Quote:
Originally Posted by DAEMANO
It's important to note the source reported in the Article. Auto Express UK and Gerald Killmann at Toyota Europe.
'Speaking with Auto Express, Toyota’s European R&D boss Gerald Killmann said the GT 86 was behind sales targets in all major markets, meaning the American-market Scion FR-S as well, and that this has created doubts towards developing further variants of the car."
1. Gerald Killmann is NOT Toyota's European R&D boss. Killmann's current title as last reported just a few days ago was European Projects Director at Toyota’s R&D Centre in Belgium. He previously (2011) was reported to be head of powertrain development at Toyota Motor Europe. This man's position at Toyota is being somewhat inflated by the author to suggest he's the boss for all R&D at Toyota in Europe.
2. The article revolves around Toyota using more diesel BMW engines in its cars. Is it possible or even likely that Killmann might favor developing platforms that use European sourced diesel engines over Japanese gasoline or hybrid powerplants if he's spent his career developing engines and relationships in Europe? True in the U.K. as I understand diesels are preferred to gas/electric hybrids. What about in the rest of the world?
Most importantly, the thrust and context of the article seem to be that BMW diesels are better performing and more popular than Toyota's current hybrid and underpowered gasoline engines, and that they will replace all Toyota engines in Europe moving forward which I find unlikely. I also find it unlikely that the widespread acceptance of diesels in Europe will ever translate to widespread adoption in the U.S. before most U.S. new cars move to electric and/or hybrid electric in the near future. Hoping that BMW sourced diesels replace Toyota hybrid's in the U.S. is pipe.
Take this article with a huge grain of salt despite it's officialesque sounding source. It's got the author's confirmation bias subtext throughout especially give that it's a U.K. blog.
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Perfect car: beige, diesel(BMW 4pot), 6 speed, 4door BRZ. I would buy it.