Quote:
Originally Posted by kapp_badbloodz
i'll hop in on the RUMINT bandwagon
I talked to the lead tech guy at the stealership today. He said that the 2016 models will have a 3.5L and an optional supercharger from factory. He was positive that the 4.0L was going the way of the dinosaur 
Brace yourselves for a pussified version (not that they had any balls to begin with). After I mentioned the supercharger he tried selling me one for my 2015 LOL. Going from NA to FI on a truck without any aftermarket ECU mapping..... no thanks. |
First off the 3.5L D4S engine hasn't even been released yet as of this post (it will debut in the 3rd Gen Tacoma. Second the TRD Supercharger program has been discontinued as of this year; mostly due to high investment vs. return & the fact Toyota will be delving into TurboCharging in the near future.
Pretty much everything that tech guy told you sounds like speculation and wishful thinking unfortunately.
Quote:
Originally Posted by 1engineer
Oh my...
First, google Tahara Toyota Plant. Thats where the 4Runner is built and accounts for about 25% of their production. There are around 300 4runners produced there every day lol. They are going to cut it down to 300 a month? Okay. Vans and Camrys are not even produced there.
Next. For the umpteenth time, a vehicle does not have to get a specific gas mileage! Under CAFE rules all vehicles that are produced by a specific manufacturer get averaged! Google that too!
Next. The 4Runner is not a low volume vehicle! There were as many 4runners sold last year as Camaros or Mustangs!
Last. How many dealers actually know what is going on? I buy a few of the things you guys posted like colors but the other stuff? Really?
Last postscript. The reason only a few 4Runners were sold in 2009 was demand. Remember what happened in 2009?
Cmon guys, get a grip.
|
I'm not entirely sure how much they may be ramping down the production, if any but I do recall a similar trend with the 2009 model year of a slight downturn in production as they geared up for the 5th gens.
While the vehicle doesn't have a specific gas mileage, I am sure that it does not help the over all average at this point; though the 4Runner will probably be safe until the more stringent requirements fall into effect in the next 10 years, so I'm not too concerned about that (though the fact that Lexus dropped the GX series in favor of the TX concerns me that Toyota is considering shaving down their BoF fleet, since the 4Runner is really only a NA model now with the lack of a 5th gen Hilux Surf.)
I would say it is a low volume vehicle in comparison to Toyota's other offerings, it's not as small a share as the FJ was and still has good sales. But the 4Runner has never been a large volume seller as compared to the Camry, Corolla, Highlander, Rav4, and Sienna. But it's by no means a low volume vehicle like the FJ was; I do agree that some people think it has smaller sales than it does.
Dealers don't get much if any information until the last minute if they're lucky from my experience.
I think the recession has something to do with it, but I also think that it's probably not uncommon to taper production off a bit as you start retooling the factory for the next generation as well. What is more interesting to me is that in '09 they dropped the V8, adjusted some of the options, and brought out the "Urban Runner" trim level. A "special" run like that usually happens around a generation's beginning or end as they try to boost sales of remaining in stock units.
