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By
EWAN KENNEDY
12 December 2011
Toyota Camry is aimed at the canny buyer, not at someone craving
the excitement of a sports sedan. But the just released seventh
generation Camry leans a little more in the sporting direction
then ever before.
Even better news is that Camry was tailored to suit Australian
driving conditions and the likes of local drivers from very early
in the design stage. Australian engineers are well regarded
internationally and were given seats at the design meetings on
just about every crucial occasion. Some 37 Australian engineers
spent extended periods at Toyota’s Japanese head office and
technical centres, often for one to two years at a time. Indeed
some areas engineered in detail by Aussies are being sold in many
countries worldwide.
Styling is a solid evolution of the outgoing model in the standard
Camry Altise variant, but has a sportier look in the Atara.
Importantly,
the windscreen pillars have been slimmed down and no longer hinder
the front-three-quarter vision to the extent they did before.
Other marques please take note...
New Camry is similar in size to the outgoing model but it has more
interior space, particularly in the back seat. We rode in this
area for quite a while during the drive program at the media
launch and found it to have plenty of knee-room and good head
space. Seating is set up to provide good width for two occupants
in seats that are semi-individual in their shaping. The area
between them is left for occasional use by adults, or, more
likely, by a child seat.
About 35 kilograms have been trimmed out of the car’s weight to
improve performance and reduce fuel consumption.
An all-new four-cylinder engine, now displacing 2.5 litres, up
from the 2.4 litres of the sixth generation Camry, provides 15 per
cent more power and eight per cent more torque. Yet fuel
consumption has been pulled down by an impressive 11 per cent.
An
important factor in the fuel saving is the adoption of a six-speed
automatic transmission. Manual gearboxes are no longer offered in
Australian Camrys.
During our drive program we found the new Camry to be smooth and
quiet, though some rough roads gave it a firmer ride than we had
anticipated. The engine has good performance and the transmission
operates imperceptibly. Handling and general cornering are stiffer
than in previous models, which will please keen drivers.
Though Toyota Australia is being tight lipped on details, it has
told us the hybrid version of the new Camry will be introduced in
the first quarter of 2012, followed by the V6 Aurion a few months
later. These cars are also built in Toyota’s Altona factory near
Melbourne.
Interestingly,
the engines for the new Camry are currently being imported as the
Altona engine plant has been completely gutted to receive a major
upgrade. Following that, the engines for Australian Camrys will
again be built there.
Toyota Camry has the impressive record of being number one seller
in its segment in Australia for the past 18 years. This latest
model seems sure to continue that tradition.
The new price list will help it in the sales race – because it
looks very much like the old list. Some models have had no price
increase at all, despite significant increases in equipment
levels. Other prices are up by only modest amounts. Indeed, Toyota
points out that a comparison of Camry prices today with those of a
decade ago show the on-road costs to be all but identical.
The complete 2012 Toyota Camry range, with prices (excluding
government and dealer delivery charges) is:
Altise 2.5-litre petrol four-door sedan: $30,490 (automatic)
Atara S 2.5-litre petrol four-door sedan: $33,490 (automatic)
Atara SX 2.5-litre petrol four-door sedan: $35,990 (automatic)
Atara SL 2.5-litre petrol four-door sedan: $39,990 (automatic)
© Copyright
Marque Publishing Company
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