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Mexicans going loco over Toyotas!
Dear Mexican,
Why have Mexicans traded in their 1960s Impalas and 1970s Monte Carlos for
2000s Toyotas? Does "Toyota" mean something in Spanish, or is it symbolism
like the Aztec Thunderbird emblem on those Ford T-birds you guys no longer
drive?
Lowriders Unite in Anaheim
Dear Gabacho,
You're mixing up your brownies. It's the cholo cousins of Mexicans,
Chicanos, who own tricked-out Monte Carlos and Impalas. You're right to
note, however, that Mexicans are loco over Toyotas. According to automotive
research company R.L. Polk & Co., the number of Latinos who registered
Toyotas increased 45 percent from 2000 to 2004, while the total vehicle
registration figures amongst Latinos for other brands during that same
period grew by a mere 15 percent. And Toyota was the top seller amongst
Latinos during the first quarter of 2004. Industry watchers give much of the
credit to Steve Jett, Toyota's national truck advertising and event
promotions manager, who aggressively pushed for such inventive
Mexican-themed ad campaigns as a commercial where a soccer goalie protected
a truck from oncoming soccer balls. But the real explanation is that Toyota
offers eight types of trucks, vans and SUVs, second only to Ford amongst the
major auto makers. Toyota understands that Mexicans need big vehicles to
ferry around the familia, to load up with tools, or just to roll down to
Mexico and show off their wealth. And, yes, Lowriders Unite, Toyota means
something in Spanish: "cheap, efficient and not gabacho-made."
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