Toyota Appoints Akio Toyoda as President amid Financial Meltdown
Aiko Toyoda from the founding family of the Toyota Motor Corporation was named next president. He will lead the Japanese car manufacturing firm in battling the declining sales of vehicles amid the financial crisis, and into this he will integrate a U.S. perspective.
The 52 year old Toyoda will take over the post from current Toyota President, Katsuaki Watanabe, in June 2009.
The company expects Toyoda to inject an international approach to solve the dismal performance of the company’s overseas operations which is part responsible to its first major losses in 70 years.
The history of Toyota is witness to great forward strides in the market. Toyoda will be taking over the reign in a time when there are so many challenges. The company is decreasing its production, cutting the workforce, and struggling to keep its sales.
A big chunk of the sales of Toyota is attributed to its performance in North America. This dropped as much as 15.4% in 2008 or down to 2,217660 units rolled out to the market.
The Japanese carmaker’s global sales suffered a 4% decline to around 8.97 million vehicles. This is the first decline in sales of Toyota in a decade.
Aiko Toyoda is an anointed prince of the Toyota family to many. He will be the first company president that had education in the United States. He will also provide the experience for the China market and is known to be a challenger of the conservative means.
The next topman currently has an experience portfolio which includes leadership in the Asian and China operations of Toyota. He also served as vice president of the Toyota tie up with General Motors in California.
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ToyotaJanuary 30, 2009
5 Responses
Toyota, You let me down. I have been a lifetime customer since 1991 and when I had a real problem on a new 2009 Toyota Corolla (Steering Problem) with on 300 miles. Toyota dealer then Toyota Customer support said nothings wrong it’s within Spec. It comes to find out many others have the same issue. I have traded it in and paid $1200 for the same make and model. Toyota is now selling the car that had problem. Toyota has loss focus to the most loyalist customer family.
I am 72 years old and a loyal Toyota customer since 1971. I now have a 2006 Rav4. It cost me $525.00 to replace a dangerous intermediate steering shaft. (TSB ST001-08) which I was not notified about. I was told the 3 yr. warranty was over. It should have been a recall. About 100 customers have the same complaint same car. Also all 5 0f my 18″ alloy wheels have the silver coating corroding including the spare which I have never used. These should be replaced under the 5 yr. corrosion warranty. Again I was told the three year warranty was over. I will write to Mr. Akio Toyoda very shortly. Its no wonder Toyota is losing sales. They don’t care about customer satisfaction. I will never again buy another Toyota nor recommend them. James F. Sparacio
I too am very unhappy with Toyota’s not caring about customer satisfaction. My 2006 Rav4 has had all the oil disappear, which Toyota did fix free of charge, but now I have the clunking sound in the steering column. Service manager admits yes, there’s a problem but wants me to pay $800.00 to fix a problems that Toyota has known about since Februrary 2008. I’ve had my Rav4 to the Toyota dealership for all it’s scheduled maintenance appointments, now with less than 50,000 miles I’ve had 2 major problems, I guess I’ll go back to Ford.
@ Delores – I have a co-worker with a Rav4 that has the same problems you mentioned with your Rav4. I ended up buying a Suzuki SX4 AWD, it’s #1 in it’s catagory for reliability and customer satisfaction, you might want to consider a Suzuki SX4 or a Suzuki Kizashi, they offer 7 year, 100,000 mile warranty, with NO DEDUCTABLE, and FULLY TRANSFERABLE (no transfer fee either), they also have the “most improved re-sale value” in the industry, right in between Toyota and Honda.
I have been a loyal Toyota customer for over twenty years; however, I will never purchase another Toyota. After complaining for two years about a noise from the steering wheel, I was told that it was the intermediate shaft. I have a six (6) year warranty but it does not cover “noise.” When I turn the wheel you can hear a clunking in the steering column and a grinding in the floor. This has been an on-going issue in many Toyota’s, so maybe Mr. Aiko Toyoda should consider a different supplier or changing the design, because too many people have the same issue. I called customer service, and frankly, they could care less about about my issue. I have not had the part replaced because I was told there was “no immediate danager, just annoying nois, so you will have to live with it.” Since I have been having issues with this car, when it came time to purchase company vehicles, Toyota was not on our list….five new company cars and not a Toyota among them.
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