Could Akido Toyoda Be The Industry's Next Rockstar CEO?

The charismatic leader swooped in to save a national icon from bankruptcy. And he soon was hailed the rock star CEO by a doting public and glorified as the hero in a comic book series.

Now Akio Toyoda -- president of rival Toyota Motor Corp. and grandson of that company's founder -- is quickly emerging as a celebrity CEO in his own right.

Consider his reception last weekend at the annual Toyota Gazoo Racing Festival for car buffs at the Fuji Speedway Formula One circuit just southwest of Tokyo.

_43LE - 11/29/2011 12:35:02 PM

+3 Boost

At first I thought that this guy was just another Toyota robot and rubber stamp and would just tow the company line. But the more I see, the more I think that this guy really gets it. Interesting times for Toyota.

Joe_Limon - 11/29/2011 12:47:40 PM

+1 Boost

Toyota initially stopped selling interesting cars because they ruined the companies reliability rankings. I think it's good that Toyoda is pushing the company to make interesting cars again, but its sad to see that they are still not willing to Badge a single interesting car with the T shaped logo(i.e. the new rwd Scion).

LexSucks - 11/29/2011 12:48:53 PM

-5 Boost

He has to do better than the FT86 before anyone can all him a "CEO Rockstar". The current Toyotas are an embarassment and dull as dishwater.

upwards - 11/30/2011 12:59:20 AM

-4 Boost

Not only him

LexSucks - 11/30/2011 10:07:30 AM

0 Boost

@JapanEngineeringNo1
So the current Toyotas aren't as dull as dishwater?

Arsen89 - 11/29/2011 8:15:46 PM

0 Boost

Agreed this new car should be coming out as a Toyota and not as craptastic Scion. Shame the rest of the world gets as that and we are screwed with this brand.