Toyota moves new Toyota Highlander up in production

[dascrow]

Bucking the market trend, Toyota will be accelerating the production schedule of an SUV. Toyota announced today that production of the Highlander SUV will be moved up six months. "We need to get those people working. That’s the bottom line," said Steve St. Angelo, senior vice president of Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Inc.

The Highlander makes the most sense out of all of Toyota’s SUVs because it is the one currently offering a hybrid version that can attract sales. Slow sales has already caused Toyota to halt production until November of the large Tundra pickup and Sequoia SUV at the plants Princeton, Indiana, and San Antonio, Texas. The new plant in Tupelo, Mississippi, that was originally slated to make the Highlander will now make the Prius instead.

Unlike most of the U.S. auto companies, Toyota is giving a more optimistic view for the future at its U.S. plants that currently produce trucks. "I don’t anticipate us laying off any people," St. Angelo said. "Hopefully – and I can’t predict the future — the bad stuff is behind us, and we can stabilize, train and pick up again in a month or so."

[Source: Topspeed]
http://www.topspeed.com/cars/car-new...n-ar62329.html

[blacken]

make them
keep people working =D

[johnny5]

Seem well and good but have anyone notice how skyhigh the prices are for the Highlander hybrid? For a few thousand more you can grab the Lexus Rxh instead.

The price point is too close..

[djfelter]

Good news regarding the Highlander:

The 2009 Highlander will offer an all-new, 2.7-liter four-cylinder engine, arriving at dealerships mid-to-late January. This new engine will generate 187 horsepower at 5,800 RPM and 186 lb.-ft. of torque at 4,100 RPM on regular 87 octane fuel. The Highlander will be EPA-rated as an Ultra Low Emission Vehicle (ULEVII) and its new engine will place it among the leaders in fuel efficiency in the mid-size SUV segment. An all-new six-speed electronically-controlled automatic overdrive transmission with intelligence (ECT-i) will enable the new Highlander to tow a maximum of 3,500 pounds. Click below for the full release.

- Ming-Jou Chen, Corporate Communications

Dave in KC

[brianna102]

Congratulation for production of 'Highlander SUV' . I wish it will go high , and for this try to mend your workers. Good Luck.

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brianna

Rule #8. No commercial/business/website promotion

[GoCarGo]

Originally Posted by johnny5

Seem well and good but have anyone notice how skyhigh the prices are for the Highlander hybrid? For a few thousand more you can grab the Lexus Rxh instead

Sorry, Lexus RX Hybrid NO LONGER SOLD in 2009. Anyway, HIghlander offers THESE feature that the Lexus RX does not:

Never need to insert a key into ignition
Higher MPG
Econ mode
EV, ELECTRIC VEHICLE mode
More MPG per fuel cost
Less costly repairs & maintenance & parts
Regular Gas vs 25-cent more Premium gas in Lexus
on-demand 3rd row seating
auto closing tailgate
auto folding rear bucket seats from tailgate
4-way adjustible rear passager seats
more steering wheel control features
Keyless Go or Smart Key.. totally keyless unlock, on and off
Brand new '08 bodystyle VS 7 year old Lexus RX Bodystyle
Push button lock from Door Handles
Push button lock from Tailgate
Tri-Zone climate control

Dollar for Dollar and Feature for Feature, Highlander is 2nd to none in the Hybrid lineup.

[Automotivelover]

Hope it would be much better than the previous.

[mtl101]

The 2009 canadian highlander model has projector style low beam headlights and the option to hid lights.

[RalphVa]

The Highlander is the ONLY SUV that isn't a tank. All the others weigh in excess of what a large sedan weighs, around 3700 #. It's still (as are the large sedans) somewhat of a tank compared to the approximately 3,000-3,200 # for a mid sided sedan. I drove my neighbor's S class Benz back from a dealership (after some service) once. He calls it "the tank". After driving it, I agree. My wife drives a 240D. It's about 3,200 # and doesn't feel tankish like the S class does.

Tanks kill when they hit, even without turrents.

[Emmanuel89]

It may have recently passed GM to become the world's number one automaker, but even mighty Toyota isn't immune from the deteriorating U.S. market. Even before reporting a 38.9 percent drop in profits, the company predicted a sales slowdown in 2008 and moved to cut production of its full-size Tundra pickup and Sequoia SUV. But due to slumping demand, some factories that build these vehicles are now offline, and Toyota doesn't like paying its employees to do nothing. Rather than resorting to layoffs, the automaker has instead decided to begin U.S. production of the new Highlander SUV six months early so its workers can keep busy.
The Highlander's American production run was originally reserved for Toyota's new manufacturing plant in Tupelo, Mississippi, in late 2009. The plant is still under construction, however, and as rising gas prices eviscerated the pickup and SUV market, the automaker's other U.S. factories in Texas, Indiana, and Alabama suddenly had nothing to build. So instead of getting Tupelo ready (the Highlander's production date was recently pushed back to May 2010), Toyota will begin building the SUV in Princeton, Indiana this fall. Saying "we need to get those people working. That's the bottom line," senior vice president of North American engineering & manufacturing Steve St. Angelo explains that with Tundra and Sequoia assembly halted in Princeton, it makes sense to move the Highlander there "because the tools are ready." The SUV is also due for a refresh in 2010, and Tupelo would've had to retool less than a year after starting production.
Princeton isn't the only Toyota factory looking for work, however, and according to the automaker some Texas and Alabama employees have volunteered to join the new Highlander production line, while others are working temporarily at Toyota's Georgetown, Kentucky factory. When Tupelo finally opens in 2010 it will instead build the Prius, which is still in high demand. Looking to the future, St. Angelo hopes the worst is over for Toyota, and says "I don't anticipate us laying off any people." Currently Tundra and Sequoia production is set to resume in Texas and Indiana by November, but if sales in the U.S. don't improve, the automaker could be forced into more drastic action to protect its bottom line.
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Rule #8. No commercial/business/website promotion

[mr2_toyota]

hi all, I am very happy to enter this forum.