Brash Engineers’ Post

We saw an article from Car and Driver over the weekend and it reminded us of some important lessons. Since 2002, the Toyota Camry has been the most popular car in the U.S. Before that (going back to 1978), it was a mix of Oldsmobile, Chevrolet, Honda and Ford. So what are the lessons? From our perspective, they include: 1. Brands are built over years and they go way past their logo, to include things like styling, image, value, quality, reliability, service, etc., depending on the category. All of these things become part of the brand promise. 2. Trends and consumer preferences change, on a regular cadence. Those that conduct the research and continue to stay close to the market put themselves into the position of knowing where to go next. 3. Toyota has clearly demonstrated a desire to remain in the number 1 spot by actively staying ahead of its competitors with stellar execution; and it doesn't appear Toyota has fallen into the trap of getting there and then resting on its laurels. In summary, to be the best requires consistently delivering on the brand promise, regular #marketresearch, great #strategicplanning and flawless commercial #execution. https://lnkd.in/gx5Dag25

🚗 Top Selling Car Brands from 2000-2024!🚗 Curious how the automotive landscape has evolved over the years? Here's a quick snapshot of the top-selling car brands—Toyota, Volkswagen, and Ford—from 2000 to 2024. The numbers are staggering! 🚀 - Toyota started with 5 million cars sold in 2000 and is expected to reach a whopping 10.2 million by 2024! - Volkswagen and Ford have also seen incredible growth, keeping pace with the increasing demand for reliable and innovative vehicles. It’s amazing to see how these brands have consistently evolved, adapting to changing trends, technological advancements, and consumer preferences. Which brand are you rooting for? Let me know in the comments! 💬 #Automotive #CarBrands #Toyota #Volkswagen #Ford #AutomotiveIndustry #Innovation #SalesGrowth #TopSellingCars

I learned from a YouTube video today that a Porsche dealership's official labor rate is now $300 per hour (in FL). This is a big contributing factor to why a 3 year old BMW 7 series car (new = $100K) with perfect history and 20,000 miles costs the same used as many used Toyotas with similar history, except they were $50K new. Capital destruction on a large scale. Let's be clear: dealerships make far more profit off repairs than they do selling the car. They have a clear financial incentive to create unreliable cars. BMW of North America, LLC Are you good with your top-end luxury model being seen as offering the same value as a used Toyota Camry?

The decline of the midsize sedan: Why there will soon be just 5 nameplates in U.S. The once-hypercompetitive midsize car segment has shrunk rapidly, falling victim to innovations in vehicle packaging and changing consumer tastes. The midsize sedan was once the quintessential family car—and it is now one of the most competitive segments in the U.S. Not today. When the nation's No. 3-selling midsize sedan, the Chevrolet Malibu, ends production this year and the Subaru Legacy is discontinued after the 2025 model, there will be just five mainstream midsize sedans available in the U.S. — all Asian imports: - Toyota Camry - Honda Accord - Nissan Altima - Kia K5 - Hyundai Sonata Toyota, which has stuck with a widely diversified product portfolio while others exited car segments, says its top-selling Camry is not going anywhere. Dave Christ, head of the Toyota brand in North America, recently told Automotive News: "We still believe that it's worth investing in passenger cars, and we're going to stay committed to it." Find out how rapidly has the landscape changed: https://lnkd.in/e2bTAqfc

Sometimes a consumer doesn’t want the upgrade, the better value, or the better product. Quick story. Last week, the rental car place offered to upgrade me to a Mustang convertible for no additional charge. Of course, I agreed. It was loud, I couldn’t figure out the buttons, and I was uncomfortable. Today, the rental car place offered to upgrade me again. But this time, I said no thank you and went and got into my Toyota Camry. I’m sure we would all agree that a Mustang convertible is a better and more expensive vehicle. And at the same price, most would consider it a better value. But here is the lesson. Value only matters in the eyes of the consumer! Sometimes a customer comes to us knowing exactly what they want and what they are comfortable with. So here’s what you do. Like the car rental place did with me today. Would you like an upgrade? And if they say no, give them want they want 🤗 #sales #leadership

Car brands with the *lowest* inventory availability (days' supply): Brand Days' Supply 1) Toyota 33 days 2) Lexus 43 days 3) Honda 46 days 4) Land Rover 55 days 5) Kia 57 days 6) Subaru 60 days 7) Cadillac 63 days As always, these figures are driven by a combination of supply and demand—Not one or the other. One thing is clear: Toyota and Lexus are winning in a big way. (Data via Cox Automotive Inc./Erin Keating)

The decline of the midsize sedan: Why there will soon be just 5 nameplates in U.S. The once-hypercompetitive midsize car segment has shrunk rapidly, falling victim to innovations in vehicle packaging and changing consumer tastes. The midsize sedan was once the quintessential family car—and it is now one of the most competitive segments in the U.S. Not today. When the nation's No. 3-selling midsize sedan, the Chevrolet Malibu, ends production this year and the Subaru Legacy is discontinued after the 2025 model, there will be just five mainstream midsize sedans available in the U.S. — all Asian imports: - Toyota Camry - Honda Accord - Nissan Altima - Kia K5 - Hyundai Sonata Toyota, which has stuck with a widely diversified product portfolio while others exited car segments, says its top-selling Camry is not going anywhere. Dave Christ, head of the Toyota brand in North America, recently told Automotive News: "We still believe that it's worth investing in passenger cars, and we're going to stay committed to it." Find out how rapidly has the landscape changed: https://lnkd.in/e3u9G2iB

The decline of the midsize sedan: Why there will soon be just 5 nameplates in U.S. The once-hypercompetitive midsize car segment has shrunk rapidly, falling victim to innovations in vehicle packaging and changing consumer tastes. The midsize sedan was once the quintessential family car—and it is now one of the most competitive segments in the U.S. Not today. When the nation's No. 3-selling midsize sedan, the Chevrolet Malibu, ends production this year and the Subaru Legacy is discontinued after the 2025 model, there will be just five mainstream midsize sedans available in the U.S. — all Asian imports: - Toyota Camry - Honda Accord - Nissan Altima - Kia K5 - Hyundai Sonata Toyota, which has stuck with a widely diversified product portfolio while others exited car segments, says its top-selling Camry is not going anywhere. Dave Christ, head of the Toyota brand in North America, recently told Automotive News: "We still believe that it's worth investing in passenger cars, and we're going to stay committed to it." Find out how rapidly has the landscape changed: https://lnkd.in/e3u9G2iB

The decline of the midsize sedan: Why there will soon be just 5 nameplates in U.S. The once-hypercompetitive midsize car segment has shrunk rapidly, falling victim to innovations in vehicle packaging and changing consumer tastes. The midsize sedan was once the quintessential family car—and it is now one of the most competitive segments in the U.S. Not today. When the nation's No. 3-selling midsize sedan, the Chevrolet Malibu, ends production this year and the Subaru Legacy is discontinued after the 2025 model, there will be just five mainstream midsize sedans available in the U.S. — all Asian imports: - Toyota Camry - Honda Accord - Nissan Altima - Kia K5 - Hyundai Sonata Toyota, which has stuck with a widely diversified product portfolio while others exited car segments, says its top-selling Camry is not going anywhere. Dave Christ, head of the Toyota brand in North America, recently told Automotive News: "We still believe that it's worth investing in passenger cars, and we're going to stay committed to it." Find out how rapidly has the landscape changed: https://lnkd.in/e3u9G2iB

The decline of the midsize sedan: Why there will soon be just 5 nameplates in U.S. The once-hypercompetitive midsize car segment has shrunk rapidly, falling victim to innovations in vehicle packaging and changing consumer tastes. The midsize sedan was once the quintessential family car—and it is now one of the most competitive segments in the U.S. Not today. When the nation's No. 3-selling midsize sedan, the Chevrolet Malibu, ends production this year and the Subaru Legacy is discontinued after the 2025 model, there will be just five mainstream midsize sedans available in the U.S. — all Asian imports: - Toyota Camry - Honda Accord - Nissan Altima - Kia K5 - Hyundai Sonata Toyota, which has stuck with a widely diversified product portfolio while others exited car segments, says its top-selling Camry is not going anywhere. Dave Christ, head of the Toyota brand in North America, recently told Automotive News: "We still believe that it's worth investing in passenger cars, and we're going to stay committed to it." Find out how rapidly has the landscape changed: https://lnkd.in/e3u9G2iB