Ayberk

It is probably a grey import in Netherlands.

Vh_Supra26

iTrader: (1)

I heart Wikipedia

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

i didn't mean they needed significant additional volume, but making it in the u.s. vs. japan will save them a ton of money (increase profit) even at the same volume.

mmarshall

Yes....even independent of the amount Toyota spends on UAW-vs.-Japanese labor, making them in the U.S. should save the customer some on the destination charge on the price sticker. Lately, the average for that has risen to around $850-900 per vehicle, and, in some cases, close to $1000. Not having to send the vehicle across the ocean in a container ship should, in theory, save both the customer and manufacturer money, though I personally doubt the honesty of some of those so-called "Destination" charges. Ford, in the past, admits that it set the same figure everywhere for the charge, no matter where the vehicle was built or shipped to.

Toys4RJill

The profit margins will be much better. And also, Lexus will be able to tailor it better to the North American market. My hunch is that the next ES will be designed in North America for North America , kinda like the Tundra.

spwolf

who knows really, Yen right now? But they are looking at it long term I guess.


Also LexsCTJill, ES is made for USA...

Toys4RJill

Its made for the USA, but its not designed and made in the USA.

spwolf

I dont think they should design Lexus anywhere but in Japan.... well not design, since design is competition between various design houses Toyota has, including Calty... but full development should be in Japan, as always.

pbm317

You will not see destination charges go down simply because it's built in Kentucky. Those prices are set at the model level and they're generally categorized at each manufacturer by the size of the vehicle and cover most logistics costs within North America. The manufacturers can and do make profit on that amount. None of the OEM's charge specific destination costs for each location.. that would be a nightmare of tracking. You don't see people around auto plants being able to pick up their car at the plant and avoid destination charges. A car will generally have the same destination charge whether it's sold right next to the plant or clear across the country. You don't see the cars from Japan having triple the destination charges as the vehicles produced in the country/North America. It just doesn't work that way.

It's like a stamp on a regular piece of mail... it's the same 49 cents (currently) to send a piece of mail whether it's to your next door neighbor or from Seattle to Miami.

What you might be able to see with more localization and leveraging the exchange rates will be to put more content back into the vehicles or establish/maintain a competitive price.

Toys4RJill

Makes no difference to me, I think both Japan made and North American made Toyota and Lexus products are great.