Toyota eyes rear-drive market

By ALASTAIR SLOANE

Most of the cars on New Zealand roads are front drive Japanese models. The obvious exception in the popular market are the Australian-built rear-drive Holden Commodore and Ford Falcon.

But the Japanese carmaker mostly responsible for front-drive makes, Toyota, believes there is a case for more rear-drive Japanese cars becoming available.

Toyota hasn't found an increased demand for rear-drive models since it began its Signature Class operation - but it is monitoring things.

"In terms of Signature Class, there is a case for more rear-wheel-drives," said the company's used car manager Alan Simpson.

"We bring a few in on our own initiative but if a customer wants something a little different we will try to find it for them.

"We get quite a bit of inquiry for specific vehicles, a mixture of rear and front drive. But so far we haven't found a big demand for rear-drive vehicles.

"One of the more disappointing things is that the public doesn't appreciate the sort of vehicles that are available in rear-drive.

"Probably 10 per cent of Toyota's model line-up is rear-drive. But the reason they are not coming in here in big numbers is that they tend to be the more expensive top-end cars, slightly bigger and with a higher level of specification."

Cars like the Toyota Chaser, Crown and Mark II, a sports variant of the straight-six Cressida, have a high level of technology and are normally sought-after in Japan because of their status.

The Mark II has 2.5-litre straight-six engine with variable valve timing and mated to a four-stage automatic or six-speed manual transmission.

"The manual is also available with a turbo," said Simpson. "That's a mean animal, the sort of vehicle that can swap ends in a hurry if you don't know what you are doing.

"But under the Japanese tax regime they are quite expensive and as, a result, to get them in here at reasonable money is quite a challenge," said Simpson.

One used import which is selling well in New Zealand is the top-line Toyota Land Cruiser 470, which uses the same 4.7-litre V8 found under the bonnet of the luxury Lexus 470.

"The 470 Land Cruiser is selling at the rate of about 10 a month in New Zealand," said Simpson. "Of that we bring in two a month through the Signature programme."

Simpson said the V8 Land Cruiser was very popular among people who know vehicles, who are into machinery and know exactly what the engines are about.

"These people go for the big V8 rather than the diesel, if only because the petrol engine is more of a status symbol.

"They are in demand as towing vehicles, too. With the new towing regulations, if a boat, for example, weighs more than the vehicle you won't be able to tow it.

"This will probably push boat owners towards more solid vehicles, otherwise they are going to have sophisticated braking systems fitted to their trailers."