Financially troubled domestic automakers are trying to outdo Japanese vehicle producers and thus are putting their best feet forward with vehicles at the Chicago Auto Show, which opens today at McCormick Place.
However, the major address given Thursday during a media preview of the show at an Economic Club of Chicago luncheon was from James Press, president of Toyota Motor North America -- Toyota's U.S. holding company.
Toyota might overtake Ford and DaimlerChrysler's Chrysler unit in sales this year and is attacking the last U.S. vehicle market stronghold with its new full-size Tundra pickup truck.
Toyota might overtake Ford and DaimlerChrysler's Chrysler unit in sales this year and is attacking the last U.S. vehicle market stronghold with its new full-size Tundra pickup truck.
The Japanese-based automaker is aware of resentment toward it among American vehicle buyers. Press, however, said Toyota's expansion across the United States in manufacturing and marketing "was and is a part'' of its "worldwide localization effort'' that "helps us serve customers better while supporting our local communities.''
Press remarked that Toyota has a 25-year-old joint vehicle building venture with General Motors in California and that it's willing to engage in more technology-sharing agreements with other automakers. It has agreements on hybrid powertrain technology with Nissan and Ford and agreements on hydrogen fuel cell technology with two universities.
"After 50 years in America, Toyota makes cars, trucks and components in 10 plants in eight states -- and that Americans now design, build, sell and finance Toyota vehicles across the country,'' Press said.
However, analyst Ray Windecker of Michigan's American Autodatum said that, at the end of the day, Toyota's bottom line profits go to Japan and that Toyota plants in this country often just replace domestic vehicle plants.
Toyota's fairly new, successful Scion youth-oriented vehicle division announced two new 2008 models at its media show preview. One is a larger, more powerful replacement for the popular Scion xB model. The other is a revamped tC model -- Scion's top-selling vehicle. The new tC has sharper styling, new standard equipment and more safety features. Scion said the tC has so many standard items that a buyer need only choose between manual or automatic transmissions and vehicle color.
At another media preview, Kia Motors of America marketing vice president Ian Beavis said the South Korean automaker has racked up a dozen consecutive years of sales gains in America. Beavis said Kia is building its vehicle lineup the same way most Japanese automakers did -- starting with low-priced small cars and then moving to higher-line autos and such light trucks as its Kia Sedona minivan. He said Kia eventually will move to premium vehicles.
"Kia has a 100,000-mile powertrain warranty, and that helps bring customers to our showrooms. But such things as our precise fits and finishes really surprise people because many don't' expect that of Kia,'' he said.
Kia is controlled by South Korea's Hyundai, so does Beavis see friction in that relationship with, say, overlapping types of vehicles?
"No, because Kia is regarded as a producer of sportier cars for younger buyers, while Hyundai is known as a maker of more luxurious vehicles,'' Beavis said.
