Sales of fuel efficient vehicles makes Toyota #2 in the US, passing Ford.

[NNadir]

TOKYO, Aug. 4 — Toyota Motor Company said its income jumped 39.2 percent to $3.2 billion during the second quarter, boosted by strong sales of fuel-efficient vehicles in the United States, where it passed Ford Motor Company in July sales to rank as the second-biggest automaker behind General Motors.

Toyota, which already ranks as No. 2 in the world, appears on pace to pass G.M. as the world’s biggest auto company, perhaps as soon as this year...

...Toyota’s strong results came on top of Honda’s $1.2 billion profit during the second quarter, up 30 percent from 2005.

Many analysts believe Toyota will pass G.M. this year as the world’s biggest auto company, given an aggressive expansion plan that comes as G.M. is losing market share in the United States. Toyota is scouting locations for another assembly plant and a new engine plant, and will open a new truck factory in San Antonio this fall...

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/04/business/worldbusiness/04cnd-toyota.html?hp&ex=1154750400&en=2bdcdde557d76e3e&ei=5094&partner=homepage

[tridim]

1. But I thought Americans were only concerned with horsepower

and other macho features that make the driver think his penis is bigger than it actually is.

Watch the recent Hummer commercials for a perfect example.

[eppur_se_muova]

6. I think you just explained the Hummer *STRETCH LIMO* I saw the other day.

Whatever you do, don't try to think of an alternative interpretation of "stretch hummer". You'll regret it. x(

[n2doc]

2. And Ford is selling all the hybrid SUV's they can make

So come on, US (and Dam-Chrysler) car makers! Give us what we want! No more crappy SUV's and huge trucks (or at least, re-distribute your attention so that it is not 100% focussed on those lines).

[NNadir]

3. Is that true? I thought the Escape wasn't doing that well.

[n2doc]

4. Recent article in the NYT on hybrid escape

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/30/automobiles/autosreviews/30BLOCK.html

snip:
Ford had incorrectly predicted that its first hybrid would sell as easily as Toyota’s wildly popular Prius, and largely without advertising. By last winter, some dealers reported that Escape Hybrids sat on their lots so long that the batteries died.

In February, Ford changed its hands-off marketing approach and gave the hybrid a full-blown ad campaign, including coveted Super Bowl spots and a green spokesman, Kermit the Frog. Buyer incentives of $1,000 were offered on 2006 models. (For 2007, the incentives were dropped, but the base price was lowered by $1,000.)

In addition, Ford has sought to educate its dealers about tax breaks available for hybrid buyers. The Escape Hybrid qualifies for either a $1,950 (all-wheel drive) or $2,600 (front drive) federal tax credit and some state and local incentives as well.

The result, said Jim Cain, a Ford spokesman, was “a doubling of sales in some markets.” The backlog of unsold models has disappeared and “we are now selling as many as we make,” he said.

[NNadir]

5. That's moderately good news.

It's not as if it's a 60 mpg car, but still...