I'm hesitant to join in on this latest banter on the wait, SOP (start of production), supply and demand etc.....Here's a few logs to add to the fire....Without a major or minor change (sheet metal)production is continuous on carry-over products like Prius. (except for "golden week" when the assy. plants take vacation - I think first week in Aug).....sales plans (i.e. production volumes) are negotiated beginning a couple years prior to the given model year with only minor adjustments at set intervals in between....we strive for consistency rather than big swings (peaks and valleys)these plans are blended together for all the global markets to establish the operating plan and guide the plants and suppliers....our plants typically build 3-5 different types of products...you might have a Lexus behind it a van, behind that a Prius all on the same line....(for instance prius went from a slow (lower volume)production line to a faster line with the intro of the '01 last year....Demand is still outpacing production....Demand has spiked about 8 weeks ago and holding strength....production globally (1 plant) is approx. 3K/mo....1.5K Japan domestic, 1K U.S., 400 Euro, 100 Canada.....if any market pushes back we can get some incremental production, There may be some constaint on batteries and HEV components.... Fleet demand continues to grow and that impacts availability of retail units....the 300 unit NY deal for example, depending on the terms of the contract - when deliveries need to be made will have an impact....with the advent of new colors, option availability, and aging demo units, we need to replace the dealers'TRAC (Toyota Rent 'a' Car) So Aug production will be used for this role....unless the dealer TRAC and fleet order don't cover production, the first retail purchase request should be filled from Sept. production......This is not the time of year that automakers would announce the intention of new products - that typically happens around the winter auto show season.....PM

Having worked in a Ford assembly plant during summers in college, I find it amazing, almost unbelievable, that they would build 3-5 different models on the same line.<br><br>I guess I need to tour one of those plants.

Priusman: Thanks so much for this information. It is really helpful and dispels some rumors (some of which I may have started by reading too much into what you said earlier (e.g. I had inferred an August production shutdown). Always nice to see a bit more inside the process.<br><br>Thanks again for this and for everything!<br><br>Burns

Those of you who have a Prius:<br><br>What is the difference in time from the production date on your car door to the time you picked it up at the dealer?<br><br>That should tell what the production-&gt;pickup latency time is.

Production

produced 9/00<br>picked up 10/28/00<br><br> arnold

mfg: 8/00, rcvd 9/28/00 on the East coast which adds 2-4 weeks to shipping.<br><br>Basically, they ship 'em as soon as they make 'em. Any wait beyond the 1-2 months shipping is your wait in the computer line to get one manufactured.<br><br>Robert Snyder<br>NJ-PIKACHU<br><br>A Prius sitting at the factory is a Prius costing Toyota money.

I had the opportunity to tour the Toyota plant in Nagoya (I think) some eight years ago. That is indeed what they do on the final assembly lines. Also a lot of other amazing stuff, like changing over a line of six huge presses stamping out body parts in 10 or 15 minutes.<br>These are the Just In Time manufacturing techniques which helped propell Japan to its current exporting position and has redefined the quality image we have of the phrase "Made in Japan".<br><br>James

18 days if made 8-31-00, 49 if produced 8-1-00.<br><br>Baby's door only says, "8/00".<br><br>Jeff

James:<br><br>I will have to put a Toyota plant tour on my list of things to do when I travel to Japan hopefully next summer. It will be interesting to see how they do things differently. <br><br>George