The self-inflicted wounds of Toyota have opened a hole big enough to drive a truck through – as long as it’s a domestic truck. Without lifting a finger, GM, Ford and Chrysler have all had their prospects improve, simply by not being Toyota.
According to a survey from Jumpstart Automotive Group, four out of five US car buyers say that they’ll be thinking about options from the three US companies in the wake of Toyota’s structural and public relations problems. In fact, 51% have completely crossed Toyota off of their lists.
GM seems to be the primary beneficiary of Toyota’s troubles. The survey finds that 48% have put Chevrolet atop their list to replace Toyota, with 17% choosing Ford and 14% choosing Chrysler.
“This data provides some interesting perspective about the mindset of US car shoppers,” said Joe Kyriakoza, VP of Strategic Insights at Jumpstart Automotive Group. “It’s almost as if they’ve been waiting for a reason to support the domestic auto brands. We believe Toyota’s current position has opened up new sales opportunities for brands like Chevy and Ford.”
RBR-TVBR observation: Print out this article and run, do not walk, to your clients in the domestic automotive business. And don’t forget to visit your friends from Toyota – they have a lot of perceptual mending to do. In short, the Toyota problem has created a reason for all auto brands to step up their spending.
