Trade Wars Can Be a Game of Chicken. Sometimes, Literally.

it can get complicated, and the results can be hard to define. there will be winners, and losers. if domestic steel/aluminum production is threatened, i can see a place for a targeted strategy.
but this is just to fulfill a campaign promise, and likely won't be managed well.

 

oui.

 

A deluge of oui?

Not a nice thought.

 

make sure to wear rubbers.

 

It's protectionism like that that can make companies lazy. It's why Chinese banks are rubbish. And why domestically-made (non-joint venture) Chinese cars are less than brilliant.

This specific case could explain a lot. US light truck makers only have to compete with each other. They've never been forced to raise their game to compete with foreign companies. Which is why the rest of the world drives Toyota Hiluxes.

 

Mmmmm, chicken!

 

toyota, nissan and honda all have pick up trucks here. less than spectacular.

 

i never understood the concept until i saw a princess climb into the drivers seat of a shiny, uge pick up while on business in az.

 

Indeed. But they're only made for the US market (and made in the US, I think), so they only have to be good enough to compete with the American ones. The Toyota Tundra, for example, is a US truck, whereas we get the Hilux. The trucks sold in the rest of the world are smaller, lighter, more fuel-efficient, have bigger load trays, and have higher load-carrying capacities. Also, bits don't fall off the trim. They're more expensive to make, and the margins aren't as good as the trucks they make for the US, but you make what the market will accept in order to maximise your profit.

 

also, many rednecks may be reluctant to buy ferrin.

 

My friend's daughter - a very small, pretty blonde girl - was the youngest person in New South Wales to get a "B-Double" licence.



She was at university at the time, and would often drive a truck from her parents' farm to the grain depot in her university town. She was also working as a waitress in a cafe - the kind of place where the waitresses wear a white blouse and a black skirt. She'd get some surprised looks when she left the cafe at the end of her shift, climbed into the truck, and drove off to her parents' place.

 

yikes, mad max!

 

I'm gonna take a guess that you didn't know that 'rubbers' is a generic term for the male sheath contraceptive.
Than again, I'm only guessing, like I said!

 

I think Toyota in the segment is part of the reason the Americans worked on improving their truck fuel economy. And then Toyota came out with the new Tundra, the thirstiest truck with an EPA number you can buy.

The new Ridgeline reminds me of the old Ranger. After seeing several examples on the road, I don't think Honda's rear suspension had towing in mind when designed though.

Many are also diesels, which has greater resistance in getting to market in the US. As they are in their current markets, they would not get EPA certification.

Payload and tow ratings have regional regulations and standards, if there is one at all. I have a thread explaining why you can tow with a Prius in the UK, but not in the US. Profits aside, trailer regulations are like our emission ones, stricter than much of the world. The SAE's J2807 method for determining tow rating that is used by Toyota and the American brands would likely be seen has daunting in the rest of the world. manufacturers delayed using it, because it would result in lower rating values.
SAE J2807 Tow Tests - The Standard
Jalopnik gives a more concise overview, but their links get loaded with crap here.

Payload ratings are a factor of gross vehicle weight, and I would not be surprised if American models have unnecessary trimmings cutting into the payload. Efficiency is improving. Ford has a 'small' diesel F150 coming out soon, and a hybrid option in 2020. GM 2019 will have their small diesel available in 2019.

My experience is just with Ford and GM, and of those, the ones losing trim pieces are actual work trucks that get treated like rented mules. the one F150 at a summer job might have been missing a door handle. It went on a two mile trip every hour, with a half dozen stops. Sometimes the last person left it idling after a run. Except for the foot deep puddles after rains, we didn't need a truck, but I think we got the hand me downs from other departments.

I agree the trucks are overpriced here, and many complain about the lack of bare bone base trims for basic commercial use, but people still buy them. So the manufacturers aren't all to blame. The people do have other options. The auto parts chain that once used Rangers for deliveries have switched to Accents for their fleet.

A factor, but there is also simple brand loyalty. Friend uses his 2005 F150 for work. It has over 200k miles, and he plans to keep it until it dies. He'll likely get another one whenever that happens.

It doesn't help Toyota that the Tundra tends to cost more while also using more gas.

 

Actually, the Tacoma used to replace the HiLux.
Now both Tacoma & Tundra have grown. The current Tacoma is about the size of our 2000 Tundra.

 

I just heard one of the more eloquent explanations of how trade wars work on an American national public radio show, from Austan Goolsbee (served on the Council of Economic Advisers during the Barack Obama administration.)
The transcript is a little tedious, thus I encourage listening in instead!
The explanation starts in about 2:15, but I think that the entire episode is worth listening to.....but....then.....I have a bent sense of humor.....


Show link:

Transcript: Not My Job: We Quiz Economist Austan Goolsbee On Home Economics : NPR

 

we're on to china.