Automobiles: Toyota Is Creeping Up

By Johnny McDonald

Signs of the times: Reports indicate Toyota is making strong strides toward catching No. 1 automaker, financially troubled General Motors.

The Japanese company, which has passed Ford for second spot in sales, is eyeing GM’s 15 percent global share. Currently, Toyota has a 10 percent share.

“Over the last several years, Toyota has been carrying out its strategy surely, rising one step at a time,” said Tokyo auto analyst Nobuaki Yanachi.

The company moved past Ford into the No. 2 spot in 2003. Ford management, however, said it was interested more in profits, not position.

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Indy without 33?: With the number of car entries continuing to drop, Indianapolis Motor Speedway again might be hard-pressed to get 33 cars in the 500-miler on May 29.

A last-hour scramble for spare racecars enabled a few reserve drivers to make the 2004 field. It depends upon the generosity of qualified car owners who have spares. But it is still a matter of obtaining bucks from a sponsor

On average, race teams come with two cars (main entry and backup) and possibly a spare chassis with some parts.

It’s a sad tale, from the days we remember when l0 cars lined up in the waning minutes to get another shot on “bump” day.

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It’s roomier: The new Volkswagen 2005 1/2 offers more room and an improved 2.5 liter, 150 horsepower engine.

It includes six airbags, 10-speaker stereo with multidisk CD in-dash, dual automatic climate control, self-dimming rearview mirrors, intermittent windshield wipers with rain sensors, multifunction trip computer, fold-flat front passenger seat and a trunk lid that opens automatically when the release is pressed.

But it is considered somewhat underpowered compared with the competition where 175-180 HP is the standard size.

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Museum Notes: The Guy W. Woodward Museum and Ramona Pioneer Historical Society has scheduled the “History of Motorized Vehicles,” from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on June 11.

Vintage cars up to 1960 will be featured, according to Bert Byrne. A Best of Show plaque will be awarded as well as ribbons to all exhibitors.

In October, the museum will feature another automotive program, involving several Ramona-area residents who participated in the old San Diego Raceway drag strip in the 1960s.

The San Diego Automotive Museum will feature styling of some of the world’s most beautiful and memorable cars, April 29 to July 7, 2005.

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It’s a game, I guess: As gas pumps reach out to $3 a gallon, we notice, with some curiosity, the pattern of two San Carlos stations in scaling the heights.

The ChevronTexaco station makes its periodic price increase, the ExxonMobil follows at 2 cents less. It happened at $2.35, $2.41, $2.49 and $2.53. Maybe you call it competition.

As companies continue to merge, we might lose those opposing corners. Look at them, there’s ChevronTexaco, ExxonMobil. Royal Dutch/Shell, ConocoPhillips. Now, Unocal has been purchased by ChevronTexaco.

Historically, they have gone from filling to service stations and now it’s do-it-yourself.