Toyota Camry locked and loaded for 2011
BY RON HAMMERTON | 19th Oct 2010
The standard Camry will be followed in 2012 by the hybrid version, powered by an Atkinson cycle four-cylinder engine also produced locally for the first time, mated with an imported hybrid drive.
As well, 2012 will mark the introduction of the next locally made, Camry-based V6 Aurion, which this time around has been designed with little Australian input, due to its elevated status in big markets such as China, where it is known as the Grand Camry, and the United States, where it is expected to replace the current Avalon.
GoAuto understands the Aurion’s design has already been wrapped up and has entered the production engineering phase in readiness for international roll-out.
As before, the Camry and Aurion will both be built for Australia and Middle Eastern export markets at Toyota Australia’s Altona plant, in Victoria, where engineers are also busy preparing to build a new $331 million four-cylinder engine plant with the help of a $63 million government grant from the Green Car Innovation Fund.
Speaking at the Australian International Motor Show, Toyota Australia's senior executive director sales and marketing David Buttner confirmed the Camry roll-out timing, saying the standard Camry would be launched in 2011 and the hybrid version in 2012.
He said Toyota Australia had been excited to get approval from its parent company in Japan to build the Camry engines.
“You have got 4.5 per cent better fuel economy, you have five per cent less emissions from those engines,” he said.
“We will build the Atkinson cycle engine which we currently import, for the hybrid vehicle. We will build the Otto cycle engine for the standard gasoline engine.
“We will have a capacity for that plant of 100,000 per annum, so hopefully we cannot just use them for our domestic market but also use them as a base for exports into other markets in the ASEAN region.” The current Camry, which was introduced in Australia in 2006, is powered by Toyota’s 2.4-litre ‘AZ’ four-cylinder engine that is good for 8.8 litres per 100km combined fuel economy and CO2 emissions of 208 grams per kilometre.
A 4.5 per cent cut would pull fuel consumption down by about 0.3L/100km, while CO2 emissions would drop below 200g/km.
The new AR engine, which has been employed in the American-built Camry since 2009, produces 126kW226Nm in base guise or 133kW/230Nm in SE trim.
This compares with 117kW/218Nm of the current engine in the Australian Camry.
The current Hybrid Camry has an official combined fuel consumption reading of 6.0L/100km and CO2 output of 142g/km.
