Toyota, facing a challenging future with new tariff actions, is reportedly considering letting Ford and General Motors sell their vehicles at its dealer locations in Japan. The 25-percent tariff on imported vehicles and parts could be particularly bruising for the Japanese automaker, leading it to explore all options.
The Mainichi, an English-language Japanese newspaper, reported that Toyota Chairman Akio Toyoda discussed the idea with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba. The talks also covered the option to reverse-import U.S.-built Japanese vehicles into the country.
American automakers have more than 150 stores in Japan, but Toyota has several times that number. While this report certainly could become a reality, nothing has been decided yet, but it’s not like Ford or General Motors would cut into Toyota’s sales in the country.
American cars are nowhere near as popular in Japan, where many buyers opt for smaller Kei cars and domestic models. Beyond appeasing the president, it’s unclear what Toyota could gain from such an arrangement, beyond money. The auto dealer situation in Japan is radically different from the American industry, so we don’t know how Toyota could integrate Ford and GM models. There’s also no indication of the models that could be sold in Japan, which could become interesting with vehicles for which Toyota has no direct competitor, such as the Ford Maverick.
[Images: Ford, General Motors]
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