Toyota to help US Manufacturers??

[mchastek]

Toyota's chairman said on Monday that the company was considering voluntarily raising prices of their vehicles to help the strugling U.S. auto industry.

Today, a Toyota spokesman took that statement back, explaining that the company will leave prices up to the market.

The following is an excerpt from CNN Money Autos (http://money.cnn.com/2005/04/26/Autos/toyota.reut/index.htm?cnn=yes):

TOKYO (Reuters) - Toyota Motor Corp. said Tuesday it will not raise its car prices to help U.S. rivals, breaking with its chairman's comments a day earlier that voluntary price increases and other steps were in order to help restore health to the U.S. auto industry.
"Our basic stance is that prices are something for the market to determine," a spokesman at Japan's top auto manufacturer said. "We are not thinking about changing (vehicle) prices in order to help the U.S. auto industry."

Japanese brands collectively grabbed a record 30 percent share of the U.S. auto market last year, and some executives have become more sensitive about how their companies' success would play out at the political level.

IF Toyota decided to voluntarily raise prices to aid the U.S. manufacturers, what impact do you think this might have on the industry as a whole?

[Maxwedge]

thats nice of him...im sure the move is all about helping his competition.... eye roll...how white of him

[Jerry Cheney]

Who is this guy kidding? Toyota to raise prices to help - Ah - them selfs! is more likely - Toyota doesn't need to do anything except be Toyota.
Without good stiff competition US manufactures would not be where they are today.
But to say Im raising prices to help - - Please!

[luke11]

Front Cover of Inc. Magazine "How to Boost Your Bottom Line" "Why now is the best time in years to raise your prices". They are more than likely doing it for them self’s.

[Autopub]

Not raising prices is code for "We don't need to". Toyota has enough cash to buy GM if not Ford for "cash".. and they are profitable in every global market. Do not think that the decision not to raise prices has anything to do with being "nice" to the competition. It is about the market and what people will pay... but more so it is a response to the coming competition from the Koreans now and the Chinese in 5 years. Toyota's competition is not the U.S. domestics.