Toyota Taps GoPro to Defend Share Against New GM Trucks - Bloomberg
It’s lights, camera, and action time in America’s suddenly competitive small pickup segment. had the market virtually to itself this time last year, with its Tacoma commanding more than 60 percent of sales within the segment. To defend its share, Toyota will borrow some cool factor from action-camera maker GoPro Inc. “These true off-roaders are out there, and they all have GoPros on their trucks,” Michael Sweers, Tacoma’s chief engineer and a GoPro camera owner, said in a phone interview. market for small pickups was whittled down to just Toyota and Nissan Motor Co. last year. The Dodge Dakota and Ford Ranger ended production in 2011, followed by GM’s Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon the following year and the Honda Ridgeline in 2014. Small pickups are regaining popularity thanks to GM’s Colorado and Canyon, which won... Motor Trend magazine awarded the Colorado its truck of the year award, and GM has sold a combined 56,592 units this year through June. Competition Gains While that’s put a dent in Toyota’s dominant market share, which now stands at about 50 percent, it’s also brought more buyers to the segment. Deliveries of the outgoing Tacoma are up 18 percent to 88,801, its best first half since 2007, even though Toyota last made major changes to the. Source: www.bloomberg.com
