Toyota rethinks plans for U.S.-built Prius as profits sag

[tammywammy]

Toyota rethinks plans for U.S.-built Prius as profits sag

TOKYO -- Toyota Motor Corp.'s emergency task forced charged with propping up the automaker's profits is reviewing plans to build the Prius hybrid at a new plant in Mississippi.

U.S. sales of the redesigned Prius had been scheduled to begin in mid-2009, with imports from Japan.

And U.S. production of the Prius, originally scheduled to begin in 2010, could now be pushed back to 2011 or later, Japan's Nikkei newspaper reported November 14, without citing sources.

Toyota confirmed that the committee is currently reviewing all future products and capital investments. But nothing has been decided yet, the Japanese automaker said.

"That includes the Prius," spokeswoman Kayo Doi said.

The task force, chaired by President Katsuaki Watanabe, was formed after Toyota booked an operating loss in North America for the first half and slashed its full-year earnings forecast.

Toyota's Mississippi plant had been slated to build the Highlander SUV. But amid falling sales of big vehicles, Toyota opted instead for the Prius to tap booming demand for fuel-efficient cars.

http://www.autonews.com/article/20081114/COPY01/311149933/1176


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[goforit]

1. Yes, regardless of the lower prices in gas, energy/environmental cars are a

must.
I have owned one for two and a half years, and owned a Honda civic hybrid for 6 years.
Both are never in the shop except for an occassional maintenance check.

I would hope that all the engineers and employees of the American Auto makers step up to the plate and play ball.
Bottom line......commit MUTANY!!!
This would be a beautiful....karmic thing!!!

[ogneopasno]

2. Huh, that's funny. The way this board reads sometimes, you'd think a non-UAW Japanese hybrid was

going to save the effing world. You mean they DON'T have all the answers? And that not everybody is going to buy one? O NOES!

[tammywammy]

3. I'm personally not a hybrid fan

I'm on the diesel bandwagon. :)

[ogneopasno]

4. Right on.

:)

[ingac70]

5. I would love to see more diesel cars...

available. The only diesels from American manufacturers bother to make are trucks, and the only truck I have (or will ever have) is an old beater for driving to the dump once a week and hauling stuff on the rare occasion I need to.

[tammywammy]

7. Well, they're restricted on diesels

The government sets that only such a percentage of vehicle sold of a manufacturer can be diesels. Volkswagen has huge demand for the new clean TDI Jetta but they can only actually sell a small percentage of their overall total sold in the US because of the limits set.

I would love to see the Big 3 make more diesels available in the US in cars (instead of mostly work trucks). But then, if GM goes under, that won't be happening anytime soon.

[Jack_DeLeon]

6. I'm also worried about GM's Volt...

given current gas prices and the situation with the economy I fear it wont be built, which sucks ass given we will be dependent on oil for alot longer then.

[tammywammy]

8. Well, if GM goes under the Volt will go bye-bye

I haven't read anything stating that GM is delaying the Volt so far.