Chapter 266: The Model Doesn't Matter, Just Big Enough!

"Hey, how did you come up with the idea of selling Taka?"

Two days later, the day before the official meeting.

Standing on a small hillside next to the Savannah port, Carter looked at Toyota Shojiro in front of him, along with Kreil, and further away, the Savannah port. While Toyota Shojiro looked at Carter.

"Cheap!"

Carter didn't really want to engage with this guy.

These past two days, he had been wandering around with this group of Japanese people. Except for a few words he exchanged with Toyota Shojiro on the first day, he was basically just an escort.

Listening to Kreil introducing what's good and what's great, then listening to that cockroach, oh no, Shojiro yoiyoi. The sense of participation was really low. And the few moments of participation were all thanks to this overly enthusiastic young man next to him.

At first, Carter didn't mind. But gradually, he started to wonder.

You claim to be a translator, but instead of doing your job properly, you keep asking questions and sticking around me all day. Even a fool would realize something's off, right?!

"Is that it? Nothing else?!"

Toyota Shojiro was stunned. It's true that the core selling point of HT is its affordability, but this reason...

"That's it! What else do you want? Each era has its own product. In times of economic difficulty, being cheap is the biggest advantage. As for other things, they're just additional features that are nice to have but not necessary."

"So, in your opinion, if Toyota wants to establish itself in America, what do you think should be our core selling point, based on your perspective?"

"What do you think?"

The big shot in front moved, and after Carter dropped those words, he quickly caught up.

Carter felt like this guy seemed to realize that he didn't really trust his made-up identity. The problem now was becoming more and more obvious; it's like he might as well have "Toyota" written on his forehead.

"You mean fuel efficiency? I know about that, but just based on that, our market share hasn't been particularly high in the past decade, right?"

Catching up with Carter quickly, Toyota Shojiro continued to inquire.

"Didn't I just say that? Times have changed. Back then, oil prices in America were so low! V8 engines were everywhere. But now? I feel like crying over the fuel costs every time I drive my Mustang!"

"Fair point! But I still feel it's not quite enough. Do you have any other ideas?"

"Come on, leave it to you guys at Toyota to figure out the rest. What else can I say?"

Despite being a bit annoyed by the pestering, Carter had to continue:

"If I had to point out something to pay attention to, it would be the customer experience! Just like with my HT, you must understand what your consumers want! Whatever they need, you make it, and with that, how can your product not sell?"

Talking about making what consumers want reminded Carter of the Wuling Hongguang, once hailed as a shining example of domestic products. It's a typical case; everyone mocks Wuling for being cheap and low-quality, yet Wuling Hongguang is almost everywhere on the road.

For a country like America, where cars have been popular since the 1920s and '30s, cars are really just tools. The criteria for choosing tools are often simple: Are they good or not?!

"So, what kind of car do you Americans want?"

As Toyota Shojiro pondered Carter's words, he seemed to grasp a bit of inspiration, yet at the same time, seemed uncertain. In his urgency, he even ignored Carter's mention of "you Toyota" in his words.

"I can't represent American consumers, so asking me is pointless! But if I had to say, rugged durability, fuel-efficient, and reliable, right?"

Following the crowd ahead, slowly approaching the inner harbor, Carter continued.

"You see, in America, the land is vast and sparsely populated. Getting your car repaired is inconvenient, and maintenance is expensive. If your vehicle's repair rate can be one-third lower than other cars, that's a lot of money saved for consumers each year!"

"But Toyota has already achieved these things, right?"

"Then it's about what's on the road. Make what's on demand! If there are more sports cars, make more sports cars! If there are more performance cars, make more performance cars! And, sedans must be big! There's no market for small cars in America; they can't even fit anything in them. Forget it, just go straight for pickups!"

Toyota's pickups. Well, like armored vehicles in Africa!

After Carter finished his rambling, he suddenly realized that the people ahead had stopped at some point, and they were all staring at him intently.

Under Kreil's desperate gaze, Toyota Shojiro suddenly smiled and walked towards Carter.

"Mr. Blake's point is not bad! So far, our best-selling models in the American market are the Hilux and the Land Cruiser LC55. Although these two models are considered family vehicles in America, compared to true family vehicles, I still feel like something's missing."

"So, for this new factory, I don't plan to move the production lines for the Hilux or the Land Cruiser. The family sedan market is what we truly want to conquer. I've always believed that innovation and breakthroughs are the foundation of a car company's survival! Just like back then when the Japanese government introduced strict emission regulations."

"While many car companies complained that the laws were too strict and the performance requirements were almost impossible to meet, we at Toyota worked hard. While tackling the emission problem, we also simultaneously developed new energy-saving technologies. It was a turning point for Toyota, and likewise, if we are to establish a factory in Georgia, I hope this can be another turning point for us! A new breakthrough!"

Toyota Shojiro said slowly, with Kreil making frantic eye signals behind him. Afraid that Carter might suddenly blurt out something chaotic and ruin the cooperation.

"Now that the requirements have changed, how to change and where to change, that's what I need to consider now. Mr. Blake, I'd like to ask for your advice. If I want to create a new flagship product in America, which model do you think I should move the production line for? And how should I improve it?"

Looking at the smiling Toyota Shojiro in front of him and the squinting Kreil behind him, Carter felt somewhat speechless. In this day and age, Toyota knows better than anyone what car models there are. What could he possibly answer?!

But looking at the playful look in Toyota Shojiro's eyes, Carter knew he couldn't avoid answering. In his urgency, Carter suddenly remembered a joke from his past life about Chinese people buying cars:

"No matter what car model it is, in China, if you don't add an 'L' or extend the wheelbase, you won't sell! Audi has to have an 'L', Mercedes has to have a dead bird badge, in short, without elongation, you won't survive!"

So in America...

"Bigger! Even bigger! The car model doesn't matter; the key is that the space needs to be big!

"Big space?"

Shojiro was taken aback. He hadn't expected to hear such a blunt response. After all, this wasn't just casual banter between young people. To his surprise, Carter wasn't done yet:

"Yes! As long as there's ample space and maintenance costs are low, the car will sell well! And of course, if the power is stronger, that would be even better!"