2015 Tacoma: No more single cab

That's WAY high.

The salesman on the lot makes more than Toyota does on the sale.
Automakers average only $200-$400 profit per unit.

 

I should have reworded it, I was referencing $4000 +/- of the TRD options.. how it really isn't much different putting TRD on a $22k from a $26k truck. But also the $4k is just referring to a theoretical 4k profit. Doesn't mater if it was profit on a 20k or 30k truck.

 

I AGREE!

 

I think more reg cabs are sold because of their price point than the fact that they are regular cabs. If someone had $25k to spend on a truck, I expect MOST would buy the bigger cab configuration than have a loaded reg cab.

 

Agreed to a point.

Off-roaders prefer the shorter wheelbase and stiffer cab of the RC.
Personally, I think an RCSB would rock the trails!

But there's a reason the old pre-Tacoma DLX extended cab was so popular, and why the current DC represents more than 50% of Tacoma sales (meaning that the RC is indeed a very small percentage.

With the RC having a unique frame, if the sales numbers don't support the dedicated production line, Toyota needs to look to the future.
They sold over 160,000 units in 2012.
2015 will likely be a complete redesign.
If sales forecasts indicate that an increase in production capacity is needed, then the elimination of the RC will increase total capacity without any real expansion, since even with the AC and DC lines running at full capacity, the RC line is likely not, thus, converting the hardware building the RC to AC production might be able to kick out 50% more AC models than the current line is producing RC models.

Mind you, I'm not completely sold on the linked articles claiming that the RC is done.
We've seen all kinds of articles from "magazine" web sites for the last 15 years, and when it comes to what a company will do in 2 years, they are more often than not either completely wrong, or they are off by 1 or more years.

 

Bring in the access cab short bed on the short frame lol

 

Definitely agree RC is awesome offroad. Just saying offroaders are obviously not the majority buyers. Which would be made certain by looking at 4x2 and 4x4 sales numbers.

No more regular cab competitors would seem to suggest a lack of market demand.

 

What's your source for this information? Mine says 10% gross margin per unit for mass-market vehicles, so a $20k truck means $2k profit for Toyota. Luxury brand margins are higher (~20%).

FYI, when the 4-door Chevy Tahoe first came out in the 1990s, GM was making ~$15k profit on each. When gas prices went up, GM lost its cash cow.

I think there's some misleading information here:
1. Toyota builds all the cab configs on a common line. It doesn't cost Toyota significantly more to have different frame lengths. They might not even need extra tooling, since they use progressive stamping dies. The frames are made by Hino, which should be used to smaller-volume production.
2. San Antonio plant capacity is 200k combined Tundra + Taco per year. Baja plant capacity is 50k Taco per year. Toyota would only be constrained by plant capacity if Tundra sales increase alongside the Taco.

It's very possible Motor Trend's info is wrong (or just premature). 10k sales of RC per year should be enough to justify production. (FJ sales are about that much per year.)

 

FJ isn't discontinued. Latest word (the same page that says Tacoma is due for a redesign in 2015) is Toyota will keep building it until demand ceases.

 

One year left.....

http://fleet.toyota.com/availability.asp

FJ CRUISER
MY14 Order Dates: June 3, 2013 - June 10, 2014
MY14 Pricing Available: August, 2013

H1 - Commercial: Available
H2 - Livery: Not Available
H5 - Licensee: Available
H7 - Government: Available
FJ Cruiser will be discontinued at the end of 14MY

 

I read that number somewhere many years ago (late 90s, maybe early 2000s)

But we could be talking the difference between gross and net profit.

The robotics that lower the parts onto the frame self-adjust for different lengths?
Keep in mind that the RC has no carrier bearing and CV... it's just a straight-line driveshaft. Add to that the 5-Lug, and there are some pretty significant differences between models for the line tooling to accommodate.

162k Tacoma for 2012... that doesn't leave a lot of room for growth in either line with total capacity at 250k.

I agree.

Every year, we see speculation on the forums, with the "credibility" of having come from Motor Trend/Truck Trend, or "pickupnews.com" or whatever... and much of the information is incorrect. Things are claimed that may be based on something that some executive has on his "to-do" list, but until the manufacturer confirms it, it's nothing but speculation.

 

Yup,

I confirmed this with an inventory manager at my dealer this morning.

Maybe now Toyota will let you order the Anthracite FJ wheels w/out a VIN, hahaha

 

Sure. Each frame coming down the line has a barcode/RFID tag. The welding/assembly station reads it and loads a different set of coordinates. The parts are delivered to the station in sync as well. It's no different than having a car's coupe, sedan and wagon body styles coming down the same line. The assembly tooling is usually pretty generic. It's all the stamping dies that cost the most.

 

Compact/Midsize regular cabs dropping fast... Nissan Frontier, Ford Ranger, now Toyota Tacoma. Only thing left now is Chevy Colorado and GMC Sierra. I am now even more determined to drive my truck to 1 million miles.

 

^^^

 

^And the rest of the world are getting fat thanks to the McD diet. Note the Hilux, global Ranger and Amarok are all bigger than previous generation trucks. Nissan doesn't even bother with a separate variant, instead it sells the current Frontier in Europe as the Navara. I've seen a few running awkwardly through the narrow streets of downtown London.

 

The interior looks like the 2013 hilux. When are they going to introduce the turbo diesel in America for those trucks?

 

Very unlikely, because the American emission requirements add too much complexity and cost (think 3-letter acronyms EGR, DPF, DEF...).

Since the next Colorado has been photographed with a rather conventional 3.6L V6 (LFX), it's possible Toyota may just put direct injection on the 1GR, raise its output to 300 hp and call it a day. They can still claim class-leading power and fuel economy...

 

What interior?

If you are referring to photos you are seeing on magazine web sites, it IS a 2012 HiLux. There are no 2015 Tacomas in existence for the magazines to take pictures of (there aren't even any 2014 Tacomas outside of the factory walls). Anything that exists is in a design studio in Japan and there are no photos released to the public.

 

And there ya go... With low demand for the RC and a likely redesign for 2015, why invest in new dies for the cab and doors, as well as the injection molds for the interior parts?