Good morning everyone and thanks for helping us kick off the 2013 Chicago Auto Show. Chicago is Toyota's “Truck Show”…as we have a long history of major reveals here, many in this ballroom, such as the first-generation Tundra Crew Cab along with our NASCAR Tundra race truck, which will be going for its 100th victory at Daytona next week. So, it’s only natural that this is where we’d debut the new 2014 Tundra -- the third new Toyota introduced in the last 10 months. The gentleman behind the podium at the 2003 Chicago Auto Show is Dave Illingworth, who was a Senior Executive at the company and headed the Motor Sports among many other things. Dave is now our Toyota Dealer in Warsaw, Indiana and is here with us today. So join me in welcoming Dave back to the Show. Toyota understands that American truck buyers have different needs, so we offer a choice of a compact
or full-size truck even while most of our competitors have abandoned the compact market. Tundra and Tacoma sold nearly a quarter million trucks in 2012 -- claiming 18 percent of the combined
retail compact and half-ton pick-up truck market, which is about the same as our retail passenger-car share. And all of them are built in North America. In addition, no full-size truck has more North American parts content than Tundra. We're optimistic about the future of the full-size pick-up truck market. The recession hit the segment hard probably harder than any other and there were only 1.1 million sold in 2009. But in 2012 with the economy growing in many areas, the segment exceeded 1.6 million units and we see it hitting 1.8 million by 2015. The full-size truck segment has typically been one of the most loyal in the industry with owners continually replacing their old trucks with new ones and in today's market some are taking the opportunity to change. brands. We’ve also seen more segment switching as people move from SUVs and cars to the unique capabilities increasing comfort of full-size pickups. With increased personal use, the mix of half-ton Crew Cabs has grown from 48 percent to almost 60 percent over the last five years. There is also a growing trend towards more premium grades with additional features and distinctive. styling. So we listened to what the market and customers were telling us when we redesigned the Tundra. In addition to maintaining the capability, reliability and safety that truck buyer’s demand, the 2014 Tundra also features
- unique exterior designs with a distinct look for each grade
- An all-new spacious interior with each grade having its own identity
- And new technological innovations that customers appreciate everyday
Ladies and gentlemen -- the redesigned 2014 Tundra.
Courtesy of: Toyota USA Newsroom
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