Rival companies don’t necessarily have to be sworn enemies. While competition in the automotive industry continues to heat up, Toyota’s chairman has made a friendly gesture toward one of its domestic competitors. In a new video shot on the sidelines of last weekend’s 24-hour endurance race at Fuji Speedway, Akio Toyoda waves a couple of Nissan flags while a Murano sits behind him.
Predictably, the video has gone viral on X, since it’s exceedingly rare for an automaker to promote a product sold by a long-standing rival actively. While our Japanese is a bit rusty, we ran the video through a translator to find out what Toyoda said during the nearly minute-long clip shared on social media by Toyota Japan’s official account: 'This is an American-made car that we brought over to Japan. I really hope our Japanese customers will use it, too. It's the Nissan Murano!'
At this point, you’re probably wondering why Toyoda is effectively encouraging people to buy a Murano. Much like Toyota is bringing the American-made Camry, Highlander, and Tundra to Japan, Nissan is sending the Tennessee-built Murano to the Land of the Rising Sun. Murano exports will begin in early 2027, following a trade agreement between the United States and Japan that eliminates local crash-testing requirements. Vehicles built in the U.S. will be deemed compliant with Japanese safety standards.
Nissan will export left-hand-drive vehicles to a country where people drive on the left side of the road, so it remains to be seen how many buyers will make that compromise for a Murano. It’s far from the first time Toyoda has shown appreciation for a vehicle that doesn’t wear a Toyota badge. At the 2024 Tokyo Auto Show, he brought his own Suzuki Jimny and displayed it at Toyota’s stand alongside a Yamaha Vino scooter.
Source: motor1.com
