Toyota zooms to record Y2.17 tril profit on U.S. sales, weak yen

I admit that Toyota is a very smart company, very well run from manufacturing to marketing and PR, but when was the last time any large corporation actually lowered their products' prices based on favorable financial performance? Automobiles are probably the second largest investment that most people make, so even though they say that raw material an manufacturing costs are always inflating, if a company's profits are growing (to unfathomable amounts in the case), why not give a little back to your customers?

Toyota Motor Corp zoomed to a record 2.17 trillion yen profit for the fiscal year through March, up 19% from the previous year, buoyed by sales growth in the U.S. and a perk from the cheap yen.

One of the positive outcomes of Abenomics. Now if folks there would finally stop protecting the 3% of folks involved in agriculture, and get behind TPP, Japan might truly have a chance of a sustained recovery.

Japan will get to the TPP in the emd. Just because china should be isolated from most countries

Toyota will likely never be seen as a luxury brand. In the same way a hornet will never be seen as a honey-bee.

Toyota uses the Lexus Brand for luxury cars.

Same as many other car manufacturers they use different brands for different target markets.

And Toyota gave employees the biggest pay raise in 21 years!

Banzai! Banzai! Banzai!

@crust Toyota will likely never be seen as a luxury brand.** thats why it has the Lexus Brand which is the third most popular luxury brand in the US behined BMW 18% & Merc 17.1% Lexus 16.1%. Toyota doesnt need to be a luxury brand it has built its reputation on reliable affordable vehicles, eg Corolla, landcruiser etc ask any Russian, Middle East, which cars they prefer, they can handle the extreme cold/heat year after year. not to mention its been the biggest manufacturer for the last 3 years and the most profitable, considerably more than its rivals.

Not only on the weak yen. Let's give credit where credit is due: They make great cars.

Gas miliage, reliability, durability, etc etc etc.

US govt will squeeze it later.

US govt will squeeze it later.** yes i can feel a few US Toyota class action lawsuits coming on, how dare a Japanese company outperform Government Motors, and all without bankruptsy protection and a taxpayer funded bailout.

Toyoda is trying to change that, emphasizing the need to chisel out a reputation for glamor and luxury that some European and American rivals already have, but has remained elusive for Toyota.

@wtfjapan- Yes, I realize that there is the Lexus brand but, perhaps you didn't read the article carefully enough? It is talking specifically about TOYOTA not Lexus as stated clearly from the above quote.

US govt will squeeze it later.** yes i can feel a few US Toyota class action lawsuits coming on, how dare a Japanese company outperform Government Motors, and all without bankruptsy protection and a taxpayer funded bailout

Totally ignorent comment in light of the fact that the NHTSA announced a week or so back they were NOT going to proceed with any kind of action against Toyota for un-intended accereration. But, never let the facts get in the way of some good old U.S.-bashing. Especially since Toyota owes much of its success to the U.S. market. Gotta love that kind of blind jealousy.

This probably includes Scion as well since it is sold as toyota in Japan. Toyota is awsome, but then again I'd take the worst Japanese car over the best American one any day.

Toyota will likely never be seen as a luxury brand. In the same way a hornet will never be seen as a honey-bee.

Outside Japan, perhaps. In Japan though, the Toyota Crown is certainly a symbol of luxury and is their flagship model. I was confused at first to learn the Crown stood above the Lexus brand here, for the very reason crustpunker indicates - I didn't think of Toyota as a luxury name-brand.

After renting one for a special occasion though, I was certainly impressed.

Toyota Crown also make great taxi's and is widely used in Asia.

Change the Lexus name for Toyota or Audi for VW and the Car is still the same.

Ford and Mazda also used the same models and parts were interchangeable.

Toyota recycle the Crown as the basis for several of their cars, including Lexus and Mark X, which are essentially re-badged Crowns with differing levels of trim. Without doubt this keeps costs down (for Toyota), but it also makes them too generic to be true luxury brands.

@jerseyboy, yeah ignorant like GM ignition switch fiasco, which by the way has claimed more lives than Toyotas problems have. A judge recently sided with GM in saying that the that post-bankruptcy GM will not be responsible for accidents occurring before its bankruptcy. LOL and you think thats fair to the families that have lost loved ones due to GM incompetence.

This is the one( 7203.t) of the co,s politicians are proud of.

Good to see Toyota doing so well.

@jerseyboy, yeah ignorant like GM ignition switch fiasco, which by the way has claimed more lives than Toyotas problems have. A judge recently sided with GM in saying that the that post-bankruptcy GM will not be responsible for accidents occurring before its bankruptcy. LOL and you think thats fair to the families that have lost loved ones due to GM incompetence

wtfjapan -- and all that has exactly what to do with Toyota and your original post? Did not realize the article was about "GM incompetence". But, as I said, guess you U.S. bashers will use any excuse to do so -- even an article on Toyota's success. LOL. See, that is the thing you completely do not comprehend, wtf. No matter what advantages you may imagine the U.S. government or courts attempt to give GM, ultimately the marketplace, and that means U.S. consumers decide who succeeds. And, they are obviously buying lots of Toyotas. Just because Japan Inc. closes ranks to protect its companies does not mean all countries do.

Gotta love that kind of blind jealousy.** well i certainly wouldnt call it that, mild sympathy is more like it. Bashing GM, LOL yeah and there wasnt enough of that for Toyota. now GM have basically got the courts protecting them for all prior bankruptsy problems. the double standards are sickening. but hey still Toyota is able to retain the top stop with the hurdles that have been thrown at her.