Toyota sees Hyundai as threat in America
"We're worried about them," executive says of South Korean rival
DETROIT - Toyota Motor Corp., one of the world's most successful automakers, claims to be afraid of a lot of things: complacency, competition, and success itself.
But in the United States, rival Hyundai Motor Co. may well be at the top of Toyota's list.
"We're worried about them," Yukitoshi Funo, chairman of Toyota Motor Sales USA, told reporters in Detroit this week.
"Our main competitors here are essentially Honda Motor Co. Ltd., Nissan Motor Co. Ltd. and Hyundai, but Hyundai is the one we are very carefully watching," he said on the sidelines of the North American International Auto Show here.
"Honda and Nissan are also formidable rivals, but they have a distinct business approach and profile from us," Toyota's Funo said. "Hyundai, meanwhile, is essentially doing what we're doing."
This story is depressing. Until our American carmaker's find a way to bcompetitiveve in this market, we are going to continue to loose the good jobs that go along with carmaking.
There are many factors, but if Ford and Chevy would try to compete in the high-volume, high-quality small car market that these companies are thriving in, we could make gains. The only car they have that really fits in that mold is the Ford Focus. Look what happens - you see them everywhere.
There is a market here for well-designed American cars. The day of the muscle car is over, yet that is what we see time and again from General Motors. There will always be some of that, but if you want high-volume sales, it needs to be in this market, in my opinion.
Ford, Chevy, please make a quality American, union-built competitor for the Prius, Camry or Accord. I know many people who want to buy that car.
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