Wouldn't it make sense for Toyota to develop an Auto division exclusive to its hybrid technology since it will be the core of Toyota's strategy over the next decade? It appears that Toyota will begin rolling out its electric vehicles for 2010, which sounds ahead of schedule. The hybrid auto division could focus on design, manufacturing, sales and repair exclusive to hybrids. For the local customer that would mean buying your car from a hybrid dealership that employs knowledgeable sales people and having your hybrid serviced by trained hybrid technicians.
Sorry, but that doesn't make sense. Vehicle bodies are shared. Electric parts are shared. The traditional offerings will be scaled back over time. Everyone will be well informed about hybrids anyway. After all, they are not competiting with each other. .
1. Dealers are not part of Toyota. 2. Relaively few salespeople are knowledgeable. Why have salespeople? It would be great if I could bypass all the BS & place an order for the car I want with Toyota.
While I understand your idea and it seems pretty obvious, think about the hybrids that are based on normal cars. If you have them in a separate showroom, then it will be hard for someone to compare a Camry Hybrid to a Camry or a Highlander Hybrid to a Highlander. They would have to go to separate dealerships for test drives. If you're thinking same roof, but partitioned, I guess that could work but not all dealerships are large enough to have partitions.
Well, according to the salesman at a local dealership I was at the other day, he said the word was that Toyota was going to do just that: Prius would become it's own division in the near future. And for all the reasons he states. I think that ctbering might be foreshadowing the future!! Quick, can you give me some lottery numbers so I can win...and afford to buy a new Prius!?!?
They do a similar thing now with Scion. My dealership is a Toyota/Scion dealership all under one roof.
btw... space is not lost with the RX400h... it's built in, just like the prius ( under the rear floor)
GM tried and failed, Saturn division. At the beginning, Saturn design their cars independent of GM. But they have limited resources and high costs. They ended up using GM's platforms to reduce development costs.
I've also heard that Toyota was going to make the Prius, like the Scion, its own division. They will probably have different styles and sizes. I'm hoping for a hybrid truck.
I think that ctbering might be foreshadowing the future!! Quick, can you give me some lottery numbers so I can win...and afford to buy a new Prius! Just call me Swammy, not to be confused with Swarmy....Some people like playing Monopoly ...I love playing manager of multi-billion dollar businesses. BTW, I haven't ever met a salesperson with the inside scoop of the corporations they work for, especially a closed Japenese corporate culture.
