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Something happening in Michigan

Discussion in 'Prius, Hybrid, EV and Alt-Fuel News' started by bwilson4web, Aug 5, 2013.

  1. bwilson4web

    bwilson4web BMW i3 and Model 3

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    I wasn't looking for this but found it buried in a press release just before the "Media Contacts" line:
    Source: Toyota | Toyota Leads the Charge in Hybrid Technology with Steady Popularity in California

    Sounds like something fun.

    Bob Wilson
     
  2. nklb

    nklb Member

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  3. austingreen

    austingreen Senior Member

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    strange. Your link didn't have what your quote did. I couldn't find out what the event really was about but here is an explanation of the strange movement of Toyota's CEO of North American operations

    New Toyota boss picks Michigan | The Detroit News

    It makes perfect sense that Toyota would put more emphasis on North America. If you rearrange the quarterly reports to use more US style accounting rules, the growing profitable part of Toyota's business is in the US.

    It also makes sense that you have an R&D center where the other companies R&D centers are so you can raid talent (but talent can also be raided from. It does seem like a strange move though for the North American operations to choose Michigan. I can understand leaving California, but why Michigan over KY? The free press has an answer

    Toyota exec looks to make a mark in Michigan | Detroit Free Press | freep.com


    Good move to design the cars more to localized tastes. My fear is toyota will become more like a Michigan automaker. There is so much dead wood and bad old ideas there. gulp, maybe it is up to hyundai and tesla to show the leadership now.

    But there are good signs as well





     
  4. nklb

    nklb Member

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    It is buried at the very end of the originally linked article, just above the 'media contacts' section.
     
  5. css28

    css28 Senior Member

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    Try not to paint with too broad a brush.

    Toyota's Ann Arbor tech center's been there for over 25 years.

    Metro Detroit makes sense because it has such a huge pool of engineering talent, most of whom don't work for the "Detroit" OEM's.
     
  6. JMD

    JMD 2012 Prius 4 Solar Roof

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    My guess his he can't afford the west side of Los Angeles real estate where small starter homes cost 1.5 Mill in a decent zip code. :)
     
  7. css28

    css28 Senior Member

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    You can buy a *very* nice house in Ann Arbor for $1.5M.
     
  8. JMD

    JMD 2012 Prius 4 Solar Roof

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    Exactly nice homes in LA west side start at 5 Mill and the sky is the limit.