Toyota to Increase Tacoma Production Based on Demand

And now back on topic.....

 

Not going to change anything, better to just roll with it.

I see members who were perma-banned trying to get back in, so TW must be a pretty good forum.

As a friend of mine used to say "better to be inside looking out than outside looking in".

Also can't wait for the new Ranger owners to start posting. Will recall these as the halcyon days of TW.

 

I could give a crap about Hoe Runners and Subaru's lesbian cars.

They can eat dirt.


Why can't they just go to their own forums?

 

Cool SUV but my daughter no longer plays soccer. Kidding....kidding.... nice truck.

 

Yeah.

I went off roading with a manual transmission. Can you do that in a 4runner?

 

That's a 2017?

 

I was thinking holy crap, that's a lot of mods for a 2017 already.

 

I prefer the grill, the blackout treatment and the wheels of the 2010-14 4Runner trail.

 

I believe any large company will make moves and try not to telegraph their true intentions, so as not to give the competition an advantage.

I was interested in the second article of your original post, and this morning was reading an article about the demise of the internal combustion engine. Here is one (of the many) quote from the article that stood out:

But electrification has thrown the car industry into turmoil. Its best brands are founded on their engineering heritage—especially in Germany. Compared with existing vehicles, electric cars are much simpler and have fewer parts; they are more like computers on wheels. That means they need fewer people to assemble them and fewer subsidiary systems from specialist suppliers. Carworkers at factories that do not make electric cars are worried that they could be for the chop. With less to go wrong, the market for maintenance and spare parts will shrink. While today’s carmakers grapple with their costly legacy of old factories and swollen workforces, new entrants will be unencumbered.

There really are dramatic changes coming down the "road", here is the article for anyone interested:
https://www.economist.com/news/lead...ood-run-end-sight-machine-changed-world-death

 

I've been watching this segment (electric & autonomous vehicles) also and it is ever so slowly coming together nicely so far.
And that's understandable because there are many players involved with very high stakes and you can believe the oil producers aren't ready to roll over yet.

Both the auto companies and oil industry have investment holding in each other just like insurance companies have investments in mortgage companies and they're not likely to take things lying down, and haven't.

But political influence and power does have limits just as our pocket books have their limits and you can't swim against the mighty currents forever, something's got to give so its bound to get interesting

Watching...
Cheers

 

Looks like Mazda is the first to roll out a HCCI engine. This is probably has something to do with Toyota's transaction with Mazda


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KhzMGbQXmY

 

Atkinson too is a result of all these efforts to keep the combustion engine alive.
Considering the typical gasoline engine is less efficient vs diesel, I suspect the autos have a few tricks left up their sleeves they have yet to show. The electrics still have some hurdles to overcome but its getting there.

"Diesel engines are more fuel-efficient and have more low-end torque than similar-sized gasoline engines, and diesel fuel contains roughly 10% to 15% more energy than gasoline. So, diesel vehicles can often go about 20% to 35% farther on a gallon of fuel than their gasoline counterparts."

 

I should add that I'm really impressed by the mpg on this 3.5L Atkinson, so far its great, only draw back I've had is having to replace the CPS sensor (a 10 minute job) and I suspect its due to the complexity of its job. But it seems to be nipped in the butt now, it's working great so far

 

Rep Confirms New Ford Ranger, Bronco Will be Built in Michigan.

Hinrichs explained that the Bronco, like the Ranger, will be built at the Michigan Assembly Plant, and he described the Bronco as being a midsize, off-road-capable 4x4. Could the Bronco be based on the upcoming Ranger's underpinnings? It sure seems like that's the hint Ford is dropping.

Meanwhile while Toyota is building a new Tacoma plant in Guanajuato Mexico to ramp up production for the 2020 U.S. market Tacoma. "You can't make this stuff up" Guanajuato?