoid cannibalizing other segment sales) and then go after the estimated segment by designing a product to fit.

I don't know what segment the FJC was targeted at, but Toyota did the math and probably determined that a SFA would only steal market from the 4Runner segment and decided that the "I want the FJ history and 40/60-series looks" crowd was a much larger and available segment and that is who they went after.

 

[mcgaskins]

Obviously I’d rather see a modern FJ40, but hell, at this point I’d settle for a panoramic sunroof on the 200...

That would be awesome. I've had pano roofs in the past, and it is a feature I'd love on the Land Cruiser regardless of generation.

 

[dnh1]

That would be awesome. I've had pano roofs in the past, and it is a feature I'd love on the Land Cruiser regardless of generation.

I went from a 2015 Range Rover to a 2016 LC. Literally the only thing I miss is the pano roof.

 

[jacentito]

That would be awesome. I've had pano roofs in the past, and it is a feature I'd love on the Land Cruiser regardless of generation.

Question: would a pano glass roof be a compromise to 1) the structural rigidity for the body since it is body on frame? 2) the use-ability of the roof for anything other than light load carrying? I would hate to have a roof mounted tent or shovel or hi-lift jack or jerry cans suspended over glass. By taking a huge section on the roof and inserting a non-flexing glass window, the rest of the tin can sitting on top of the frame would have to stiffen (read: heavier) to compensate. Just my two cents

 

[TonyP]

I don't see it compromising anything beside changing the CoG since a big ass pane of glass with all the electrics and mounts and whatnot is much heavier than some sheetmetal and bracing.

 

[Chocolate]

Funny how preferences are different for the sunroof. I would prefer an all steel roof. I've never used the sunroof other than testing it once. As I have 4 windows for fresh air or more light, I consider it a weakening hole cut into the roof. A hole with a tempered glass window is not as strong as an uninterrupted panel of stamped steel. But every premium vehicle has to have one. While the roof on the Land Cruiser is solid, I'd rather take the extra strength.

Luckily, one generational change from the 100 to 200 is significantly larger A pillars.

 

[Hothonda]

In 3 years have opened my sunroof 2 times

 

[gaijin]

I would rather have the added headroom and lose the sunroof.