Toyota halts all Japanese production - that means the Prius, too - for 11 days
click for more images of the 2009 Toyota Prius
Toyota has announced that all of its 12 production plants in Japan will be shut down for 11 days in February and March thanks to the recent sales drop. Toyota sold about 20,000 fewer Priuses in 2008 than in 2007. According to Automotive News Europe (subs req'd), Toyota already reduced the number of vehicles it will build this business year by almost a million units and this round of closures means there will be even fewer Toyota's built in the coming year. The last time all Japanese Toyota plants were shut at the same time was in 1993. Considering that all Priuses are made in Japan (that Mississippi Prius plant never got off the ground), the Prius supply will be reduced over the 11 days of quiet. The big question is if it'll be down enough to meet demand without excess.
[Source: Automotive News Europe (subs req'd), AP]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
why not the LS2LS7? 11:36AM (1/06/2009)
They're giving $1000 cashback on the Prius here in NorCal. Which is startling since it has been a big seller here for nearly a decade, even when gas was cheap before.
So times clearly are tough, even for Toyota.
But the good news for Toyota is a new model is nearly ready and new models usually bump sales significantly.
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digitaljoe 12:13PM (1/06/2009)
Curious to know if there's been any response from UCLA's Professor Intrilligator regarding his call for Toyota's take over of GM based on Toyota's "superior" business expetise and product line ( http://www.autobloggreen.com/2008/12/09/ucla-professor-of-economics-toyota-should-take-over-gm/ ). What a difference a month makes.
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freshforged 2:35AM (1/07/2009)
Why can't they just make cars people want to buy?! They should just be allowed to go bankrupt!
>snark
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