Mgmt 412

Toyota Motor Corporation has been a dominant name in vehicle manufacturing for several decades. Despite the patriotic drive in the United States to "buy American", the company has held its own, remaining a dominant and continually growing company in the corporate world of transportation. However, lately they been on the headlines of the news for vehicles being recalled, which is effecting the reputation of TMC in the market place. While the brand image of Toyota has recently taken a serious blow due to a number of recalls, including for the Camry Hybrid, overall the Toyota brand is very strong. The pros and cons of the Camry Hybrid are as follows: * The Camry Hybrid can save you money by increasing the miles you can drive per gallon, particularly if most of your driving is in urban areas. The standard Camry gets about 22 miles per gallon in the city and 33 on the highway. The Hybrid can get about 33 miles per gallon in the city and 34 on the highway. This reduction in fuel usage reduces the need to drill for oil and lessens the impact on the environment. * One of the unique features of a hybrid is that when you first put your foot on the gas pedal to get started from a stopped position, the electric motor is the first thing to engage. The advantage to this is that this is also the point in standard engines where they pollute the most. Also, a hybrid Camry engine shuts off when stopped so no fuel is burning and producing green-house gases. Because of these features, emissions from a hybrid can decrease by as much as 90 percent. * According to Edmunds.com, an automotive website, the initial cost of a hybrid is typically about $4,000 more than a standard vehicle. A standard Toyota Camry costs between $20,000 and $29,000, and the Camry Hybrid costs between $26,000 and $32,000. * Additionally, the nickel metal hydride batteries that are used in hybrid vehicles can cost between $4,000 and $7,000 to replace if they fail. * The success of the hybrid