Hybrids Aid Japanese Takeover

Autopia reported that in July, Toyota passed Ford for the number two spot, while Honda outsold DaimlerChrysler for the first time ever.

Sales of the Ford F-series pickup fell 43.5 percent last month, and the Explorer SUV were down more than 50 percent during July, according to The New York Times.

Toyota hybrids and small cars lead its passenger division to its best July ever. Toyota sold 5,023 of the Camry Hybrids and 10,137 of the Yaris subcompact (outselling the staple Ford Taurus, which dropped by one-third) . The Prius hybrid posted July sales of 11,114, an increase of 19.3 percent over the previous year.  ... read entire article

It looks like gasoline prices are really having an effect.  How long before Toyota will be the world's largest automaker. It will take years, if ever, for US automakers to catch up.

Comments

[Harvey D.]

We are about to see the light. SUV gas guzzlers down 50%, Hybrids + smaller more efficient cars up 30%. That's how we will get to the Big 3's.

Let's get it up....

[Engineer-Poet]

I bet that a lot of Ford and GM executives are kicking themselves for canning the PNGV efforts when BushCo terminated support for them.

Whether they'll resign, be thrown out by a new board after shareholders revolt, or lose their jobs in bankruptcy remains to be seen.

[DG]

I'm sure as usual they'll blame all their problems on unions.

[amazingdrx]

Detroit is toast. That's a shame. But we did warn them, and warn them, and warn them.

All those manufacturing jobs gone. The old auto industry will emerge from bankruptcy, minus pension and healthcare obligations, as chinese/american auto makers. They will then exhort consumers to buy american, hehey.

Just like Walmart used to.

[Charles S]

I believe (and it was also mentioned in the article) a good part of the reasons for such a big drop is because that numbers are skewed by the big sales war amoung the domestics last year. This year, the new strategy for the domestics was to reduce the price, instead of giving out large incentives. I guess that did not pan out so well.

5000 Camary Hybrids, and 10,000 Yaris really doesn't mean much, and certainly does not spell the end of trucks and SUVs. A few bad months for F-150 probably still outsell all of Yaris for 2006.

The price of gas have been "high" for a few years now, and we continue to consume MORE gasoline that ever before. There is nothing special about last July that really convince Americans to not buy large gas guzzlers, but rather, I believe people are just not interested in buying a new vehicle from the domestics.

I believe that car buyers in general will end up buying same category that they are comfortable with. Folks who like Sequoia will probably "downgrade" and "settle" for a 4-Runner, but have to be desperate to go for a Rav4. They will probably never even consider a Corolla, let alone a Yaris. The poor sales figures for the domestics right now likely means that their core customers just aren't buying, but rather keep their current vehicle longer than usual.

When the next "HOT" low mpg car/truck comes out, the core market that fueled the SUV craze will simply trade in their current gas guzzler for a newer, slightly-less-gas-guzzling gas guzzler. This is why I believe the domestics are still betting on the large, high-profit full-size trucks and SUVs. They are betting that hybrid and diesel trucks will bring back those who are on the sidelines.

[amazingdrx]

Nope, those interested in giant gas guzzlers are buying Toyota and Honda trucks and SUVs, mainly for their reliability.

Those who buy domestic instead of Toyota four wheelers are seen as well intentioned (save US jobs)but simple minded. The secret is out.

My conservative friends who went to Toyota four wheel drive 10 years ago found they only needed new tires and oil changes. Zero defects and maintenance costs other than that. Basically you can't wreck them with reasonable care.

On the other hand the fleets of #ords they drive in their government jobs local, state, or federal need new parts every six months.

A government owned #-350 needed a new tranny 4 times in 3 years.

"You can't afford to own a #ord", that's the word on the street.

[petropest]

The U.S. automakers were stupid and arrogant for many years. This did not happen over night. When the Japanese automakers find a design flaw they fix it and thus are constantly improving their line. The U.S. automakers took the approach that they can keep selling the same old garbage and people will continue to buy because it is made in Detroit. Well, management just lost their jobs and the Asians are coming to town. Now I can buy a Made in U.S.A. Honda if I want. As to gasoline consumption, most people are clueless, and worse, they don't care. Until it hits them in the pocketbook they won't change a thing they are doing.

[Bob]

Conveniently missing the fact that entry level SUV sales are actually up 6.1% with Luxury SUV sales rising by 16%.

Americans have not seen the light just yet. Gas prices are only have an effect on the poor.

[John Acheson]

Whether its an SUV or hybrid, it better get efficient or face extinction.

1,000 engineers threw out 80 designs to get to the 1st gen Prius that reached 32% efficiency.

Any automaker can improve efficiency. Throwing 8 of 10 barrels of oil into the air is not going to work for 7 generations.

Who's going to follow Toyota's lead by releasing wheel to well figures instead of mileage?