Toyota establishes "Committee to create interesting cars"

[No Boss]

http://www.autoblog.com/2007/07/30/t...teresting-cars

Toyota's MegaWeb showcase in the center of Tokyo proudly displays 13 sedans, 11 minivans, nine hatchbacks, six 4x4s, four station wagons and zero sports cars. Since production of the MR2 went the way of the Supra and the Celica and Soarer fell under the Lexus banner, Toyota has had precious little for car enthusiasts to get excited about.

The situation is so dire that even Toyota's top brass have noticed. According to the August 26th edition of "Best Car" magazine (Japan is no longer just 16 hours ahead of the US it would seem), the board of directors has created a "Committee to create interesting cars" in response to grass roots criticism that recent Toyotas are uninteresting. Let's hope that by admitting to having a problem, the company has taken the first step to recovery.

No word about what the committee's recommendations have been to date, but we'll let you know as soon as we hear.

Hey at least they're honest with themselves.

[epp_b]

Haha, Toyota need this!

[GM_IV]

Originally Posted by epp_b

Haha, Toyota need this!

They seriously do. I like Toyota very much but I look at today's lineup and theres nothing I would want to buy. If I want another Toyota I'd pretty much have to look backward.

[I'm not Takumi]

*cough*modernupdate*cough*

[Cobol74]

A Camel - a Horse designed by a committee.

Toyota, this is going to work. (Sorry you can't hear my voice - of course it won't!)

When Jaguar was run/owned by Sir William Lyons he would design the cars himself in the garden of his home when the weather was nice and show the local children what he was designing - one man, one vision, not a heffing committee.

[GM_IV]

Originally Posted by Cobol74

A Camel - a Horse designed by a committee.

Toyota, this is going to work. (Sorry you can't hear my voice - of course it won't!)

When Jaguar was run/owned by Sir William Lyons he would design the cars himself in the garden of his home when the weather was nice and show the local children what he was designing - one man, one vision, not a heffing committee.

I don't think it has to do with styling rather the sort of cars Toyota needs to make to become interesting. Example, return of the Supra, make more RWD cars, hire a real stylist, etc. could be the recommendations.

[jayhawk]

I typed out something long and thoughtful, but then I thought: why? So Instead, my crude version!

Toyota, you have no hope of designing an exciting car. Your designs for the past 5 years are as exciting as vanilla ice cream, and as thrilling as a straight line. I hope you fail, and Hyundai eclipes you in sales, just for being boring and safe.

[amdforever]

They need more of THIS (AE86) !

[Labcoatguy]

All Toyota needs is to bring back its cheap RWD lineup again. Is that too hard to ask, expecting the answer yes?

[TomCat]

And they need to stop trying to style cars. They're bad at it. Just use a ruler, like in the 1980's, and focus more on the engineering.

[KaJuN]

The name of the committee is a bit misleading. A man with a foot growing out of his forehead is interesting, but that would hardly qualify as being good or beautiful. I'll be happy as long as they discontinue or restyle the Yaris so I won't have to look at that hideous front end ever again.

[powah]

A new Supra or something (not a hybrid one)

[fbc]

A committee? So they're all going to sit around a really interesting table, in the Office of Really Interesting Things, and decide what Interesting Stuff to put in the cars?

Oh please, this is just sad. Kudos to them for belatedly acknowledging the problem with their line up, but a committee isn't the way to fix it.

[BlaRo]

A Committee to design Interesting Cars...that's the most ironic thing I've heard all week.

Originally Posted by fbc

A committee? So they're all going to sit around a really interesting table, in the Office of Really Interesting Things, and decide what Interesting Stuff to put in the cars?

That's a Monty Python sketch right there.

[AltimaXX]

As long as the Yaris (which I and my friends all refer to as the "scrotum") and the god-awfully ugly camry are still on the market, I don't think Toyota's styling department has a hope in hell of producing an attractive car. The last Toyota product that I would gladly lay down money for is the Mk. IV Supra.

[Paul_The_Aussie]

To me an interesting car just can't be thought up by a committee, it is created through passion, through competition,etc. The problem I see with Toyota currently is they can make a reliable car and that's it, it is just a car, there is no passion in what they do, they're line of thinking is if everyone else can can do it so can we, but they don't understand how a car is produced. That's my opinion anyway.

['CruiserMan]

Right. Fixing the big T's cardigan issues.

Yes, a sports car, but one that doesn't just feel like a really fast Corolla, or a really fast Camry (I'm looking at the Aurieon here). It needs to feel alive, agile and talkative. Precisely what the Corolla is, and the Camry, and the Aureion(which also needs a manual 'box, and a handbrake that isn't where the clutch should be). A new MR2? Sure, if the sense of connection of the original can be remade, I'd be all for it. A mid-market, mid-engined Toyota could be a wonderful thing. Supra? YES! Return of the Japanese supercar!

Also: start building their offroaders and commercial vehicles as such; Tough. The latest HiLux doesn't feel as solid as the old one, and the 100 Series Landcruiser has begun a slide into becoming a luxo-barge, and I can't really see the 200 Series being anything else but more of the same.

/rambling

[EsPpY]

New MR2, new AE86, new Supra, and none of them to be hybrid please, thanks.

That should do the job. And TRD editions of them would be good too. Their TRD department hasnt been in the spotlight recently, AFAIK.

['CruiserMan]

A TRD Landcruiser would be hysterical and wonderful.

[I'm not Takumi]

Originally Posted by EsPpY

New MR2, new AE86, new Supra, and none of them to be hybrid please, thanks.

That should do the job. And TRD editions of them would be good too. Their TRD department hasnt been in the spotlight recently, AFAIK.

Originally Posted by 'CruiserMan

A TRD Landcruiser would be hysterical and wonderful.

Actually, thats what they should do. Take a cue from Scion at least.

Rebadge the Corolla Coupe/Hatch, the Supra, the MR2, and the Land Cruiser/FJ as TRD products. Offer a basic model with some cheap upgrades bolted on with room to turn the car into what you want.

Want to make the local H2's jealous with a mud bath for your FJ? Some simple bolt ons for a day on a mild dirt trail and a slight lift kit. Turn your Supra into an entry-level drag car? A few cheap turbos and an intercooler. Rally-spec Corolla? Rollcages and some decent shocks anyone?

And for god sakes, HAVE A FEW GODDAMN DECENT COMMERCIALS!! When your car is known for this:

+ YouTube Video

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