The empire of Toyota has been toppled, maybe not yet completely but by the end of the year what Toyota used to be will be no more. Some might disagree with this, others will venture to say good riddance - and even go as fas as saying this is the result of gross negligence. But I offer you instead, another point of view - Toyota’s size and presence was its undoing. But why?
Well when you are pumping out oodles and oodles of cars and attempt to maintain the highest level of quality - cost becomes a huge factor. Implementing systems like Six Sigma and Lean Manufacturing are expensive and time consuming - Toyota didn’t forsake these ideas because they didn’t care, they had to in order to remain competitive. The mad dash to be number 1 in the industry is never ending, and there is always someone biting at your heals when you are on top. It looks like someone got their foot and pulled right from under them, or should I say their gas pedal? Ironically, the gas pedal problem is solved by a little 5 cent piece of plastic shim - funny how the smallest detail can cause the largest headaches.
And speaking of headaches, the federal government decided to stick its head into toilet bowl of automotive quality control and customer service. Sure the CEO Toyoda was slow to fix or acknowledge the extent of the problem publicly but there are rules in PR which are in place to make sure widespread panic doesn’t happen. But the Fed, like a big dopey brother who lacks any sense of social grace, opens the gaping hole known as their mouth and starts preaching chaos and doom. On top of that, they brushed off dust from their pitchforks and torches by calling for “panels” and “investigations” into the fiasco that is the Toyota recall.
So whats the solution? I say let the market solve itself - with the cushion of mandated recalls but without the witch hunt. Let them suffer the consequences for lax oversight and if they manage to adapt they will recover in time and return to their former glory. If not, then they will end up like every other company that had sloppy practices - out of business.
Of all the places a car company could be sold to, a beverage company would most likely fall very very low on any list of possibilities. Artega, the low volume german sports car company was recently sold to Tresalia Capital, or better known as the owners of Corona Beer. They were wise enough (or one could only hope) to hire Wolfgang Ziebartto who is a former BMW engineer - now I wonder if that means the cup holders can safely accommodate a 22oz container of Corona beer - wrapped in a paper bag? Only time will tell…
