GM is closing plants, Tacoma Future?

CNN just wrote that GM is closing 4 plants that built their SUV and pick up.

they are moving towards small cars and hybrid

Tundra future is looking bad. Tacoma maybe too?

GM is always slow to pick up what's going to happen to the markets and fuel crisis. I guess they have a to learn the hard way

u think they have a prius pick up truck?

and those GM flex fuel is dumb... the corn is raising the prices and u can only get it in MN and IA!!! STUPID GM!!! Hydrogen is the way to go!! DUHHHH!!!

 

As long as vehicles are driving on this planet - people are ALWAYS gonna need a truck.

I think Toyota is one of the leaders in hybrid technology and one of the first (??) to have hybrid vehicles on the market. It wouldn't surprise me if they're already working on and entire fleet of hybrid (or half/half) vehicles already. But that's my guess.... If they aren't - they'd better get their ass in gear.
The world needs alternative fuels and hybrids - it's the wave of the future. Someone (auto manufacturer) has to take the bull by the horns and make it happen. It's not a question of IF - it's a question of WHEN.

Unfortunately - the engineers are the ones that need to design this new technology and that kinda knowledge is developed over time. The technology is there - but the feasibility and cost effectiveness isn't.

There are sooo many different methods of alternative fuels - I don't think anyone truely knows which is best in terms of resources, cost effectiveness, and overall design.

 

Hydrogen has many big issues and hurdles to clear...its not the answer either.
This is what naturaly happens, when you put known liers (politicians), in charge of fixing problems. This country needs to have the experts be heard, and all the evidence and facts presented, in a full disclosure. Then we can begin to solve the problems. But as long as the political animals have the microphone....we will only have more of the same.

 

They are doing what they need to survive. Unfortunately for GM and many other automakers they have focused almost exclusively on truck based vehicles for profit, without a good plan B...

Toyota has spread its R&D wisely over the past decade, so while the truck/SUVs will take a hit for now, their fuel sipping cars, cuv's, and hybrids get them through. If gas prices drop, sales shifts back to truck/SUVs. Toyota can ride the economic changes, we'll see if the others can too.

 

my friend had a black H2!!
It was BAD ASS!!! It was so roomy and soft seats, if it comes with a toilet.... I'm all set for camping!!!!!

Notice I put HAD... he bought it, maybe about a month or not even, sold it to someone down in FL!! SUCKA!!!

I really really reall want a Taco... but I'm so scare the gas going up that I'm not going to afford it!
I have been driving a car for about 10 yrs... so sick of it! I want to be high enough that when I'm at a drive-thru I'm level at the window man!!!
Room when I need it and go off -rd when I want to...

it seems like those days are getting dimmer and dimmer everyday!!

 

Anybody see the new Highlander-hybrid? It's pretty cool now IMO! More substantial than before same size as the 4-runner and very satisfying power IMO-around 270HP combined. They NEED to install that powertrain in the Tacoma-if they do I for one will buy it!

 

Trucks aren't going anywhere.

I saw 5 Taco's today (Reg Cab) being used solely as work trucks and 3 or 4 more being used as personal vehicles.

The only thing that will change is that soccer moms will no longer be driving big Hummer 4x4s and go back to driving more fuel efficient vehicles.

 

If anything Tacoma sales will increase as people switch from their huge gas guzzling monsters. In the world of small or mid size trucks all the choices bring you right back to Tacoma. However, I do think Toyota will bring back a smaller truck along the same line as the first generation Tacoma. For sure Hybrid trucks are in the near future and Toyota is a leader there also. I bought my regular cab Tacoma 4x4 with future gas prices in mind. Make no mistake, high gas prices are here to stay (despite what WilsonTheDog thinks).

 

Yep, I need a truck to work with. I had an '04 F-150 and was waiting for the redesigned '09 but gas is way too expensive so I went with the Tacoma. Ranger sucks, the Frontier CC has a HORRIBLE turning radius and resale value and all full-sizes are off my list. About 6 months ago I tried to get a Titan and couldn't come to an agreed price with the Nissan dealer...thank God!

 

Using food sources to feed our vehicles is the stupoidist idea on the planet!!! Ever wonder why the cost of food is increasing?? When a grain or corn grower can get more for corn to be used in the ethanol market why should he sell it for feed?? The livesgtock producers are being taken to the cleaners. All you non meat eaters keep your mouths shut on this one.!!

 

I woulnt worry about the Tacoma or the Tundra. The sales of the Tacoma were up last month and there will always be a need for fullsize trucks.
I could see fullsize SUVs gong the way of the Dodo, but trucks are here to stay.
Unlike the Detroit 3, Toyota doesnt rely on the sales of trucks and SUVs for the majority of their profit, so the gas prices havent hurt them nearly as much as they have hurt GM, Ford and Chrysler.

 

This is what we really need :

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warp_drive

 

This is a good example of letting special interests interfere with the free markets. There would be no ethanol if it wasn’t for morons like Willy Nelson pressing the Liberal ignoramus’s in congress to subsidize corn producers to produce corn for ethanol.

BTW in a truly free market GM would be allowed to sink like the Titanic. We’ll see what happens.

 

I just got a Taco. I am seeing 20 + MPG. My Tundra has 195,000 miles on it runs like a champ at 15 MPG it's for sale

 

Here's another article on current pickup truck trends from USA Today:

http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/2008-06-03-auto-sales_N.htm

 

Corn is NOT the only starting material to make ethanol-- I wouldn't be so quick to write ethanol off.

 

Why?

Ethanol is not the almighty solution that the mainstream news idiots want you to believe. In reality it is extremely inefficient both in terms of production and MPGs.