Toyota set to go back to number one in the car industry

Product recalls, halt in production, questionable quality. Phrases that five years ago you would never had said of Toyota. Toyota are always held up as being more reliable than Volvo and with a superb standard of quality, meaning value for customers.

But all of the above did happen, though to be fair to Toyota they had little say in the March Earthquake/Tsunami/Fukushima crisis which severely damaged their production and distribution. Toyota responded well to the various product recalls by offering long term quality guarantees.

So with that in mind perhaps it is or it isn’t a shock that Toyota look set to reclaim the title of world's biggest carmaker in 2012, from being third 2011.

2012 Sales are up by 22% adding up to a staggering 9.7 million vehicles. 8.68 million of those sales come from Toyota and Lexus.

In 2011, Toyota lost the top spot to General Motors of the US with Germany's Volkswagen coming second, after Japan's tsunami and earthquake, as well as flooding in Thailand, hit production. Toyota had previously held the crown for the world's biggest maker and seller of cars in three consecutive years, from 2008 to 2010.

Personally I have only driven Toyota’s twice. Once in Australia and once in New Zealand. The cars were comfortable and had excellent fuel economy. My only gripe with Toyota is that the affordable sportscar the Celica is no longer being made. That was a beautiful car!

#toyota #carindustry

Who owns what in the auto industry

The convoluted realm of car ownership.

For more cool infographics visit:

http://www.coolinfographics.com/blog/tag/bubble

Customer Service & Production: Autostadt - VW's massive garage

In Wolfsburg, Germany, Volkswagen have the latest in stock inventory… two massive car silos or garages that can hold 600 cars. Each silo is 200ft tall and links to the VW factory by a futuristic conveyor belt, meaning that when the cars are completed, they are transported to the silos to be stored until picked up or sent to their new owners.

The belt lies in an underground tunnel which also puts some final finishing touches to the cars such as adding a licence plate to the cars. The mileage is also set at zero at this point so customers can watch their car being picked up and delivered by the robotic arms just like in the Mission: Impossible movie Ghost Protocol, which had a futuristic garage in Mumbai, but in actual fact was inspired by the incredible VW silos.

For more photos and a more in depth article please read here: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2093052/600-Volkswagens-stacked-200ft-tall-silos-ready-delivery.html

Chinese owned Volvo ready to begin car production

Manufacturing in China, the world's fastest growing market, is every carmaker's dream.
Making the dream come come true is far from easy, however, as Chinese-owned Volvo Cars has discovered.

Nearly two years have passed since Geely paid $1.8bn for Ford's Swedish subsidiary, in a deal said to be the biggest acquisition of a non-Chinese rival by a Chinese carmaker.
Last year, Volvo sold more than 100,000 cars in China, 24% more than in 2010.

Yet the Chinese authorities still see Volvo as a foreign player, which means it cannot make cars there.

"We are being treated as a foreign company," observes Stefan Jacoby, Volvo's chief executive.
"Obviously we cannot hide that we are a Swedish registered company, so we'll need to enter into a joint venture in China in order to comply with Chinese automotive regulations."


For the full article read here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-17190800

Global Car Production Threatened by a break in the Supply Chain

When a fire in the small town of Marl in the west of Germany closed down an obscure chemical plant on 31 March, it barely made headlines.

Two people died and that was a personal tragedy for their families and friends, but the shock waves did not resonate far beyond.

Except, it turns out, to the other side of the Atlantic - in Detroit, Michigan.

So tight is the global car industry's supply chain that one break in a small link threatens the lot.

About three weeks after the fire, executives from the world's biggest auto-makers and their suppliers have met with furrowed brows to take stock of the implications of the fire.

And they are serious.

It turns out that the braking and the fuel systems of cars depend on a resin called PA-12.

And PA-12 is made out of an inelegantly named chemical: cyclododecatriene, or CDT.
Evonik Industries' plant in Germany was responsible for a good chunk of the world's supply - one estimate put it between a quarter and a half.


From BBC Business News. Read the article in full here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-17769466

In the News...

KODAK FILE FOR BANKRUPTCY
Eastman Kodak, the company that invented the hand-held camera, has filed for bankruptcy protection.

The move gives the company time to reorganise itself without facing its creditors, and Kodak said that it would mean business as normal for customers.

The company has recently moved away from cameras to refocus on making printers to stem falling profits.

The 133-year-old firm has struggled to keep up with competitors who were quicker to adapt to the digital era.

EXPORTS HELP UK CAR INDUSTRY
Car production in the UK rose by 5.8% in 2011, industry figures show.

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) said manufacturing had ended the year with a 1.6% rise in December, producing a total of 1,343,810 vehicles in the year.
The SMMT said record exports had been the main driver of growth, with more than 80% of vehicles exported.

Although production rose last year, the SMMT said last week that new car sales in the UK had fallen 4.4% in 2011.

Engine production also rose by 4.9% to just over 2.5 million, despite a modest 1.3% fall in December.

Sources: BBC Business News

Toyota and the future of small cars

Small city cars

In existing cities, autonomously driven cars remain an unlikely prospect for years to come, however, so Japan's carmakers are busy coming up with more immediate solutions to counter growing congestion and pollution.

Honda's Micro Commuter is one of many city solutions on show in Tokyo

Plenty of small city cars will go on show in Tokyo, including tiny electric cars such as Honda's Micro Commuter.

This car includes a peculiar electric motorcycle that can be used for final-miles driving and then its battery can be used to power electrical appliances in the office.

There is also Nissan's Pivo 3, a three-seater electric vehicle that has been gradually modified over the years, making it a likely production model.

Toyota is also showcasing an electric version of its tiny iQ model.

On the open road, where drivers cover greater distances in family-sized cars, the hydrogen-powered fuel cell vehicle is also quickly becoming a reality after decades of research and development.

Toyota, for instance, is showing off its FCV-R "reality and revolution" concept, which promises a 430 miles range and insists it should hit the road in just three or four years.

Until then, drivers wishing for improved efficiency, fuel economy and emissions reductions are being offered a broader range of petrol-electric or diesel-electric solutions.

Toyota Production Back to Normal

Toyota Motor said it had restored vehicle output in Japan to "near-normal levels" on Monday, after severe flooding in Thailand disrupted supply chains.

Partial production at three Toyota factories in Thailand itself has also resumed.

Last month the carmaker was forced to cut production around the world.Floods in Thailand were the worst the country has seen in years, with 600 deaths. Many firms have went bust.

Factory closures and other disruptions from the floods contributed to an 18.5% fall in Toyota's July to September profits.

Toyota has withdrawn its profit and vehicles sales forecasts due to continued uncertainty.

Source: BBC Business News

The World's Most Revolutionary Car?

F1 designer Professor Gordon Murray has designed a new car called the T.25 which may well revolutionise the future of urban transport.

The car is made from glass fibre, recycled plastic bottles and steel tubes. It uses just a fifth of materials to construct regular cars.

The T.25 is a 3 seater, can hit a top speed of 100mph and will retail at around £6,000.

The space saving car has doors that open from the engine and windscreen out as opposed to doors opening at the side - a tremendous space saver. Also the driver sits in the middle at the front, with two passengers at the rear.

The Professor intends to use his new technological lightweight advances to apply it to larger vehicles such as buses!

The method of production is called iStream which uses complex software to allow the makers to modify the size or shape or colour of the frames or body panels. This offers tremendous flexibility for manufacturers including the ability to change oroduction of the engine from petrol or diesel or even electric cells.

Because because fewer parts are being used (and cheaper, lightweight ones at that), massive production savings will come into play and hopefully be passed on to the consumer - just like Henry Ford did with his legendary Model T-Ford.

Professor Murray also says that due to less capital being invested at the start-up of the i-Stream production process, more entrepreneurs and investors are likely to get on board as there is less risk.

The result is a car which for once - unlike the much heralded Electric Car or the Hybrids - may actually change the world we live in for the better.

Think of the impact such lightweight, tiny cars can have on congested megacities or China and India who are becoming more industrialised and urbanised every day.

Could this car be the ultimate in saving the world?

For the full article go to: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-11301831

6 Failed Car Companies

Fortune have recently illustrated some of the automotive industry's greatest failures. Here are some names with which you may or may not be familiar. If I am honest I only know Tucker and DeLorean, but hey, we are here to learn new things, eh?

Crosley Motors (1939-1952)

Tuck Corporation (1944-1949) - made famous by the George Lucas produced movie: Tucker: The Man and His Dream

Cunningham Motors (1950-1955)

Bricklin Motors (1974 - 1976)

DeLorean Motor Company (1975 - 1982) - the Back to the Future car

Vector Motors (1971 - 1993)


Perhaps when I get more time I will have a look at some of the lesser known car companies in due course.

For the full article, please follow the link to Fortune:

http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2010/autos/1002/gallery.failed_car_companies.fortune/index.html

Top 20 Car Manufacturer's in the World

Following on from the Toyota crisis and also my own personal interest in the Tata Motor Company of India, I have found the rankings of the top car manufacturer's at present.

1. Toyota Motor Corporation (Japan)

2. General Motors (USA)

3. Volkswagen (Germany)

4. Ford Motor Company (USA)

5. Honda Motor Company (Japan)

6. Nissan Motor Company (Japan)

7. Peugeot / Citroen (France)

8. Hyundai Motor Company (South Korea)

9. Suzuki Motor Corporation (Japan)

10. Fiat Motor Group (Italy)

11. Renault (France)

12. Daimler (Germany)

13. Chrysler Group (USA)

14. BMW (Germany)

15. Kia Motors (South Korea)

16. Mazda Motor Corporation (Japan)

17. Mitsubishi (Japan)

18. OAO (Russia)

19. Tata Motors Ltd (India)

20. First Automotive Group Corporation (China)


Notable absentee in the top 20 are Volvo (Sweden) at number 28, though it was bought by Ford and now sold again!

Japan is the dominant nation, just as it was in electronics with 6 out of the top 20.

Toyota - Product Recall Recent History

Toyota for many years has been a name synonymous with quality and perfection. Not for nothing is the Corolla the biggest selling car of all time.

However, Toyota's seemingly unblemished image is unravelling at speed.

Here is a history of product recalls over the past 3 years from the Japanese automobile giants.

September 2007, US: 55,000 Camry and Lexus cars in floormat recall

October 2009, US: 3.8m Toyota and Lexus vehicles recalled due to floormat problem

November 2009, US: floormat recall increased to 4.2m vehicles

January 2010, US: 2.3m Toyota vehicles recalled due to accelerator pedal problems (of those, 2.1m already involved in floormat recall)

January 2010, US: 1.1m Toyotas in floormat recall

February 2010, Europe: 1.8m Toyota's in pedal recall

February 2010, Japan, US: 200 reports of brake faults in new Prius. Cars recalled

February 2010, worldwide: 436,000 hybrid vehicles in brake recall. Also, 7,300 Camry vehicles recalled in the US over potential brake tube problems

February 2010, US: 8,000 Tacoma pick-up trucks recalled over concerns about defective shafts

With a dreadful start to 2010, perhaps this is Toyota's annus horibillis?

How can Toyota recover from such bad press and negative perceptions about reliability and quality, their biggest strengths when taking on the US giants of Chrysler, General Motors and Ford?

Perhaps the question should be how long will it take for them to recover. But in this global recession who knows?

UK Jobs under threat at Toyota

Toyota could trim its UK workforce after a sharp decline in demand led it to post its first losses since 1941, it was reported.

The Japanese car giant has forecast an operating loss of 150 billion yen (£1.12 billion) for the financial year ending next March - the first such loss since it began reporting operating figures.
According to the Times, Toyota could cut up to 800 jobs in the UK, or 15% of its workforce, adding to the 40,000 positions expected to be shed from the UK car industry's 200,000 total over the next three years.

The Times said declining demand was "likely" to trigger redundancies across Toyota's business.
The car maker has not made any of its permanent staff redundant, but it is understood to have already cut an unspecified number of temporary workers.

Toyota promised to do all it could to retain permanent British workers, but has reportedly not ruled out the possibility of redundancies.

Source: The Press Association

To read or see more information on Toyota, you can watch my presentation called: Toyota the Supermarket for Cars Here at Slide Share