Worst Idea Ever: Toyota To Produce Prius For GM?

[blueumbrella]

Given the real reason we all buy a Pruis, this has got to be a dam good idea for everyone who likes to breathe. Why would you not want more of these cars on the road? It will take a long time to accept or believe that Ford or GM will be reliable enough for me, but others will buy them. Increasing this type of competition benefits all of us.

[wfolta]

Originally Posted by The Electric Me

I knew a lot of people who bought GEO's knowing they were rebadged Corollas. I know a lot of people outside of the desired age demographic that bought Scion XB's in part because they knew they were built by Toyota.

I think that the Volt is the next generation of car, but it's really a long-term bet by GM: electric range needs to go up, and options for plugging in need to increase. (I.e. we live in a condo, so no plugging in a car for us... at present.)

So why not fill the short-term with a rebadged Prius? Keeps GM "in the game" with the electric mainstream while they're going for the long pass to the electric future.

Plus the Volt is not a direct competitor with the Prius, in terms of technology, so Toyota should not have a problem with it... Who knows, maybe GM could get to the point where Toyota has a rebadged Volt?

[freo-1]

Originally Posted by blueumbrella

Given the real reason we all buy a Pruis, this has got to be a dam good idea for everyone who likes to breathe. Why would you not want more of these cars on the road? It will take a long time to accept or believe that Ford or GM will be reliable enough for me, but others will buy them. Increasing this type of competition benefits all of us.

I think you are being a bit hard on Ford regrading reliability. Ford has scored pretty well on that score.

The Ford Fusion Hybrid is a better overall buy than the Camry Hybrid.

Having said that, agree with you on increasing competition.

[spwolf]

I dont think that Toyota would ever rebadge Prius.

Now selling their hybrid technology like they did for Nissan? Why not?

[DaveinOlyWA]

i also think that Toyota will license the hybrid technology and GM will create their own body style and name plate. it would be like licking the enemy's boot to come out with a rebadged Prius...

it may use the same technology, but it has to look at least somewhat different

[turapeach]

My husband is still mourning the 1991 Geo Prizm I made him dump a year ago before we moved overseas. Assuming both companies benefited from that relationship, I think it is a fabulous idea.

[blamy]

I think I would have a real hard time trusting the quality of a Prius built by GM workers. If they could have built cars with quality in the first place they might not be in the trouble they are in now.

[snead_c]

Originally Posted by Prius Team

I'd like to weigh in on this posted article, if I may.

The picture of Joaquin Phoenix incorrectly portrays the meaning of the "thumbs down" from Roman culture. This signal actually meant the gladiator's life should be spared by putting "down the swords". This signal was mistaken by French artist Leon Gerome, and continues in popular culture today.

See more here. Don't believe that, well then here's another interpretation.

That's all I have to say about this matter. Hope it helps clarify everything.

Doug Coleman
Prius Product Manager
Toyota Motor Sales, USA

Hummmm...so Toyota "saves GM " to fight another day

[bwilson4web]

Originally Posted by blamy

I think I would have a real hard time trusting the quality of a Prius built by GM workers. If they could have built cars with quality in the first place they might not be in the trouble they are in now.

It wasn't just the build quality but fundamental designs that came from their management directed engineering. As recently as April 2009, I read a disappointing SAE paper from a GM engineer that tried to critique the Prius hybrid drive system. This paper tried to claim the Prius drive system suffers amazing energy losses at high-speed based upon at best, a dubious analysis. But their whole approach to energy efficiency is ripe with so many bad engineering and engineering-management decisions ... E85 comes to mind.

I have an acquaintance, a GM product engineer, and his management 'decided' that painting "Hybrid" on the doors was critical to their success. Looking at gas-engine to hybrid-motor power ratios, that didn't matter. So every GM 'hybrid' turned out to be an over-powered, over-sized, white elephant. Those decisions came from their engineering-management. Poor quality is just a reflection of poor design.

Bob Wilson

[orca_0574]

To me it seems that Toyota should just out-and-out partner with what will remain of GM and show them how to run a succesful business- sort of a more successful version of Daimler-Chysler. Yes, I am environmentally minded and that is one reason I bought my Prius but the MAIN reason I bought it is because Toyta has not laid off a single person at the Indiana factory where my husband works (or anywhere if what my hubby says is true about Toyota layoffs). They don't just mouth the words, in my experience, they truely do care about their employees. They also know how to run an automotive company and don't get too caught up in the "now" at the expense of the future- limited dealerships, on time production schedules, high quality production, flexibility in their factories and innovation. When they build a factory they allow for future changes within that plant. Currently, at TMMI (west plant) where they made the Tundra, they are refitting it for the Highlander (with hybrid options) there are rumors that they may get some other models in the future to run on that line.
They do not have an extremely large catalog of models and tend to phase out the ones that don't sell well as they introduce new models while keeping to core automobiles that really define Toyota quality.