Toyota won out in the Clunkers sales, and now are pulling out of the California NUMMI plant. Kind of annoying...
And how did Toyota return the favor for its sweet little uptick in U.S. market share? The Japanese automaker delivered a slap in the face to the American workers who had been making those Corollas.
In announcing that it would be halting production at the New United Motor Manufacturing Inc. plant in Fremont, Toyota also gave the cold shoulder to California legislators who had been assembling a package of incentives - including tax credits and creation of an enterprise zone - in an attempt to preserve the 4,700 jobs within the plant, along with the many suppliers and other businesses that will be hurt by the closure.
Thanks a lot, Toyota
That's a great location, and I'd like to invite Honda to stop by to check out the NUMMI plant. There are 4,700 workers, ready to work, already skilled at making cars.
There are the incentives from the State that will help cut costs in having a production facility locating in costly, populous California.
I'd suggest making the Fit here...and maybe another car, the one that I'd suggested before...sort of a "Fit II". I'm thinking smaller, with engine options. I'm thinking of something more like a Smart car, maybe a little bigger, seating for two, but with enough space for real cargo/luggage.
Because that Smart car just doesn't have quite enough space if two people wanted to get away for the weekend. Something that could be used as a commuter (getting extremely high mpg). Change engine options, and then you have a little pocket rocket.
Give people the opportunity to have "luxury" options, no matter which engine they choose. So even if I had wanted the least expensive version with the miserly engine, I could have had leather seats. Vinyl is fine for me too, but I really wanted something other than cloth.
Give the choices of the vinyl/plastic door panels and floor coverings too. Remember that any place that costs can be cut, while presenting a good vehicle, opens the door for many people that might not otherwise be able to buy a new car (which we saw during the CARS program).
Think of the Aveo, that has a variety of options and interiors. They have leatherette, they have sunroofs. Those things can be added by ordering the car, or picking one up at the dealership that is order with lots of options.
Car costs can be reduced by smaller engines, no back seats in smaller cars. Try to get the price down to no higher than $10,000 for the least expensive version. Even lower would be good.
And don't block out people from being able to have joy or necessities, like it says on the Aveo, the least expensive model can't be bought with an A/T or A/C or a sunroof.
This doesn't mean that most of the cars on the dealer lot couldn't be particular combinations that would make sense...but some people may want other options, that could be ordered from the factory.
Kind of a Burger King car..."Have it your way". With a "plug and play" interface, that would allow people who, say, didn't order A/C to have it installed later on, if they want it, without much fuss.
Other ideas swiped from other cars include the swappable body panels, that can either be "color-through" plastic, or painted. The Smart has both, and for the white color, it's "color-through" plastic. If the car gets dinged, it's not chipped, there's no darker surface under the paint. Flat/matte colors like a white, red, black, yellow wouldn't show chips. And if the panel is a plastic, it won't rust either.
Should be lighter in weight too, making for better mpg.
People can still have it painted, or just have a fancy top coat put on. Like a clear pearl or clear metallic. Even if the top coat chips, the car color color won't change, it won't be as noticeable.
So, Honda, come to California.
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