A couple of years ago, Ford CEO Jim Farley declared that The Blue Oval would no longer be making what he calls “boring cars,” a mantra that he has since made part of his identity – and even X bio. The idea is to get away from commodity-focused models and create more of what Farley calls “passion products,” a mission that we’re already starting to see unfold. Interestingly, it seems as if Farley isn’t the only major automotive executive that feels like the world needs fewer boring cars and more passionate, exciting ones, either – rather, that list also includes Toyota President Koji Sato.
During the company’s fiscal year financial results presentation earlier this month, a reporter asked “recently, it feels like we are seeing fewer cars of the kind that match President Sato’s tastes – exciting, fun to drive. What are your thoughts in this regard?” Sato replied by saying “I feel entirely the same way, which is to say, you’re exactly right. A car is not a car if it’s not fun. That’s why we will never allow our cars to become commodities. Gone are the days when everything was determined by logical left-brain thinking, and cars sold by simply having better catalog specs.”
“We can no longer sell cars just with model updates, slightly better fuel efficiency, or new designs,” Sato added. “It comes down to your passion for making products that move people’s hearts. Of course, sports cars need to be sleek, but unless that same passion can be found in other types of cars, you won’t be able to reach customers. I’m trying to instill this kind of mindset in each of our project teams. That is the Toyota I want to create, and I will continue working on that this year. No doubt we will have more opportunities to talk about exciting cars when the time is right. I am not sure that a results briefing is the best place to have that discussion, so let us leave it there for today.”
Comments
Well Akio said “no boring cars” first while Farley tried to capitalize off that hype and just slapped the Mustang name on stuff.
But that GR RAV4 is getting howls of laughter all around the Internet. Such a pity the US isn’t getting the GR Corolla Cross, another absurdity. Would have been good for yet more laughter.
You’re an idiot. 320 hp PHEV. What POS do you drive.
I’m with SCEcoBoost and it doesn’t matter what he drives. By the way, I’ve got a 2013 Mustang GT with 600 N/A horsepower. THAT kind of thermal and volumetric efficiency makes for a fun, pure driving experience, in conjunction with the other modifications I’ve made. Even if I only had my Honda CR-Z I’d still agree with the other guy. Toyota isn’t KNOWN for fun. They’re known for reeking of practicality, exaggerated reliability, and a cult-like fan base of people that would drive a cardboard box with a toyota logo while insisting it’s still worth $70,000 after 20 years.
So when can we expect a turbo V8 Supra and lifted V8 Tacoma?
Toyota comes out with a new RAV4 while Ford is planning to ditch the Escape in favour of the Bronco. I can recall back in 2012 when Ford introduced the Escape which really took and then they had a nice refresh around 2016. Then they blew it when they downsized the Escape. Ford had shot itself in the foot again. I can remember back in the 80’s when Ford downsizes the Taurus. Turning a winner into a looser is nothing new for Ford. All just too bad.
Well, let’s face it; when the Escape debuted in the early 2000’s, it had its own platform. The tires were the same size as the ones on a pre-2004 F-150 and it had a sort of square-ish styling. The refresh that lasted until 2012 was much the same story. The Escape had an identity.
From 2013 until 2019, the Escape lost its identity. It was based on the Focus platform and looked much softer. Sure, it got quieter and the fuel economy and ride improved to some extent, but it lacked that same charm. Fast forward to the introduction to the Bronco Sport and my first thought was “Oh, wow. This is what the Escape would have looked like if it had never been on the Focus platform.” Indeed, the Escape was back onto its own platform and the Bronco Sport was very reminiscent of a 2012 Escape. If the Escape disappears, it’s not really going to matter because of the existence of the Bronco Sport. It IS an Escape and I’d argue that’s due to more than just the shared platform. It is more a spiritual successor to the first and second generation Escapes than the third and fourth generation Escapes are.