Robbins Toyota looks to another 50 years of success
It’s been 51 years since Eddie Robbins opened his Toyota dealership and both franchisor and franchisee have prospered.
Thanks to a reputation for crafting vehicles that are strong, safe, and dependable, Toyota has grown into a behemoth that sold 10.2 million vehicles in 2016, second only to Volkswagen’s 10.3. The Japanese corporation’s largest single market is in North America, where it has invested $22 billion in factories, and research, design and administrative facilities, including a headquarters campus in Plano, Texas.
The past half century has also been good to Robbins Toyota, which in 2011 moved to a new site on the south side of I-30, just east of the Kings Highway interchange. The dealership has 47 full-time employees, many of whom have decades of experience with company.
In 2014, Texarkana lost one of its biggest supporters and most astute businessmen when Mr. Robbins passed away not long after moving to the new store. What began as a shoestring operation had grown into a powerhouse.
“My dad started from the bottom and worked his way to the top,” said his daughter, Susan Robbins who runs the business alongside a seasoned management crew. “He worked handin-hand with his employees, six days a week for many years, and earned the respect from customers and employees for honesty and integrity.”
A graduate of SMU, Susan Robbins was well into a successful career on the mortgage side of Prudential Insurance. After 15 years with the company, she was director of asset management, overseeing $55 billion in commercial real estate assets.
“I had quite a team,” she said. With one of the most desirable of Toyota’s 1,500 American dealers, selling out would have been the easy thing to do, but building the business had been Eddie’s life and the family wasn’t ready to let it go.
“When we decided to keep the business, I knew had to come home if I was going to run it his way, and if I was going to protect the reputation that he had built,” she said.
That was a little more than two years ago. Now, working with general manager Danny Cole and team of experienced hands, she is learning a new set of metrics and terminology, but she will be the first to tell you that the keys to success in the auto business are basic.
“Dad never met a stranger,” said Susan, who has the same warm and open personality. “He treated everyone with respect; it didn’t matter if you were the president of the bank or a teller. I also remember from a young age him saying that if you always tell the truth you don’t have to remember what you said. I take both these things to heart, both in life every day and in running the business. If your employees trust and respect you, as I believe mine do, then they will take care of your customers.”
High tech safety It also helps to be selling cars built by Toyota, long known for exhaustive engineering, meticulous craftsmanship and innovation.
Toyota makes standard on all 2018 models Toyota Safety Sense, a multi-feature advanced active safety suite that bundles a pre-collision system with pedestrian detection function. It features forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking; lane departure alert with steering assist function; automatic high beams; and full-speed range dynamic radar cruise control.
Other manufacturers sell similar packages as an option, and often only on higher trim lines and as part of certain packages, which adds thousands of dollars to the price.
Green leader Toyota, the first to offer hybrid vehicles, is the first to market a hydrogen fuel cell car, the Mirai, which emits only water vapor. On sale only in California, the Mirai sells for $57,500—three years of fuel included—and is eligible for up to $13,000 in a federal and state incentives.
California, New York and several governments in Europe and Asia have called for an end to the sale of internal combustion vehicles by 2030.
Global architecture In the meantime, Toyota is preparing to enter the third decade of the 21st century with vehicles built on its new global architecture, a scalable foundation that is stronger and lighter —meaning safer and quieter— and has a lower center of gravity. The result: better fuel economy and sports car handling.
One of those, the C-HR, a compact SUV that sells for $5,000 to $10,000 below the median in a highly competitive niche, is arriving in showrooms this month. Robbins Toyota has two.
The other, a clean-sheet redesign of the Camry—the top selling car in America for 15 straight years—should start showing up in late summer or early fall.
We tested the C-HR on the Circuit of Americas recently, and came away stunned by how quiet and nimble the little SUV could be. It was quick through the chicanes, well-sorted with only a hint of body roll, yet civilized, soaking up the nastiest of tarmac.
The C-HR is a looker: sexy, muscular, and with deep, curvy character lines. The cabin is high-tech with a generous list of standard features, such as dual-zone climate control, lots of leather, power everything and ports and connectivity.
Prices start at $22,500 for the XLE, and $24,350 for the XLE premium. Delivery adds $960.
Prices on the new Camry are not available. It no longer looks like a Camry, thanks to styling that is described as exciting and emotional. Sensual and athletic would also be nice adjectives for a car that is longer, wider and lower than predecessors.
Visibility is greatly enhanced by a lower cowling and belt line.
Three new powertrains will be available on the new 2018 Camry: They include a new 3.5-liter V6 with D-4S Fuel Injection and an all-new 2.5-liter inline-4 gasoline engine, which comes paired to a new 8-speed automatic transmission, and a next-generation Toyota Hybrid System.
Toyota says the new Camry will have ride and handling that is on-par with premium luxury vehicles. That is due in part to the new platform. It also comes from a new double wishbone rear suspension system. A new four-point engine mounting system adds civility by reducing noise, vibration and harshness.
The Camry, named “Most American Car” by Cars.Com, is built in Toyota’s Georgetown, Ky. Plant. With 8,200 employees, it is Toyota’s largest plant in the world.