6 posts tagged “export”

Oh well, I just lost the entire post, because of a Firefox bug. Holden might export its Statesman to the US as a Chevy Caprice. I’ve no patience to retype the whole history, sorry.

Life on Mars outdoor ad

I take my hat off to TV One for doing the right thing for the second series of Life on Mars—which will hit prime-time in New Zealand at 8.30 p.m., Monday, June 16. Thank goodness not every British show has been relegated to 11 p.m. slots.
   Although I have seen the series—and have the DVD—I might still be a sucker and watch it as a re-run, as it was that good. Monday night is shaping up well for telly, with Life on Mars (which puts us 16 months behind the UK now) and Jekyll at 11 p.m.
   Let’s hope Ashes to Ashes doesn’t get delayed as badly.

Warning: this may be the most boring Autocade-related post you will ever read on Vox. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I give you the Toyota Corolla. I am not responsible for narcolepsy.
   I wrote these ones out of interest, tracking the rise and fall of one of Japan’s greatest exports. I say ‘fall’ despite the fact Toyota has sold 30 million of this nameplate, as it does seem that in an age of market segmentation, it is branching the Corolla line into other nameplates such as the Auris, Blade and Matrix models. So Toyota will still sell huge numbers of these cars-as-domestic-appliances, and it will even instil desirability into them through marketing, and it will likely remain the world’s number-one automaker. But the age of the Corolla may be in decline, with fewer body styles and engine options, as you go down the list—following the same pattern that we can observe with any car line. We are probably 75 per cent through the lifetime of the Corolla. (Note to our US readers: the years quoted are not American model years.)

Toyota Corolla (E10). 1966–70 (prod. 1,170,000 approx.). 2- and 4-door sedan, 2-door coupé, 3-door wagon. F/R, 1077, 1166 cm³ (4 cyl. OHV). The car that kicked it off. Toyota spotted room for a small car as the Japanese middle class grew. Very conventional, drum brakes initially, front discs later. Perhaps established the idea for the Corolla line that basic motoring sells—it need not be the latest technology—but how that appealed to a global market. Aimed at export, toward a ‘general user’. Some creature comforts such as cigarette lighter, reclining seats, two-speed wipers. Four-door and wagon added May 1967. Coupé, from April 1968, sold as Sprinter in some markets—Sprinter line had not split from Corolla line at this point. Larger engine from 1970.

Toyota Corolla (E20). 1970–8 (prod. 3,210,000 approx.). 2- and 4-door sedan, 2-door coupé, 3- and 5-door van and wagon. F/R, 1166, 1407, 1588 cm³ (4 cyl. OHV), 1588 cm³ (4 cyl. DOHC). Launched May 1970, Coke-bottled shape follow-up to original Corolla, proving a bigger hit. Bigger all round, with sporty looking coupé and attractive (for the time) sedan. Conventional engineering but fairly good equipment levels. Addition of five-door station wagon for first time. Sprinter line split from Corolla with this series: cars were called Toyota Corolla for dealers bearing that name, and Toyota Sprinter for Toyota Auto dealers in Japan. Five-speed transmission for 1971. Corolla Levin (and Sprinter Trueno) from March 1972. Daihatsu Charmant spun off from Corolla E20 platform in November 1974, after this model was mostly superseded by Corolla 30. Vans and wagons continued in Japan to 1978 alongside Corolla 30 counterparts. 

Toyota Corolla/Corolla 30 (E30, E50). 1974–81 (prod. 4,420,000 approx.). 2- and 4-door sedan, 2-door hardtop coupé, 3-door liftback coupé, 3- and 5-door wagon. F/R, 1166, 1290, 1588 cm³ (4 cyl. OHV), 1588 cm³ (4 cyl. DOHC). Japanese econobox and the world’s top selling car from 1974 to 1977—the first generation of Corolla to win this acclaim. Not the most rust-proof and not particularly safe when compared with its contemporaries, but inoffensive though dull. Less roomy than Volkswagen Golf; cruder than contemporary Nissans, but proof that conventional engineering was what the customer wanted in the 1970s. Many variations on the theme: two sedans, two coupés, two wagons. Toyota Sprinter a more powerful version; related to Daihatsu Charmant. Longer life than most Corollas, probably due to 1970s’ recession. Japanese and American models had raised grille, lacking from many other markets. More formal grille for 1977. Production in Japan stopped in 1979; Australia produced the model at Port Melbourne till 1981, with later models featuring a 1290 cm³ four.
 

Toyota Corolla (E70). 1979–87 (prod. 3,500,000 approx. in Japan). 2- and 4-door sedan, 3-door van, 5-door station wagon, 2-door coupé, 3-door fastback coupé, 3-door hatchback coupé. F/R, 1290, 1495, 1770 cm³ (4 cyl. OHV), 1490, 1587 cm³ (4 cyl. SOHC), 1587 cm³ (4 cyl. DOHC). Boxy Toyota for the 1980s looks modern but hides pretty much the same as before: front-engined, rear-wheel drive. Available in a variety of models and tidily styled, but a demonstration of the car as a domestic appliance in most cases. Behind the times once archrival Nissan released its front-drive Sunny for 1981. Van and station wagon built into E80 era with slanted grille; facelifted rear-drive sedans even built in Australia into 1987.

Toyota Corolla (E80). 1983–7 (prod. 3,300,000 approx.). 4-door sedan, 5-door liftback sedan, 3- and 5-door hatchback sedan, 3- and 5-door van and station wagon, 2- and 3-door coupé. F/F, F/R, F/A, 1295, 1587 cm³ (4 cyl. SOHC), 1587 cm³ (4 cyl. DOHC), 1839 cm³ diesel (4 cyl. OHC). Toyota may have been late compared with Nissan, Ford, Mazda and Honda in joining the front-wheel-drive bandwagon, but when the E80 Corolla was launched, it blew a lot of the competition away. Highly competent range dynamically and models even had character; relative to the competition, probably the best Corolla ever. Comprehensive range but station wagon and vans carried over from E70 and Levin (AE86) coupé and liftback still on old rear-wheel-drive platform. Sixteen-valve engines for AE86s, developing 92 kW; AE86s developed a legendary status in Japan, considered a classic to this day. Pop-up headlamps for some coupés. Styling completely contemporary with exception of van and wagon, which had an E80-style nose grafted on. Handsome liftback, named Corolla Seca in Australia, where E80 production commenced 1985. Kammback three- and five-door models part of Corolla range in most countries though considered separately in Japan, US and Canada as Corolla FX, Corolla Compact in Europe. New Zealand FXes had regular Corolla nose; other markets tended to have Japanese one. First Toyota Corolla to top New Zealand sales’ charts, thanks to marketing blitz with That’s Incredible’s John Davison. 

Toyota Corolla (E90). 1987–91 (prod. 4,500,000 approx.). 4-door sedan, 5-door liftback sedan, 2- and 3-door coupé, 5-door wagon, 5-door 4WD wagon, 3- and 5-door hatchback sedan. F/F, F/A, 1295 cm³ petrol, 1839 cm³ diesel (4 cyl. SOHC), 1498, 1587 cm³ (4 cyl. DOHC). Bigger, plusher second-generation front-wheel-drive Corolla built on the last’s success, though seemingly less inspiring. Aim was to produce a classless car, and in Japan, it succeeded; in Europe, with other compacts growing, the Corolla never really transcended its position. Same wheelbase, but 2 cm wider. More sophisticated with four-wheel-drive models; Corolla Cielo (Seca in Australia) a contemporary-looking five-door liftback. Rear-wheel-drive models phased out as Toyota introduced a proper E90 station wagon, though commercial models retained leaf springs at rear. Four-wheel-drive wagon replaced Tercel Carib in most markets, different body to standard wagon. Station wagon shared with Sprinter line. Kammbacks still separate line in Japan, called Corolla FX.

Toyota Corolla (E100). 1991–9 (prod. unknown). 4-door sedan, 5-door liftback sedan, 4-door hardtop, 3- and 5-door hatchback sedan, 5-door wagon, 5-door high-roof van, 2-door coupé. F/F, F/A, 1331, 1497, 1498, 1587, 1762 cm³ (4 cyl. DOHC), 1296 cm³ petrol, 1974 cm³ diesel (4 cyl. SOHC). Dr Akihiko Saito, in charge of the Corolla programme, wanted to create the most refined Corolla possible, with Lexus-style comfort. To some degree, the team succeeded, but the car’s price went up in Japan during a recession. Roomy, but heavy, and less competitive alongside other small cars, including Koreans. Sales were initially slow. Longer wheelbase. Short-tail hatchbacks still Corolla FX in Japan. Four-door hardtop coupé from 1992 called Corolla Ceres. Last Corolla built in Australia.

Toyota Corolla (E110). 1995–2000 (prod. unknown). 3-door hatchback sedan, 4-door sedan, 5-door liftback sedan, 5-door wagon, 2-door coupé, 5-door minivan. F/F, F/A, 1331, 1498, 1587, 1794 cm³ petrol (4 cyl. DOHC), 1974, 2184 cm³ diesel (4 cyl.). Economic recession forced Toyota to use carryover platform from E100 and split Corolla into Asian–North American and Australasian–European–South American editions. More formal styling was apparent for the former; the latter had distinctive grilles. Wheelbase remained unchanged, and doors carried over as well. Kammback five-door deleted as five-door models merged into one body style. Sprinter Carib-style shell used for European station wagon (E100 carried over in Japan). Corolla more outclassed in this generation, especially with cost-cutting—though Takayasu Honda, the chief engineer on the project, tried to do so without losing quality. Mini-MPV called Corolla Spacio (Corolla Verso in Europe) introduced. European trim levels sounded more emotive, with Linea Terra and Linea Rossa introduced in this generation. Built on every continent at one point, a true world car. Japanese mid-term facelift April 1997; European facelift to four-headlamp grille 1998.

Toyota Corolla/Toyota Huaguan/Toyota Limo (E120). 2000–8 (prod. unknown). 3-, 4- and 5-door sedan, 5-door wagon, 5-door minivan. F/F, 1364 cm³ diesel (4 cyl. SOHC), 1398, 1598, 1796 cm³ (4 cyl. DOHC), 1995 cm³ diesel (4 cyl. DOHC). Corolla grows to its biggest size up to that point but limited by Japanese taxation requirements (setting the maximum width to 1,700 mm before it goes into a higher tax bracket). Shortened Toyota Vista platform, 2,600 mm wheelbase. Torsion beam axle at rear, replacing independent rear suspension. Sedans sold as Corolla Altis in some Asian markets. Wagons named Corolla Fielder, with hatchbacks taking Corolla Runx and Allex names (the latter replacing Sprinter). Corolla Spacio denoted a minivan model, sold as Corolla Spacio in Europe. Toyota Matrix, a different small van or tall hatchback, sold in US, renamed Corolla Matrix in 2005. Platform shared with Pontiac Vibe (or Toyota Voltz). Competent small car, hatchbacks in fact quite stylish, though interior design dull. Mid-life facelift 2004 in Japan. Japanese production ended 2006; some other countries 2008.

Toyota Corolla (E140). 2006 to date (prod. unknown). 4-door sedan, 5-door wagon, 5-door minivan. F/F, F/A, 1497, 1797 cm³ (4 cyl. DOHC). Corolla grew to a size where the 1,700 mm width was too narrow for export, so Toyota broke up the ranges into related cars: sub-1,700 mm for domestic, over 1,700 mm for export. E140 sedan known as Corolla Axio in Japan. Wagon (Corolla Fielder) sold Japan and New Zealand only. Wheelbase unchanged from E120. Corolla Rumion a boxy minivan related to Scion xB and Daihatsu Materia.
  

Toyota Corolla (E150). 2006 to date (prod. unknown). 4-door sedan. F/F, 1497, 1797, 2362 cm³ (4 cyl. DOHC). Continuing car-as-domestic-appliance approach with bland styling, if reasonable refinement. Hatchback for Australia and New Zealand really a rebadged Toyota Auris. Interiors better than E120. Different to 1,700 mm-wide model sold in Japan as Toyota divides Corolla into domestic and export models. Sedan badged Corolla Altis in many Asian markets. Wagon part of E140 range, rather than wider E150. Five-door for US market sold as Toyota Matrix.    

[Cross-posted] I would say that the new Tata Nano, the Rs. 1 lakh ($2,500) car revealed by Tata Motors at the New Delhi Auto Expo a few hours ago, exceeds the expectations of those who were predicting something that looked more motorcycle than automobile.
   As we led up to today’s unveiling of the revolutionary small car—aimed to get families out from motorcyles and in to a safer automobile—I had heard all manner of predictions, many of them negative, about the vehicle.
   Yet Tata has come up with a “people’s car” designed to mobilize the masses in India in the same vein as the Volkswagen, Fiat nuova 500 and the BMC Mini.
   It possesses a certain chic with a contemporary one-box design that could have come from an Italian design house. While the Nano won’t make it to too many western export markets due to the perceived lack of safety features, it will start a new trend among cheap transportation, especially in an era of high oil prices. I don’t think it’ll take too long for the Red Chinese to copy it and I speculate that Tata may well plan on creating a slightly plusher, airbag-standard version for export.
   However, as far as Tata is concerned, the Nano meets the requirements of its main market and is safe.
   The car is available in standard and deluxe models. The most noticeable feature of the latter is its colour-keyed bumpers and wheel trims.
   Said chairman Ratan N. Tata, ‘I observed families riding on two-wheelers—the father driving the scooter, his young kid standing in front of him, his wife seated behind him holding a little baby. It led me to wonder whether one could conceive of a safe, affordable, all-weather form of transport for such a family. Tata Motors’ engineers and designers gave their all for about four years to realize this goal. Today, we indeed have a People’s Car, which is affordable and yet built to meet safety requirements and emission norms, to be fuel-efficient and low on emissions. We are happy to present the People’s Car to India and we hope it brings the joy, pride and utility of owning a car to many families who need personal mobility.’
   What I would really love to see is a version not powered by fossil fuels—a wish I have had for the car since 2006.
   From a branding perspective, the car represents just how well organized Tata is. The Nano was the chairman’s baby, pushed through by a charismatic leader and its importance stressed by top management. It could well build Indian industry even more than the multi-billion-dollar Tata corporation can imagine. This, and its acquisition of Land Rover and Jaguar, may make Tata the most talked-about Asian automaker in 2008.
   Plus, I love the name. Just as Mini was about as small as people could get in everyday speech in the 1950s, Nano is such a common term in the 2000s that the model name makes perfect sense.

The news that Journeyman fans did not want to hear has come: there will be no more after the 12 episodes that have been made. NBC has not asked for more, and the chances of the show’s return in 2008 are tiny.
   I wrote on the unofficial Journeyman Blog today:

This news sucks big time. This is a consistently well written show and what American networks do not realize is that it discourages us foreigners from getting suckered in to US-made series. As a result, I never slavishly followed the US into Lost, Heroes or many of those so-called “hits” after consistent disappointments surrounding premature cancellations or network tinkering. Journeyman managed to break that for me because it truly was excellent.
   I know NBC must look at its domestic market first, but I would have thought the prospect of strong international sales would be considered. In the US, 10 p.m. is probably a tad late, but you can totally have seen this airing at 8.30 p.m. in Britain, Australia or New Zealand. (It probably won’t now, because it’s been labelled a flop and programmers in other countries will be too scared or lazy to determine otherwise.)
   So thanks, NBC, for building an audience for an excellent show despite its lousy timeslot, and for being so daft that you don’t see that this does the network’s credibility some damage. After all, who gets the blame? Fox, for making it, or NBC, for not having the intelligence to see there were other factors at play with the poor ratings?
   The only consolation is that I only have to buy a single season’s worth of DVDs rather than the seven I plan to fork out for Mission: Impossible. Ah, remember those days when networks stuck with shows?

   An American (I assume) fan called Wes wrote on the official blog and makes an excellent point about Seinfeld:

NBC are you listening (or at least reading)? You have to give Journeyman a chance and give it time to find an audience. This could be a great show for years. It may have been mentioned here already, but several of the past "best TV shows ever" were almost canceled and took time to find an audience. Seinfeld sound familiar? How much money did it make for NBC? It's not just the about the money either. It takes time for word of mouth to spread the news and maybe a little luck for a TV show to jump up to the top 20 in weekly ratings. People will stop watching serial type shows all together if every time one doesn't instantly become a barn burner, you cancel it. And the networks wonder why viewership is down. Maybe you should take cue from HBO and Showtime. Make a good show (you have) and people will come, it just takes time.

   Even the writers’ strike could not save it. The ratings were actually beginning to head north after people stopped watching The Bachelor, but not enough to get NBC to see sense.
   I certainly won’t be in a hurry to start watching any other new American series of this ilk and have successfully stayed away from Heroes and The Nine after disappointments with The Pretender, John Doe and others. I watched maybe 10 episodes of Lost despite the addition of Elizabeth Mitchell, a Lucire interviewee. You just never know when they disappear. The Brits may do fewer shows, but at least they see them through to a natural conclusion more often. The British networks respect their viewers.
   The networks no longer remember how The Dick van Dyke Show was cancelled, was brought back, and lasted for years—and from memory, JAG went through the same thing. If the writing is as good as it is on Journeyman, a second season is all a show needs to become a long-running classic. Killing Journeyman is a way of covering up NBC’s own inadequacies of putting it into a too-late timeslot.
   I will watch the new Life on Mars when or if it starts, based on the goodwill of the British original, and because I know the secret behind Sam Tyler, so I won’t be as hurt if it’s pulled. 

Maybe for my main blog later. The end of the full-size car is nearing, it seems. I got the following from the Ford Motor Company earlier today, as production of the old six-cylinder engine in Australia will come to a close.

Ford Australia today announced a key step in a new product manufacturing strategy that will allow the company to achieve production efficiencies and access global economies of scale.
   From 2010 Ford Australia will import a global new Duratec V6 engine, including high performance derivatives, for use in the company's locally made Falcon, Falcon Ute and Territory model lines. The improved economies of scale resulting from the globally-sourced engine will offer increased flexibility to potentially incorporate future alternative fuel strategies, particularly diesel technology.
   As a result, the company will discontinue its Australian I6 engine operations in Geelong in 2010. Redeployment opportunities will be maximised wherever possible and the company will work closely with its employees and unions to minimise the impact on the 600 people affected by the decision across engine operations. The company's remaining 1400 employees in Geelong and 3000 in Campbellfield will not be directly impacted by the decision.

   I feel for the Aussies affected by this, but given Ford has been streamlining its engine production, it was inevitable. This will also mean a streamlining of its full-size car platforms, so the next Mustang, Territory, Town Car, Falcon and other models will be engineered by one group, probably the Australians who have had plenty of expertise in this area. (The US, by contrast, has not changed its full-size platform since the 1979 model year.) The following was also in the release, which is good from an internal point of view, but cold comfort to the folks at Geelong:

Construction of the company's new Research & Development Centre, announced in 2006 as part of Ford's $1.8 billion Australian investment program, will continue and is due for completion later this year. Significant investment programs in new emissions laboratories and wind tunnel technology at Ford's test facilities at Lara will also continue, along with usual operations at the company's stamping plant and Ford Discovery Centre.

   Ford’s issue has always been internal infighting and Dearborn’s reluctance to accept anything that is “not invented here”. Let’s hope it gets over it, because my feeling is that there’s life in the full-size car market yet, and Holden, despite its slip-ups with the Daewoo products, has proved that with the VE Commodore platform and its derivatives.