4RUNNER STYLE - Toyota Today

january/february2016
THE MAGAZINE FOR TOYOTA DEALERSHIPS
Snow Problem!
Over the course of their 18,000-mile journey,
Ever-Better Expedition drivers got to experience
a multitude of roads and conditions, including
this Alaskan snowstorm.
BACK
ON THE
ROAD
EVER-BETTER EXPEDITION INSPIRES TOYOTA
ENGINEERS THROUGH REAL-WORLD DRIVING
by
Dan Nied
Upon the launch of the North American leg of the Ever-
research lab, putting Toyota engineers and team members
Better Expedition in June, Toyota North America CEO Jim
behind the wheels of the cars they create, giving them
Lentz set out a vision.
firsthand experience of the weather, conditions and roads
Toyota customers traverse each day. It began in Australia in
“These cars may have been conceived in an engineer’s
mind,” Lentz said. “But they were born on the road. And it’s
2014, then came to North America last year and continues in
time to get them back to the place of their birth.”
South America in 2016.
And that’s exactly what they did, as more than 140
EBE drivers traveled through the stifling heat of
engineers and team members drove a convoy of Toyota,
Death Valley this summer and spent the winter fighting
Lexus and Scion vehicles on a 110-day, 18,000-mile road
icy roads in Alaska and Canada. Along the way there were
trip that spanned North America’s highways, byways
thunderstorms, snowstorms, wind storms and perfect days.
and backstreets.
understanding of how customers use our vehicles, and a
Ever-Better Expedition—inspired by Toyota Motor
Corporation President Akio Toyoda—uses the world as a
In the end, Toyota engineers walked away with a better
clear vision of future improvements.
4RUNNER STYLE
BRIAN VANGOR AND HIS BELOVED TRD PRO 4RUNNER
january/february2016
It’s Got Guts
With updated looks and even more all-terrain
capability, the 2017 Tacoma TRD Pro is ready
for adventure. Get ready for it this fall.
DEALER DOINGS:
Right Toyota
Scottsdale Dealer Helps Women at Shelter ‘Make a Fresh Start’
Dan Miller
2017 Tacoma TRD Pro
2
Dealer Doings
8
Driving the Dream
It’s all about the customer, community and employees
at Toyota dealerships across the country.
Brian Vangor has been a 4Runner enthusiast for years,
but his brand new TRD Pro 4Runner might just be the
vehicle of his dreams.
11 Ready for Anything
“Fabulous Day of Pampering” her best day of the year.
Odds are, it’s also a pretty darn good day for the women
served by Right Toyota’s director of cause-related
marketing and her fellow volunteers.
“These women are homeless, often forced to flee
from domestic violence,” says D’Amelio of the Phoenixbased nonprofit’s clients. “They’re here to recover and
make a fresh start. Mostly what they need is to know that
someone cares about them.”
D’Amelio can relate. When she was a young girl,
she found herself along with her mother and siblings in
just such a shelter in Connecticut. Perhaps that’s why
she ended up in her role at Right Toyota. She helps the
dealership proactively seek out opportunities to give back
to Scottsdale and the neighboring communities in which it
does business.
In this instance, Right Toyota provides the funding
and the fashion experts at Style Stalkers provide the skills
to give the shelter’s residents hair, makeup and clothing
makeovers. The objective is to help those in need feel
better about themselves and provide the basics to go on
job interviews and begin to build new lives.
The most recent event, held in December, represented
the fifth annual for the shelter and the third consecutive
year Right Toyota has lent a hand.
D’Amelio admits the collaboration is a bit “out of the
box” for an auto dealership. But the powers that be at Right
Toyota have never wavered in their support.
“When I first heard about it, I thought, ‘How am I
going to present this to management?’” she says. “But,
bottom line, these women are part of our community—
unfortunately a part we often forget about. And who’s to
say they won’t someday become customers? They’re just in
transition. Look at me. When I was at a shelter, who could
have guessed I’d go on to have a 16-year career at Right
Toyota?”
Designed to give off-road enthusiasts adrenaline-pumping
performance, the 2017 Tacoma TRD Pro is ripped and
ready to go.
13 All in!
When Alan and Cheryl Lombardi bought their first Toyota
in 2009, little did they know that virtually every other
member of their family would follow.
“. . . these women are part
of our community.”
- Jane D’Amelio
Director of Cause-Related Marketing
Right Toyota
E D I T O R I A L
S T A F F
Manager
Lora Jones
Editor
Lisa Yamada
Writers
Dan Miller
Dan Nied
DesignAkinsParker
toyotatoday.com
Published six times per year for Toyota dealers and dealership personnel by the Corporate Communications
Division of Toyota Motor North America. Copyright ©2016 by Toyota Motor North America.
Contents may be reprinted with permission. All rights reserved.
Address magazine inquiries to:
Lisa Yamada
TEL: 469.585.1039 eMAIL: [email protected]
For customer inquiries please contact
the Toyota Customer Experience Center:
TEL: 800.331.4331
For product and company information:
WEB: toyota.com TEL: 800.GO.TOYOTA
Stylin’
Jane D’Amelio, director of cause-related marketing at
Right Toyota, puts some of the skills she learned at
her sister’s hair salon to good use during the Central
Arizona Shelter Services’ “Fabulous Day of Pampering.”
january/february2016
Jane D’Amelio calls the Central Arizona Shelter Services’
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DEALER DOINGS:
DEALER DOINGS:
Wills Toyota
Street Toyota
Customer Still Feels the Love
Texas Dealer Turns up the Volume on Customer Service with
Pocket Radios
january/february2016
Sometimes, a customer just keeps coming around.
toyotatoday
3
From the initial purchase to regular service visits,
some customers just become, well, a part of your
dealership family.
And that’s how Rich Carlson became part of the Wills
Toyota family in Twin Falls, Idaho.
It’s been 10 years since Carlson drove off the
dealership lot in his 2005 Prius. But in that decade, Carlson
has consistently returned to make sure his baby is
running smoothly.
“Rich has come in for 62 service visits,” says Dealer
Principal Greg Wills. “He’s been really meticulous in caring
for that car.”
Over time, Carlson and the staff at Wills Toyota became
friendly. So when Carlson’s Prius hit 250,000 miles, the
dealer wanted to do something special.
Wills took out an ad in the local paper, congratulating
Carlson on his Prius milestone.
by
But the big surprise? Wills Toyota is giving Carlson
free maintenance until his Prius hits 300,000 miles for
being such a loyal customer.
But the Prius likely won’t need too much service
in that time.
“It’s got no major repairs,” Wills says while looking
over Carlson’s repair orders. “It still has the original hybrid
battery. It looks like he had an alignment not long ago.
Hmm, lube/oil filter, lube oil/filter, lube/oil filter. I don’t
see anything major.”
And no, Carlson hasn’t been a prolific customer as
far as sales—the only other car he’s bought from the
dealership was a pre-owned 2003 Highlander. But he’s
great for business.
“Rich talks up the Prius so much to anyone who comes
in,” Wills says. “He basically advertises for us because he’s
such a great ambassador. He’s enamored with that Prius.
He thinks it’s fabulous, and he gets the word out.”
Dan Miller
General Manager Mike Good calls it “one of the simplest
and best things we’ve done” in his 13 years at Street Toyota
in Amarillo, Texas. But unless you look closely, you might
just miss it.
That’s because this “thing” is a tiny earpiece worn
by most of the dealership’s employees. It’s connected to
a discreet lapel microphone and pocket-sized radio that
allows everyone on the team to easily communicate with
one another. Conversations are transmitted over four
distinct radio frequencies that can be accessed at the
touch of a color-coded button, one for each department.
“We started with service, followed with sales and
now 113 of our 150 employees wear them,” says Good.
“That includes me at least half the time. I can walk from
department to department and listen in on the chatter.
High-end hotel brands, like the Ritz-Carlton and Four
Seasons, figured this out long ago. It’s the gold standard
of customer service.”
So, for example, if a customer asks a question about a
vehicle that a sales consultant can’t answer, he or she can
Prius Appreciation
When Rich Carlson’s Prius hit 250,000 miles, Wills
Toyota congratulated their loyal customer with
an ad in the local newspaper and complimentary
maintenance through the car’s 300,000th mile.
buzz the rest of the sales team or management for help—
rather than waste time running around the store in search
of an answer. Customers love the quick and transparent
response. And salespeople, who’ve experienced a big
boost in productivity, have enthusiastically embraced the
devices, too.
Service has also benefited. Service Director Jason
Reed says he’s cut his daily steps from 20,000 to under
10,000, based on a Fitbit he wears throughout the workday.
Good credits Matt Gile, general manager of Motorcars
Toyota of Cleveland—a fellow member of a group of
20 auto retailers who meet periodically to share best
practices—for planting the seed. That dealer group uses
a few radios on its service drives. But it’s been Dealer
Principal Joe Street’s customer-first philosophy that’s
allowed the innovation to flourish.
“Joe likes to say we’re not just here to make money.
We’re first and foremost here to serve people,” says Street.
“We’ve grown 400 percent over the past 10 years or so.
All of that growth has been driven by a total commitment
to customer service. That means hiring people who have a
servant’s heart. And it means giving them tools—like these
radios—that help them do what they do best. I only wish
we’d taken advantage of this sooner.”
Wired to Serve
Senior Sales Associate Greg Smith consults with a customer on Street Toyota’s sales lot. With the touch of a button,
Smith can communicate with virtually all of his colleagues at the Amarillo, Texas, dealership—helping to deliver a higher
level of customer service.
january/february2016
Dan Nied
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DEALER DOINGS:
Toyota Of Rockwall
Employee, Whose Daughter Has Cancer,
Learns His Family Is Not Alone
by
Dan Miller
Brittnee and Justin Hogue had known each other since
high school. But it wasn’t until 2011—when Brittnee took
a job in Toyota of Rockwall’s accounting office and she ran
into Justin, a service advisor at the Texas dealership since
2009—that romantic sparks began to fly and they started
down the path to marriage.
In early 2015, however, those happy days took a
dark turn when their 3-year-old daughter Raeleigh was
diagnosed with an extremely rare and aggressive form of
january/february2016
cancer. Once again, their Toyota connection is playing a
toyotatoday
5
role in the young family’s life.
“It’s tough,” says Justin. “But the dealership has been
very accommodating. And the owner (Steve Jackson) has
been fabulous. He’s even offered to pray with me about it.”
The “it” is a malignant rhabdoid tumor that is
compressing Raeleigh’s spine. Initially, it took away her
ability to walk, among other basic bodily functions. Since
then, emergency surgery, dozens of chemotherapy and
radiation treatments, as well as six blood transfusions
have begun to have a positive effect. But she still has a
long way to go to tame the disease and resume life as a
normal toddler.
Meanwhile, Brittnee quit her job to care for Raeleigh
24/7. Justin takes on extra shifts at the dealership to try
to compensate for the loss of income. It’s a hard road for
“Joy” was Jessie Rees’ middle name. It also refers
to her inspiration to create “JoyJars,” containers filled
with goodies for children like her who find themselves
constrained to a hospital bed. They’re a tangible way to
convey her belief and, now, the foundation’s motto: Never
Ever Give Up. The acronym, NEGU, and the jars have since
spread across the nation and to more than 27 countries
worldwide.
Purely by coincidence, Toyota’s Los Angeles Region
is a neighbor and corporate sponsor of the foundation. It’s
donated money, a Tundra lease and—more significantly—
first-time parents in their mid-20s. But Brittnee’s decision
the volunteer help of Regional team members who collect
to reach out to the Jessie Rees Foundation, a charitable
items and spend community service hours stuffing the
organization founded by a 12-year-old girl who was
JoyJars. When the Hogues visited the foundation, Toyota
determined to help others before she lost her fight with
representatives were on hand to greet them.
cancer, has helped them see they’re not alone.
Toyota was involved with the foundation.”
That reality came into sharp focus when the family got
“That was awesome,” says Justin. “We had no idea
to spend an all-expense-paid week of fun and relaxation in
Southern California last summer, thanks to the generosity
Brittnee. “It shows that they really do care.”
of the foundation.
time will tell.
“It was a dream trip, the absolute best,” says Brittnee.
“It takes a big heart to be there for us like that,” says
What does the future hold for this young family? Only
“Disneyland and Sea World lit up Raeleigh’s face. But I have
“So far so good,” says Brittnee. “We are big believers
to say, visiting the foundation at their ‘Joy Factory’ changed
here. God is bigger than cancer and is the ultimate healer.
our lives. I don’t have words for it. I didn’t want to leave.”
Just like Jessie, we’ll never ever give up.”
Never Ever Give Up
The Jessie Rees Foundation brought the
Hogue family (Britnee top right, Justin
bottom right) to Southern California on
a special trip to inspire their 3-year-old
daughter Raeleigh, who has a rare and
aggressive form of cancer, to ‘Never
Ever Give Up.’ Coincidentally, the family
was greeted by Jacky Ito-Smith (top
left) and Soojie Kuroda (bottom left)
of Toyota’s Los Angeles Region which
supports the nonprofit.
DEALER DOINGS:
Bobby Rahal Toyota
Love at First Sight
Dan Nied
A funny thing happened when Ken and Megan Diller
rarely do.) It has GPS navigation, Bluetooth, two USB ports,
went shopping for a Corolla at Bobby Rahal Toyota in
and so many features you wouldn’t expect in a $17,000 car.”
Mechanicsburg, Penn.
They saw the Scion iA.
Scion brand. And the Dillers’ reaction is proof.
As Sales Consultant Nick Fox went over the finer
happened to drive the store’s first iA around to the front.
The Sapphire Blue compact sedan had just come off of
the transporter and it caught Megan’s eye.
january/february2016
toyotatoday
7
“I thought ‘Wow, that thing looks awesome,’” Megan
says. “I wanted a fun color and the bright blue color and
the sporty look got me instantly.”
Within an hour of Buehler removing the car’s plastic
“Now Scion’s got these two vehicles we can show
people who are looking for a Corolla,” says Fox. “The
Camrys and Corollas were OK for the Dillers, but maybe not
exactly their dream car. Then Brian pulled around the iA
and they were completely blown away that they could get
that car for that money.”
A few weeks after driving their iA, the Dillers
couldn’t be happier. Ken—all 6-foot-5-inches of him—is
wrap, the young couple—both 20-something teachers—
astonished that he actually had to move the seats up
had a lease on their new iA.
when he got in. Megan, the iA’s primary driver, loves the
gas mileage and the clarity of the Bluetooth.
“It’s such an affordable car,” Ken says. “But it has
luxury features like the low-speed collision system, which
I didn’t think entry-level cars ever had. (He’s right, they
and it rides really smooth. This is the car for us.”
TOGETHER AT LAST
A STORY ABOUT A MAN, A CAR AND THE DEALERSHIP THAT BROUGHT THEM TOGETHER
“It’s fantastic,” she says. “The fuel economy is awesome
by
Dan Nied
It’s pretty simple: This is a love story.
Practically Sold Itself
The color and styling of the new Scion iA got their attention, but loads of standard premium features—like the rearview
backup camera, GPS navigation and safety systems—sealed the deal for Ken and Megan Diller.
january/february2016
points of a Corolla, Scion Ambassador Brian Buehler
The iA and its hatchback cousin iM are revitalizing the
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by
But sometimes it’s good to be reminded about
the emotions that come with finding a car you truly
connect with.
Brian Vangor, a regular guy who has worked in the
control room of a nuclear power plant in Upstate New
York for the last 35 years, saw a photo of a TRD Pro
4Runner one day and just had to have it.
After a five-month search, he and his car are together.
“The color, Inferno, stands out and the black
wheels are fantastic,” Vangor says. “It’s a lot of fun to
drive, it’s like the hot rod I never had. I know it’s built
for it, but mine won’t spend much time off the road.
I’m not really interested in the dents and scratches.
I want to keep this as long as I can.”
CHANCE ENCOUNTER
Every love story needs a catalyst—the quirky friend
who somehow pairs the two heroes together.
In this case, it’s Daryl Callahan, sales manager at
DCH Wappingers Falls Toyota, who, after months of
searching, brought Vangor his new 4Runner.
The TRD Pro 4Runner is a difficult find due
to its limited run and overwhelming popularity, but
Callahan kept checking the allocation logs until he
could find what Vangor was looking for.
continued on page 9
toyotatoday
And he didn’t. In fact, when he got word that
his vehicle was being processed at Toyota Logistics
Services (TLS) in Newark, N.J., Vangor took
matters into his own hands. He contacted TLS,
and arranged a rare visit to see the car at the port.
It didn’t matter that it was some 75 miles away.
“There aren’t a lot of opportunities for us
at TLS to interact with customers,” says Ron
Leutbecher, TLS national logistics manager.
“We deal with logistics partners and trucking
companies. To interact with the customer,
especially one as enthusiastic as Brian, was
pretty cool.”
When Vangor’s 4Runner reached the dealership,
he and his wife, Kathy, arrived in TRD Pro shirts
and caps. The car was finally his. Callahan executed
the deal and Client Advisor Melissa Sinapi showed
the Vangors everything about the vehicle.
“Brian’s a special kind of customer,” Callahan
says. “His excitement takes everything to the
next level.”
And like any good love story, this one has a
happy ending. A few months after picking up his
TRD Pro 4Runner and driving it to and from
work and around town every chance he got, Vangor
knows he has found his automotive soul mate.
“For me it’s the perfect vehicle,” he says.
“And it’s extremely personal.”
Special Inspection
When his 4Runner arrived at Toyota Logistics
Services in Newark, N.J., Brian Vangor made
special arrangements to see the vehicle. He and
his wife, Kathy (pictured), drove some 75 miles
for the unconventional visit.
Photo by Brian Vangor
Highly Anticipated
Sales Manager Daryl Callahan (left) worked for
months to bring Brian Vangor and his dream
car together. Vangor was so excited to finally
take possession of his TRD Pro 4Runner, that
he insisted on spiffing it up himself.
Photo by Paul S. Howell
january/february2016
9
The way Vangor and Callahan came together
is a fun coincidence on its own. Vangor’s coworker,
Dave Schweizer, is a childhood friend of Callahan.
One day, Vangor showed Schweizer a photo of
the Inferno TRD Pro 4Runner. Schweizer passed
his info on to Callahan, and a short while later,
Vangor received an unprompted text from Callahan,
saying he had checked and, yes, he could secure the
desired vehicle within the next six months. After a
few texts, Vangor visited the dealership.
“You can tell when you meet a customer as
passionate as Brian is,” Callahan says. “And when I
meet a customer who knows as much—or more—
as me about a product, it’s always really impressive.
Brian knew everything about the vehicle.”
And why wouldn’t he? Vangor has owned
every generation of the 4Runner to date, and he
can list them off with “remember-way-back-when”
sentimental clarity.
“First one was in ’85. The great thing about it
was you could take the cab off, so the whole thing
was open to the outside,” Vangor says. “Then I had
a 1993. My favorite one up to this point was the
third generation, my 2000 4Runner. It had leather
seats and manual transmission. That’s the one I
had the longest. The more recent one was 2009. I
had that for three years and loved it. But when the
TRD Pro came out, I just couldn’t pass it up.”
AT LAST
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january/february2016
continued
from page 8
THE 2017 TACOMA TRD PRO IS READY FOR WHATEVER LIFE THROWS AT IT
by
Dan Nied
When you drive the 2017 Tacoma TRD Pro,
That means it handles crazy, uneven and
it feels almost counterintuitive to follow the rules.
unsteady off-road terrain even better than the
first generation.
In fact, here’s a disclaimer: When you do get
behind the wheel of the second Tacoma in the TRD
Pro Series, please follow all traffic laws.
enthusiasts. It’s for those who think dirt is a
truck’s natural habitat and pavement is just an
But it’s gonna be a struggle to conform when
This truck is aimed squarely at off-roading
this Tacoma comes out this fall. How could it not
intermediate path to more dirt.
with a truck that’s built for white-knuckle off-road
performance? The 2017 Tacoma TRD Pro has all-
Show, the Tacoma TRD Pro caused a stir as off-
new factory-installed off-road equipment designed
roaders realized the list of terrain they couldn’t
by the iconoclasts at Toyota Racing Development.
conquer was now a lot shorter.
Announced in February at the Chicago Auto
INTRIGUING INTERIOR
The inside is as comfortable as the outside is
rugged. Plus, the 2017 Tacoma TRD Pro comes with
the latest safety technologies, helping to make sure
you make it home for your post-adventure dinner.
The new truck combines sportiness and
convenience with standard features that include:
• Blind Spot Monitor and Rear Cross-Traffic Alert
• Black TRD Pro leather-trimmed heated
front seats with TRD Pro logo located in
the headrest
• 4-way adjustable driver’s seat with lumbar
support and 4-way adjustable front
passenger seat
And, just like all other Tacoma models, the
Tacoma TRD Pro features a GoPro mount on
the windshield.
january/february2016
THE GUTS
Oh, lookie here: It’s the option of a 6-speed
manual (with clutch start-cancel switch) or
6-speed automatic transmission. That should
make all the manual enthusiasts even more, you
know, enthusiastic.
Meanwhile, under the hood you’ll get a
3.5-liter V-6 DOHC 24-valve direct-injection
Atkinson-cycle engine.
Plus, Tacoma TRD Pro really earns its off-road
cred with its TRD-installed suspension and exhaust
enhancements that include:
•F
OX 2.5 Internal Bypass shocks tuned
by TRD
• TRD-tuned front springs with a 1-inch lift
• TRD-tuned rear suspension with progressiverate TRD leaf spring
Bottom line? The 2017 Tacoma TRD Pro
just upped off-roading’s fun rating by a factor
of 10 (estimated).
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LO O K I N ’ F O R
HOW’S IT LOOK?
Good. Damn good. Looks tough. Of course
it does.
But Toyota added a few new exterior features
that entice that visceral part of your brain.
Let’s start with the colors. Super White is a
holdover from the first generation, and Barcelona
Red Metallic has been seen throughout Toyota’s
lineup. They both look great. But the big story
here is a new color: Cement. And it’s as rough
and tumble as you think it could be.
But you know there’s more:
• 16-inch TRD black alloy wheels
• TRD Pro aluminum front skid plate
•H
igh-performance ultra-compact LED
fog lights
• Projector-beam headlights with LED
Daytime Running Lights, auto on/off feature
• Taillights with black bezels
• TRD Pro badge on front door with diamondpattern knurled finish
• TRD Pro and 4x4 rear tailgate badging
they found a 2015 Sienna waiting in the driveway,
owned by Amy Lombardi. And a 2013 4Runner
owned by Vincent Lombardi. (That’s Alan and
Cheryl’s son, not the Green Bay Packers’ legendary
coach.) Gina’s 2014 RAV4, same as Alan’s except
for the color, was also there—as was their grandson
Nicolas’ 2010 Corolla.
Oh, What a Family!
Cheryl and Alan Lombardi (on the left) are
surrounded by their extended family, not
to mention their extensive collection of
Toyota vehicles.
Photos by Paul S. Howell
Once again, Alan couldn’t resist.
“I saw all of those vehicles and I said, ‘Wow!
We’re a real Toyota family. We should take a picture
and send it to the dealership,’” he says. “We live
next to a school. So we lined them all up in the
parking lot and snapped some shots. We all got
a big kick out of it.”
The Lombardi family’s love affair with Toyota
dates back to 2009, when Alan and Cheryl were
still driving the van they once used to transport
their brood to Florida on vacations. Now that
their nest is at least partially empty, Cheryl
wanted to swap the utility of the van for the
comfort of a sedan, specifically a Camry. That
all in the family
EAST COAST TOYOTA HELPS THREE GENERATIONS OF LOMBARDIS
GO PLACES—IN CARS, CROSSOVERS AND MINIVANS
by
Dan Miller
Alan Lombardi admits he has a weakness for
that’s exactly what happened. When all was said
Toyota vehicles. So when his niece Sarah asked
and done, each of us drove off in a new Toyota
her Uncle Alan and Aunt Cheryl to accompany her
that day!”
to East Coast Toyota in search of a replacement
for her aging Corolla, he couldn’t resist.
Corolla SE. Cheryl replaced her 2012 Camry
XLE with a 2015 model with a Parisian Night
“Sarah has been living with us and our
Sarah became the proud owner of a 2015
daughter Gina,” says Lombardi from his home
Pearl exterior and Almond interior. And Alan
in Paramus, N.J., just seven miles away from the
changed things up and took possession of a 2015
dealership in Wood Ridge. “Cheryl and I weren’t
RAV4 XLE, his first crossover vehicle. The higher
really in the market. But I joked, ‘If we go, we’ll
ride height and extra cargo space reminded him
wind up getting new cars, too.’ And, sure enough,
of the old family van.
led them to East Coast Toyota, and they’ve been
returning ever since.
Falling for Toyota
Four-year-old Alana, her mother Amy (right) and
Cheryl and Alan’s niece Sarah enjoy a fun moment
amid the leaves near their home in Paramus, N.J.
“We work directly with (General Manager)
Jeff (Brown),” says Alan. “He refers us to one of
his salespeople, who works everything out. Then
Jeff gives us the final OK.”
“We bring all of our cars to the dealership
for service,” he continues. “Other than a cracked
windshield, we’ve never had to do anything but
the regularly scheduled maintenance. And East
Coast Toyota just opened a new service center.
It’s beautiful. Everyone there is a pleasure to deal
with. We can count on them to take care of us.”
As far as Brown is concerned, those feelings
are mutual. And they’re far from exclusive to the
Lombardi family.
“It’s very common for us to start with one
customer and then build on that with their
family and friends,” says Brown. “Owning a
Toyota is an experience. We want our customers
to have an exceptional experience with their
vehicle and our dealership.”
“I can hardly wait for the next time!” says Alan,
who notes that his two grandsons, Kevin and
Michael, will turn 17 soon and already have
their eyes on Toyota vehicles. “We’re having a lot
of fun with this.”
january/february2016
When the caravan made the journey home,
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january/february2016
THE MAGAZINE FOR TOYOTA DEALERSHIPS
Snow Problem!
Over the course of their 18,000-mile journey,
Ever-Better Expedition drivers got to experience
a multitude of roads and conditions, including
this Alaskan snowstorm.
BACK
ON THE
ROAD
EVER-BETTER EXPEDITION INSPIRES TOYOTA
ENGINEERS THROUGH REAL-WORLD DRIVING
by
Dan Nied
Upon the launch of the North American leg of the Ever-
research lab, putting Toyota engineers and team members
Better Expedition in June, Toyota North America CEO Jim
behind the wheels of the cars they create, giving them
Lentz set out a vision.
firsthand experience of the weather, conditions and roads
Toyota customers traverse each day. It began in Australia in
“These cars may have been conceived in an engineer’s
mind,” Lentz said. “But they were born on the road. And it’s
2014, then came to North America last year and continues in
time to get them back to the place of their birth.”
South America in 2016.
And that’s exactly what they did, as more than 140
EBE drivers traveled through the stifling heat of
engineers and team members drove a convoy of Toyota,
Death Valley this summer and spent the winter fighting
Lexus and Scion vehicles on a 110-day, 18,000-mile road
icy roads in Alaska and Canada. Along the way there were
trip that spanned North America’s highways, byways
thunderstorms, snowstorms, wind storms and perfect days.
and backstreets.
understanding of how customers use our vehicles, and a
Ever-Better Expedition—inspired by Toyota Motor
Corporation President Akio Toyoda—uses the world as a
In the end, Toyota engineers walked away with a better
clear vision of future improvements.
4RUNNER STYLE
BRIAN VANGOR AND HIS BELOVED TRD PRO 4RUNNER