Does Toyota Fear Success?

On the same day that as many as 10,000 Chrysler workers may lose their jobs, the Detroit Free Press has an article which says that Toyota is concerned about a backlash due to their success:

Toyota Motor Corp. is bracing for possible political and consumer backlash caused by its rapid U.S. growth, according to an internal report obtained by the Free Press.

Toyota executives have publicly downplayed the importance of predictions that the Japan-based company will pass General Motors Corp. this year as the world's largest automaker. But the Toyota report says the company could face criticism because its U.S. sales are increasing while Detroit's automakers are losing sales and shuttering plants.

"With recent market-share gains and sales continuing to increase, we are becoming the de facto leader of the industry -- that brings risks and responsibilities," according to a presentation by Seiichi (Sean) Sudo, president of Toyota Engineering & Manufacturing in North America. "Our competitors are jealous of our success."

Detroit's congressional allies of GM, Ford Motor Co. and DaimlerChrysler AG's Chrysler Group say it's not jealousy. They say Japanese automakers are exploiting an artificially weak yen to make their products more affordable.

It's not just affordability that sends drivers to Toyota instead of an American make. It's also quality, and unless the Congress mandates that Toyota start building failure into their cars (which under the Dems is very possible), people will continue to buy Toyotas because they know they're practically bulletproof. I have 121,000 miles on my company Camry and all I've ever done is buy tires and change the oil. The thing runs like a top.

And with Toyota running in the Daytona 500 this weekend for the very first time, a good showing could allow them to benefit from the "race on Sunday, sell on Monday" rule that has been the driving force (so to speak) with Detroit's big money investment in stock car racing.