Iv'e noticed some disturbing inter-breeding with Toyota lately, and I don't mean just the rebadged Matrix/Vibe car:

Dana/Spicer builds frames for the Tundra. they even brag about it in thier website. The idea of joint GM-Toyota enterprise frame sourced from Dana would make some financial sense.

Keep in mind that the Tacoma and the Colorado were designed at a time gas was under $1.50/gal. Drivetrain and chassis were probably done approved before the blackout in '04 ,which would have made gasoline at the time about $1.35/gal.


now for anyone who's been to Australia, you've probably taken notice that the Holden (GM) trucks are re-badged Isuzus, and the Fords are rebadges Mazdas, while the reverse is true up here in teh states. Toyota chooses to produce two variants for each market, as stated before.

The really nice thing that everyone has missed here is that toyota is not stupid. if anything, they have learned the core of capitolism is that you can sell whatever the customer asks for. Toyota now has a void in thier product offerings in that they have no small pick-up. if the gas prices hold (and I hope they do) it would be a very small leap for toyota to start importing turbo diesel Hi-Lux trucks. If needs be, they even have two Tacoma plants, and one could be converted to assemble hi-lux trucks. hopefully, the new tacoma will just die and be buried as a footnote for what not to do.

and forgive my crappy spelling it's still early here <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />