InfoAnda - Toyota yet to outrun recall crisis, say analysts

Pakistanis angry over detentions in Times Sq. case
Monday, May 24, 2010
ISLAMABAD – Relatives of three men detained by Pakistan for alleged links to the suspect in the attempted Times Square bombing say the men are innocent.
They

Taiwan denies boycotting Australian film festival
Thursday, August 6, 2009

AFP - Thursday, August 6TAIPEI (AFP) - - Taiwan's Beijing-friendly government on Wednesday denied boycotting an Australian film festival amid a row over the e

Merkel's support dips, regional ally resigns International
Thursday, September 3, 2009

By Sarah Marsh and Noah Barkin

BERLIN (Reuters) - Chancellor Angela Merkel suffered a double blow on Thursday as a senior party ally in east German

Minister seeks closure of anti-Berlusconi websites
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
ROME (AFP) - – The Italian government moved Tuesday to close down Internet sites encouraging further violence against Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who

Asian markets mixed after Wall Street rally
Wednesday, March 18, 2009

By ELAINE KURTENBACH,AP Business Writer AP - Wednesday, March 18SHANGHAI - Asia's stock market rally seemed to be running out of steam Wednesday, despite an

Sumatran tiger kills man as friends try to help | 22 March 2010
Vietnam blogger still held after jail term ends: watchdog | 26 October 2010
S.Korea to tackle EU on trade pact, climate talks | 23 May 2009

China's CNPC buys stake in Shell's Syria unit | 19 May 2010

Forum Views () Forum Replies ()

Read more with google mobile : Toyota yet to outrun recall crisis, say analysts

Yahoo! My Yahoo! Mail More Yahoo! Services Account Options New User? Sign Up Sign In Help Yahoo! Search web search Home Singapore Asia Pacific World Business Entertainment Sports Technology Weekend Edition Singapore Asia Pacific World Toyota yet to outrun recall crisis, say analysts AFP - Sunday, December 12 Send IM Story Print Toyota yet to outrun recall crisis, say analysts Slideshow: Full Photo Coverage: Business & Economy TOKYO (AFP) - – After a year in which Toyota's worst crisis saw the recall of millions of vehicles, a wave of lawsuits and a record fine, the troubles of the world's largest automaker are far from over, say analysts. Sales are sliding in the United States, the market worst-hit by the recalls, as Toyota faces a battle to regain consumer trust and market share despite efforts to tighten quality control. "Before the crisis, Toyota was by far the strongest auto company globally. Now the gap has narrowed," said Tatsuya Mizuno, an auto industry analyst with Mizuno Credit Advisory. "Toyota is weaker now than before, because of the impact of the recalls on brand image, reputation and profitability". In 2008 Toyota ended General Motors' 77-year reign as the world's largest automaker but the road has been a bumpy one for the Japanese giant, facing the impact of the economic crisis, recalls and recently a strong yen. Previously lauded for its vehicles' safety and reliability, a US recall of around four million vehicles in late 2009 swelled to nearly nine million units by February over brake and accelerator defects blamed for dozens of deaths. As criticism mounted of its slow response and bureaucratic inflexibility, Toyota tightened its recall policy and by November had pulled nearly 13 million vehicles over a range of issues. "We made mistakes," said Toyota spokesman Masami Doi. "Such as loosening our focus on the customer, not realising that our products were not fully in line with customer expectations. We have to do more. That is without a doubt." The crisis prompted US congressional investigations as Toyota was hit with a record 16.4-million-dollar fine to settle claims it had hidden accelerator pedal defects blamed for fatal accidents. It still faces lawsuits in the US, but Toyota lawyers argue most of the nearly 90 deaths blamed on sudden acceleration were a result of driver error. Sales in the US are falling, with the automaker slipping from second to third place this year behind reviving giants Ford and market leader GM. Toyota reported a 7.3 percent sales drop in November and its market share could fall by 17 percent to just over 15 percent in 2010, according to IHS Automotive. "Toyota's sales in North America have radically dropped as a result of the recalls," said Mamoru Kato, auto analyst at Tokai Tokyo Research Centre. "This will be Toyota's biggest challenge in the coming year." The automaker has added an extra four weeks to new vehicle testing, sped up the decision-making process and appointed regional quality control officers. Analysts say it has become more aggressive in catching possible defects as part of a campaign to improve its consumer image, but warn that continued frequent recalls damage its branding as a quality carmaker. "We intend to continue to make every effort to recover the trust of our customers," Toyota's Doi said. But the company needs to adopt a more international mindset, analysts say. Akio Toyoda, the publicity-shy grandson of the company's founder, was thrust into the spotlight by the recalls amid criticism that he had not been proactive enough, eventually appearing before US lawmakers in Washington. "The company remains very Japanese," said Mizuno. "Most of its leaders are Japanese and decision-making continues to be centralized in Toyota City," where the company headquarters near Nagoya are based. "That's one of the reasons why decisions were delayed during the crisis." Despite its woes and the impact of a strong yen making it less competitive than overseas rivals with weaker domestic currencies, Toyota returned to the black with a 3.6-billion-dollar profit in the fiscal first half. But it now faces rivals who are competing for a slice of top market China and racing ahead with all-electric cars, analysts say. China, which has surpassed the US as world's largest auto market, is a priority for the automaker whose market share is expected to fall from 6.0 percent in 2009 to 5.5 percent in 2010, said IHS. Toyota will have to "launch low-cost models and vehicles tailored to Chinese customers' needs" to fend off challenges from local rivals, said Masatoshi Nishimoto, Japan and Korea vehicle analyst at IHS. It also plans to launch 11 new petrol-electric hybrid models by the end of 2012, contrary to rivals such as Nissan with its all-electric Leaf or Mitsubishi's i-MiEV. Despite developing for 2012 an all-electric version of Toyota's RAV4 sports utility vehicle with Tesla Motors, the US firm in which Toyota owns a 50-million-dollar stake, the company has been cautious in embracing such cars. Toyoda recently cited as a major obstacle the creation of a convenient recharging system, whereas Nissan has set about building its own recharging network. "Toyota is behind a company like Nissan when it comes to electric vehicles," said Mizuno. "If such cars become mainstream, Toyota will be left even further behind." Recommend Send IM Story Print Related Articles BAY STREET-Potash juniors may fail to find their pots of gold Reuters - 31 minutes ago MIDEAST STOCKS-Property, banks lift Egypt; Dubai falls again Reuters - 43 minutes ago ACS says welcomes offer for talks with Hochtief Reuters - 45 minutes ago US-BUSINESS Summary Reuters - 1 hour 5 minutes ago Dubai ruler names Sheikh Ahmed Dubai World chairman Reuters - 1 hour 6 minutes ago News Search Top Stories Gbagbo accuses foreign powers of wooing I.Coast army UK rioters 'made contact' with duchess in fees protest Three dead in Bangladesh garment wage protests China's leaders pledge stable economic growth US colleges set ice hockey attendance record More Top Stories » ADVERTISEMENT Most Popular Most Viewed Most Recommended Russia's Putin sings Armstrong for Hollywood stars Amanda Knox breaks down in Italy sex-murder trial Madoff son found dead of apparent suicide City near Premiership summit as Newcastle beat Liverpool Madoff 'soul mate', others sued for 19 bln dollars More Most Viewed » NASA finds new form of life... on Earth US, S.Korea plan war games after N.Korean attack Defiant Obama defends tax cuts, eyes 2012 More Most Recommended » Elsewhere on Yahoo! Financial news on Yahoo! Finance Stars and latest movies Best travel destinations More on Yahoo! News Home Singapore Asia Pacific World Business Entertainment Sports Technology Weekend Edition Subscribe to our news feeds Top StoriesMy Yahoo!RSS » More news feeds | What are news feeds? Also on Yahoo! Answers Groups Mail Messenger Mobile Travel Finance Movies Sports Games » All Yahoo! Services Site Highlights Singapore Full Coverage Most Popular Entertainment Photos Yahoo! News Network Copyright © 2010 Yahoo! Southeast Asia Pte. Ltd. (Co. Reg. No. 199700735D). All Rights Reserved. Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Community | Intellectual Property Rights Policy | Help

Other News on Sunday, 12 December 2010
Leaks show strength of Egyptian positions
Two blasts kill one man in Swedish capital |
WikiLeaks supporters' group abandons cyber attacks
OPEC 'comfortable' with oil price surge
Iraqi Kurd leader says Kirkuk belongs to Kurdistan
Bayern up to fifth, Schweinsteiger extends deal
Roadside bomb attack kills 15 in Afghanistan
Madoff son found dead of apparent suicide
Ten dead as H1N1 flu returns to Britain |
Iraq Kurd leader seeks right to self-determination
Dutch arrest man for attack on prosecutor's website |
Sudan vote opponents spread confusion
NATO: 25 Afghan insurgents killed in the east
Haiti presidential candidates reject vote recheck |
Japan calls for end to Israeli settlements
Roadside bomb kills 15 civilians in Afghanistan
Australia FM: time running out on peace process
Car bomb near Afghan police HQ; 6 wounded
N.Korea sends minister to Russia amid tensions
Tonnes of debris fished from Chinese dam
Japan dominate judo Grand Slam first day
Scandal-hit Indian politician pledges cooperation
China inflation rises at fastest pace in two years
U.S. diplomat Richard Holbrooke in critical condition
King of Pop photos up for auction in Paris
Obama 'must talk to Afghan Taliban'
Turkmenistan holds summit for key TAPI pipeline
Germany, India push for huge increase in trade
Dutch arrest man for attack on prosecutor's website |
Jailed Afghan drug lord was CIA informant: report
Twin 'terrorist' blasts in Stockholm kill one
Sweden calls Stockholm blasts terrorist attack |
WikiLeaks backlash all bark, no bite: experts
Israeli troops kill two Gaza militants
US colleges set ice hockey attendance record
Global demos in support of jailed WikiLeaks chief
One dead in Sweden blasts
Drug shootout mars religious festival in Mexico |
NATO: Troops kill Taliban operative in Afghanistan
Kuwait boosts stake in French nuclear giant Areva
OPEC leaves oil quotas unchanged, seeing economic 'risks'
Dutch police arrest second teenager for hacking
Nations set up global climate fund
South Korea to stage firing drills off coasts |
US-TECH Summary
'I will survive', says Berlusconi, condemning 'lies'
Violence rises ahead of US review of Afghan war
Kosovo starts voting, some Serbs boycott election |
City near Premiership summit as Newcastle beat Liverpool
Dutch arrest man for attack on prosecutor's website
Russian football fans run riot in Moscow protest
Bulgaria, Greece push for timeline for Balkans' EU bids
Amanda Knox breaks down in Italy sex-murder trial
U.S. intel hub to counter Islamism in Spain: cable |
US envoy Holbrooke in 'critical' condition
U.S. diplomat Richard Holbrooke in critical condition
Malaysia's 14-year-old bride defends marriage
S.Korea to continue live-fire drill off all coasts
Venezuela opponents wary of Chavez decree powers |
Global climate fund established at Cancun talks
World's best in horse racing set to go in Hong Kong
Climate talks end with modest steps, no Kyoto deal |
Indonesians 'in need to diversify diets'
Japan's robot suit to bring hope to the disabled
Fickle weather worries French wine growers
US, N.Zealand secretly resume intelligence ties: report
Facebook, Twitter: new roadmap for high-end travel
Japan, Arab nations see expanding economic ties: League
Fireworks blast in east China kills 8, injures 6
Foreign-language films make inroads in India
Japan says gained understanding on climate
Apartheid icon Makeba honoured at MTV Africa awards
Asian champions Seongnam set-up Inter clash
Activists target Dutch website after boy arrested |
Car bomb kills 13 and wounds dozens in Iraq's Ramadi
Authorities probe Swiss Post over Assange bank account
Prominent Iranian journalist 'jailed for 16 months'
U.S. pastor who threatened to burn Koran plans British visit |
Russia kills three in N.Caucasus raid: official
Gbagbo accuses foreign powers of wooing I.Coast army
Three dead in Bangladesh garment wage protests
Attack kills six foreign troops in Afghanistan |
Six police among 13 killed in Iraq suicide attacks
2010 -- the year tablet computers came of age
China's leaders pledge stable economic growth
Six soldiers die in Afghanistan attack: ISAF
Car bomb kills 13 and wounds dozens in Iraq's Ramadi |
6 police among 8 killed in Iraq suicide attack
Venezuelan missile purchases worried U.S.: WikiLeaks |
6 NATO troops killed in attack in Afghanistan
Bangladesh police break up workers protests: three dead |
NATO: Troops kill Taliban operative in Afghanistan
Gbagbo ally accuses West of wooing Ivorian military |
Egyptians protest parliamentary vote results |
Weather Service warns of 8-state Midwest blizzard
Taiwan to OK three billion dlr China plant: report
Suu Kyi to 'persevere' for dialogue with junta
One small town's battle for tolerance
China business in Africa breaking free of Beijing
Bluefin tuna catches to be reduced in Pacific: reports
Police: Remains found believed to be missing girl
Black porn causes a stir in South Africa
Toyota yet to outrun recall crisis, say analysts
China's leaders pledge stable economic growth
Elizabeth Edwards remembered for her wit, resolve
India microlenders facing crisis, warns industry
Yongpyeong ready for ski festival
American lawmakers press China ahead of talks
Free red shirts face more poverty
Lawmakers, govt staff poised for pay hikes
Games powered by love
Korea-U.S. FTA may aid EU, Japanese firms
2010 -- the year tablet computers came of age
Greece at new risk of being pushed off euro
Bodies of missing Tenn. mom, Jo Ann Bain, and daughter found
Female Breasts Are Bigger Than Ever
AMD Trinity Accelerated Processing Units Now in Volume Production
The Avengers (2012 film), made the second biggest opening- and single-day gross of all-time
AMD to Start Production of piledriver
Ivy Bridge Quad-Core, Four-Thread Desktop CPUs
Islamists Protest Lady Gaga's Concert in Indonesia
Japan Successfully Broadcasts an 8K Signal Over the Air
ECB boosts loans to 1 trillion Euro to stop credit crunch
Egypt : Mohammed Morsi won with 52 percent
What do you call 100,000 Frenchmen with their hands up
AMD Launches AMD Embedded R-Series APU Platform
Fed Should not Ignore Emerging Market Crisis
Fed casts shadow over India, emerging markets
Why are Chinese tourists so rude? A few insights

USD EUR - 1 year graph		BlogMeter 1.01