"When is Smart or Mini going to think about a truck?

Posted by: Arnie | May 9, 2010 6:29:56 AM"

LOL!! You don't want that, after having seen some of the responses to the Hyundai pickup. Someone will throw an apopoleptic fit once they discover that the Smart was built in France, never mind owned by Daimler Benz!

Toyota & Hyundai may make cars in America, but they don't develop them in America. So may people forget that manufacturing of a vehicle is a small % of the workforce that is behind a vehicle. Engineering, marketing, finance, accounting, research & development are all done in Japan & Korea. Those jobs are just as important to keep in America - the higher paying jobs - not just the line workers.

I have to agree with what Lou has been saying, I think that the content of a vehicles parts and where it's made should be looked at....sure I support my American born brands as I own an F-150 that was assembled here, but you can easily pull 5 electrical components off of it that say made in Mexico! It's a mixture of parts depending on the vendor. The main point is at least Ford assembles them here. So owning a Honda Accord (wifes car) that's built in Marysville Ohio is still supporting the U.S. economy, Honda of America dumps millions of $$ into it by having a plant here. I'm sure Ford and Honda even share some of the same parts vendors that ARE sourced to the U.S. That being said the benifits to our economy far outwiegh any portion of profits that are going to "Honda headquarters" in Tokyo.

Am I the only sensing a new Mitsubishi Raider in the making?..

@roger, yep i like to buy american made too, ( in the US market all f-series, most ram 1500's, and most GM fullsize trucks, except CC short bed 1500's are US made) and im pretty sure that even the GM 1500 CC Short bed's production is being moved to michigan soon, if it already hasnt happened.

Hyundai listen to me, here's what you need to build. http://carphotos.cardomain.com/ride_images/3/2198/2541/30493770004_large.jpg

Build that but modernized with the turbo Genesis Coupe drivetrain and I'd be all in for one.

The Chevy Cobalt is built in Ohio, the US State, NOT Thailand nor Mexico as was stated by someone previously. The Cruze that is replacing it will be built in the same plant, in Ohio. Just setting the record straight on that one.

As an earlier post stated, the Japanese manufactures have had a tough time trying ot compete in the full-size truck market. It is not because the vehicles are not competitive, however, if American car companies know one thing, it is that they know how to tailor a full size truck to a potential customer. it has taken Toyota several years to offer a "work" model for its Toyota. Nissan is limited with one engine/tranny. Now go to Ford, option a work truck (regular cab), with a diesel and a manual transmission. (several clicks on a website, done) Something that Nissan/Toyota cannot or will not do in their current guises. Toyota and Nissan have gone after the casual truck owner that proven to be fleeting in tough economic and gas climate. Hyundai would be better served exploring a newer small truck as there really is a void in that area. A light duty (maybe even unibody-car based) truck would serve their target customers better.

This has many similarities with Nissan, Toyota and Honda. But Toyota and Honda have built reputations and for all purposes, don't discount and usually sell at a premium compared to Detroit iron. I think a Hyundai half ton truck would have a place if it were 10-20% less expensive than a Ford/Chevy/Dodge and offered a price appropriate level of performance.

Straight axle front end? I hope Hyndai would be smarter than that!!!

Some companies use a competitors vehicle as a mock up if they do not have a product of their own...

Look around at manufacurers proving grounds and they have every brand of vehicle to test....

Obviously Hyundai knows the Dodge Ram is the best they want to copy it,Nissan even knows the Dodge Ram is the best as they wanted a version of it..now they will resort to copying every aspect of the truck,since they cant get Dodge to build one for them...they will copy it and sell it as their own engineering masterpiece !!

Hell everybody wants a version of the Dodge Ram,I know its the worlds best truck but this is getting ridiculous !!! Ford/GM/Toyota already copied the RAM ,no we will have more copies !!

@Dodge - I hope that your last post was "toungue in cheek", a fun play on words.

As far as calling the Dodge Ram "the world's best truck",
I suspect that title would go to the Toyota HiLux, as it's made worldwide.

So " ALL AMERICAN" you don't like Hyundias and you want the country to buy nothing but AMERICAN MADE items. Do you have a cell phone? Who makes it, a Japanese Compny I'd be willing to bet. Got a big screen TV, who makes that an American company too? Does your American made vehicle have a battery in it made by an "American Company' I'm all about building back up the American economy, but you talk like a fool sir. There are little if any products that most consumers buy that don't have some Asian or European components in them. Even the computer you happen to type your dribble on has "non American" parts in it I'm sure.

@jt

Ever hear of the Calty Design Studio in Cali.? That is where Toyota does most of what you see in the U.S., The reality is we live in a global market so companies are trying to streamline costs and go with global platforms...

The new Tacoma I have was designed in California...

Dodge truck the best truck? Guess that's why they're selling like hot cakes? Everybody knows the Chevy trucks are the most dependable longest lasting trucks on the roads that's the only reason Ford sells more trucks because the Chevy's outlast them!

Tell you what, ol' Hyundai might not be that far off the mark goin' for a slice of the full size pickup market. You guys that don't know anything think Hyundia only makes inexpensive cars, but I'll have you know that worldwide, Hyundai is a well respected manufacturer of heavy duty trucks. Trucks far larger and stronger than anything Ford builds. Don't believe me, check this out:
http://worldwide.hyundai.com/showroom/commercial-vehicles/medium-and-heavy-duty-tractor-truck-focus.html
You know, Ford sticks a big belt-buckle grille on the old Super Duty to try to get everyone to think 'big rig', but Hyundai is the real deal. If Hyundai starts selling those big jobs here, I could see a lot of guys making the connection that Hyundai=work, and giving a Hyundai pickup a shot. Just like all those old codgers tradin' their Crown Vics and Grand Marquis in for new Sonatas. And, Hyundai is such a large corporation that I am sure if they did come out wit a full size pickup, they would do it themselves, and not simply re-badge a Dodge. Yup, I'd say Ford is in for some schoolin'.

"Hyundai is a well respected manufacturer of heavy duty trucks. Trucks far larger and stronger than anything Ford builds. Don't believe me, check this out"

They are and heavy earthmoving equipment as well. Problem is the trucks are all Cabovers. We as yet have yet to see their heavy stuff, but we have some of their light trucks being sold here in Australia, a very crowded market for medium and heavy duty trucks, with a lot of manufacturers from the US, Asia and Europe being represented.

I prefer south african built trucks and pickups, they are not oversized, get decent milage, functional looks and you can actualy get into normal sized parking

You 'buy american' guys are ridiculous... so I shouldn't buy a Dodge Ram or a Jeep now because the money is going to the Italians (FIAT)? What about before when they were owned by Daimler?

Ford and GM are global companies too, should they pull out and only build cars for America? How much money would they lose then?

Without Asian competition we would all be driving Corsicas and Tempos instead of todays Malibus and Tauruses. Had the GTR not spanked the Vette a few years ago, GM might not have kept developing the ZR1 (and by extension CTS-V) even though the company was struggling and could have put those resources elsewhere.

My family has everything from Hummers to Hondas. I currently drive an Acura, but when the time comes to trade it in I'm probably replacing it with an SHO.

So, I'm glad that Hyundai may come to the market with a truck. Hopefully they'll stuff a 500hp monster with under the hood with 25mpg when they do. Because then it will force everyone else to improve and you die hard Ford/GM/Dodge/Nissan/Toyota guys will benefit too.

What you miss when you say your toyota is made in the usa is that all the corporate money goes back to japan. when is the last time you saw a sports field or concert hall paid for by toyota. ford chrysler and gm have been putting the money back into the communties we live in. so you can hide behind your half truths if you like but you would be better off waking UP!!!!!

Maybe end profits go back to japan, but there is a ton of infrastructure here in the US - jobs, buildings, maintenance of those buildings, corporate taxes as well as purchasing parts for building the cars. Remember Toyota's throttle pedal woes go back to parts purchased from CTS in Indiana, not the Denso units made in japan.

As far as philanthropy, the local Toyota dealer sponsors high school football teams, and do a lot of work with the special olympics. It only takes a quick google search http://pressroom.toyota.com/pr/tms/category-home.aspx?ncid=13338 to see Toyota corporate is involved with tons educational grants.

As far as stadiums, etc, http://www.toyotapark.com/ and http://www.georgetowncollegeathletics.com/Visitors/facilities.htm are two examples.

When was the last time you watched something on ESPN without seeing 'sponsored by Toyota' (even if it is just for advertising, look at the jobs that creates)

All of the manufacturers give back to their communities, be it Ford or Nissan, because it is good for business.

As a previous poster said, its better that they are here than not here.

Another full-size??? Don’t we already have enough? What does Hyundai think it can do that Nissan Titan and Toyota Tundra have not been able to do? I just don’t get it – are OEMs blind to the fact that there are truckers out there that are NOT interested in these behemoths? This goes to show why Mahindra’s pickups are so important and why people should give them the time it takes to make an orderly and efficient entrance. They’re the only OEM in years that has shown the guts and resolve to bring us something that hasn’t existed for some time: a compact diesel pickup. Compact AND diesel in the same sentence – who would have thunk it?

@All American: I am an Asian and I drive a Lexus GS450. My wife is Asian and she drives a Nissan Murano. We are both Americans born here in the USA. We love our country, and so do our children. Does driving a Japanese car make us any less American? No. We owned a 1998 Chevy Malibu. The thing lasted little over a year because the ECU fried, the radio broke, and the left taillight would always go out. We aren't un-American, we're just smart consumers who want to get the most out of our cars. By the way, your comment of a "fat Korean kid" could be taken offensively, especially since my wife is Korean.

Even GM does not build all of their trucks in the US. When I was shopping for a truck last year in Texas, all the 2009 Silverado LTZ units I looked at were assembled either in Canada or Mexico.

@ Fargin You are absolutley right. Anyone wonder why GM kept Buick while Pontiac got the axe when they sold double the cars Buick did in north america? China. Buick does very well in China and its sales there meant Pontiiac had to go. So Gm dumped a brand with decades of history for the Chinese.
I would be interested to know if other countries have the same attitude about thier car companies that are foriegn owned. Like Land Rover and Aston Martin owned by Tata Motors, Mazda/Ford, GM/Saab before they split, etc.

The new Ford Taurus Police car will be made in the USA, but the new Chev Police car will be made in Australia. Why??? This was report here a few months ago. Correct me if I'm wrong but why make a lower volume car so far away?

"The new Ford Taurus Police car will be made in the USA, but the new Chev Police car will be made in Australia. Why??? This was report here a few months ago. Correct me if I'm wrong but why make a lower volume car so far away?"

I can answer that. The Police Car was part of a project by Monash University in Melbourne Australia, to build a better Police Cruiser. Holden (GM) heard about it and joined forces with them to tender for Police Cruisers in the US.

"Screw this foreign crap!!!!!!!! This is why our economy is bad nobody want to American cars that make American jobs and the the money stays in AMERICA!!!!!!!!"

US cars are crap....the president of GM even admitted it

@KKK - you must be a big fan of Obama.
You sound like a guy that frequents Walmart.
Where do you think all of that stuff comes from.
Most of the money to deal with the collapse of big banks and Wall Street came from China. Same goes for the auto industry bailout.

Rednecks will put up a picket fence than take up a challenge. The truck market will only get better.

No need to fear-monger or be jealous of people's success. Just work hard.

@Jordan - Chrysler is doing much better in Canada that the USA.
Is that because people in the USA don't like the idea of Chrysler/Dodge being owned/controled by a "foreign" company?
Makes you wonder.

I like the fact hyundai may create a truck. And how did the Titan and Tundra tank? I cant go out anytime without seeing a tundra they have amazing power. Hyundai used to be a bad company when they started out now look at what they have. They have basic cars, luxury cars, sports cars, suvs. I test drove the 2010 Tuscon and i actually liked it a lot its only a 4 cylinder but you couldnt tell and it was very comfortable. And whoever still thinks that american made is actually american made is nuts. The parts arent made here and a lot of the vehicles arent even assembled here. No such thing as a true American made truck just an American Name truck. Plus hyundai makes fuel efficient vehicles. So if I can buy a full size pick up with 4 wheel drive, good amount of power, better gas mileage, and a 10 year 100,000 mile warranty.... im not gunna buy a truck with half the warranty, same power, probably more expensive American Name truck. Anyone wh wants to complain that its not american made then go through your house and throw out everything that says made in china.

I personally dont like the idea of just taking a dodge ram and throwing some hyundai stuff on it, i could understand using the chasis but manufacture your own body style and to trully make it a hyundai vehicle. they should design an engine to work with the truck. I know thats very expensive, but i personally believe that a lot of americans cringe at the thought of a dodge ram being labeled as a hyundai just because they put a couple of their own touches on it. Study the Dodge ram and try to improve on whatever they can (if they have the means). Then throw one of their own designed engines in and actually MAKE a name for themselves in the truck world. Iam leaving out a lot of information but this is just a simple thought. I know there is a lot of time money and R&D that go into makeing a new vehicle.

These comments complaining about foreign manufacturers who have proven they can deliver high quality vehicles at a more reasonable price than, GM, Chrysler and Ford are probably Union Members who have for years priced their
services so that their employers could not compete.

Yes buy American : I just can't wait to replace my Mexican Chevy Avalanche .
Where is that half ton diesel we've been waiting for?

So when Chevy is manufactured in Canada and Mexico, how is buying gm products considered an American thing to do?

They should build a small, efficient, reasonably priced truck. I think that is the holy grail with gas prices where they are. Unfortuneately, nobody seems to be able to pull this hat trick. The closest would be the Ranger but it still doesn't get 30mpg and its a piece of junk to boot.

The funny thing is...Hyundai has thousands of their own little pickups running around Mexico, Central, and South America.