Why you can't buy a new small truck.

[barnfind]

Stirring up warm memories of my Suburu Brat.
The thing was unstoppable.

Patiently waiting in the corner of the shop on more parts to surface. Yes I have the rear facing seats along with nos fenders.

 

[garyh]

I want a Rampage !

 

['69FuryIIIConvertible]

It's why I'm rebuilding an '87 S10 for myself....I wanted 30 MPG and a pickup box.

 

[SGT FURY]

Got this rare Cony truck given to me at a estate sale.
Sold it for $500 to a guy who wanted to save it from scrap heap.
He got it running.
Smallest truck I’ve ever seen.

 

[Toolmanmike]

It's why I'm rebuilding an '87 S10 for myself....I wanted 30 MPG and a pickup box. View attachment 606451View attachment 606452View attachment 606453View attachment 606454

And that 2.5 U code will last for a long time.

 

[Toolmanmike]

Patiently waiting in the corner of the shop on more parts to surface. Yes I have the rear facing seats along with nos fenders.View attachment 606092View attachment 606093

I worked at the dealership back when we sold those. They were fun and that looks like a nice project you have going on there.

 

[detmatt]

I saw this coming 2008 when it was announced they would start using footprint, AKA vehicle size. I saw that it would incentivize larger vehicles, and of course hoped for a return to C bodies, LOL but as you can see that's not what's happened.

It's worth noting by the way that we are the only country in the world that does fuel economy like this, (on the supply vs demand side). Go read some old Motor Trend magazines from the era where Cafe was being debated, and you'll see that all the manufacturers were pleading for a gas tax, as is done in Europe.

What Cafe standards have done is make sure that American companies would become uncompetitive in the highest profit segments, where they were traditionally strongest. That is unless they used the loophole that trucks provided until the change to footprint Style versus truck / car.

The video also fails to point out that manufacturers who sell less than 400,000 total units per year are exempted from Cafe penalties. That basically leaves Mercedes, BMW, Rolls-Royce, Etc to build whatever type of gas hog vehicle will sell to the American Elite who can afford them. None of these manufacturers sell anywhere close to 400,000 total units annually. However a company like General Motors, which sells millions of vehicles every year in the United States must include Cadillac sales which might top 100,000 in a good year. Thus while the European manufacturers were free to ship in as many as class and 7 Series Gas Hogs as they wanted during the 1970s - 2000s, Cadillac was forced to completely retool it's lineup into toy like luxury cars that would meet the cafe standard. Or in another case that strikes closer to home, the Dodge Viper which sold 2500 units in its best year ever, incurred profit eating penalties for the parent company, which sold millions of vehicles per year. By the way during the entire time of Daimler Chrysler ownership, Mercedes sales were still viewed under the 400,000 rule. This exemption was even called the coastal exemption, because it was lobbied for by wealthy auto dealers on both coasts who did not want to see their sales evaporate, has had happened for Cadillac, Lincoln and even Chrysler.

I don't think I'm really being political, because this obviously wasn't an issue with any one particular party. Our bureaucratic state regularly kneecaps our Industries. It's almost as if our politicians are on the payrolls of foreign governments. If you're not on that payroll, and choose to level the playing field.. or at least attempts to.. they will get you six ways till Sunday as I believe one of our Great American legislators was quoted saying.

Now here's a photo of a car, just so people will read the post.

View attachment 605953

Ouch! Didga have to???

 

[3175375]

Got this rare Cony truck given to me at a estate sale.
Sold it for $500 to a guy who wanted to save it from scrap heap.
He got it running.
Smallest truck I’ve ever seen.

View attachment 606455

View attachment 606456

Kinda like a Dihatsu Hijet. Here’s a dumptruck:

Daihatsu Mini Truck For Sale

 

[Big_John]

Kinda like a Dihatsu Hijet. Here’s a dumptruck:

Daihatsu Mini Truck For Sale

View attachment 606503

I wonder if I could do this with it....

 

['69FuryIIIConvertible]

And that 2.5 U code will last for a long time.

The one in it now is a 55k mile virgin from the south, I went through it and corked up any future leaks, replaced a few maintenance/wear items and it should be a happy little Critter.

Nick

 

[barnfind]

Toyotas new CEO announced these lil buggers at the 10k range. It will be a game changer for sure if these hit the U.S.

https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a45599623/toyota-imv-0-concept-details/

 

[patrick66]

^^^Built in Thailand for the Thai, Japanese, and Aussie markets, from what I've heard. I'd buy one in a heartbeat, if they were brought to the US.

 

[Big_John]

Toyotas new CEO announced these lil buggers at the 10k range. It will be a game changer for sure if these hit the U.S.

http://[URL]https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a45599623/toyota-imv-0-concept-details/

[/URL]
View attachment 632519

20" longer than my '10 Ranger and a lot uglier... A lot uglier....

 

[barnfind]

Its an untapped market in the US. I'd have one in my driveway as well.

 

[barnfind]

20" longer than my '10 Ranger and a lot uglier... A lot uglier....

AKA Rangaa, Tamarraw, Toyota is already taking ideas for customization, as Toyota actually listens to it's customers. I'm certain body kits would be the norm. To stay at the 10k range it would probably need to be built in the US vs imported.

 

[Big_John]

AKA Rangaa, Tamarraw, Toyota is already taking ideas for customization. I'm certain body kits would be the norm. To stay at the 10k range it would probably need to be built in the US vs imported.

Could they make one for the US market with a price point of $10k?

 

[barnfind]

Could they make one for the US market with a price point of $10k?

There's a good question, If they can produce the IMV 0 in the 10k range (stripper model). Another real question is, if it will be available in the US? A lot of "if's", there certainly seems to be interest and market for such a vehicle.

 

[Toolmanmike]

Toyotas new CEO announced these lil buggers at the 10k range. It will be a game changer for sure if these hit the U.S.

https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a45599623/toyota-imv-0-concept-details/

View attachment 632519

Holy crap that's an ugly truck!

 

[300rag]

Could they make one for the US market with a price point of $10k?

Given the $$$ mandated safety features I seriously doubt it could be made to meet that price point.

 

[73Coupe]

I friend of mine has one of these on his ranch, he sells them at his equipment shop. Diesel too.