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| Toyota's new Scion brand, that specifically targets a younger demographic, won't be available in Canada. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press) |
But, Japan's "Big Three" have been adding depth to their vehicle lineups, with vehicles like the Honda Element and Pilot crossover sport utility vehicles, the Nissan Titan full-size pickup truck, and Toyota's new Scion division (U.S. only), aimed at the youth market, challenging our traditional domestic car manufacturers.
"I think that they will be in the same boat over time because the consumer is getting smarter and demanding more," Wujciak said. "I think that the Japanese will ultimately have to face changing tastes.
"They don't have the market locked up, but in terms of understanding the consumer today and implementing technology they are probably further along than anyone else."
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| Honda's utilitarian Element stretches cargo loading performance envelope. (Photo: Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press) |
Still, in order to confirm these suspicions, Cap Gemini Ernst & Young is teaming with the University of Michigan's Office for the Study of Automotive Transportation (OSAT) this year to investigate the impact of the so-called Japanese "transplant" assembly facilities on the American market over the past 20 years, specifically focusing on the long-term effects.
"I happen to believe that (the traditional Big Three) are going to be able to survive," Wujciak said. "I believe in physics and physics says there is a certain mass times velocity."