SCOOP: Cooler Camry captured

1 Aug 1997

By THE GOAUTO TEAM

Sleeker, all-new, 4-door sedan and wagon (from May ’98) body styles, a comprehensively revised platform and drivetrains, and readjusted model names greeted the bigger, 4th-generation Camry/Vienta range.

Both the 94kW 2.2L 4-cylinder and 141kW 3.0L V6 engines underwent substantial revisions.

The Camry range now consisted of: CSi, Conquest, and 2.2L-only CS-X while the auto-only Vienta could be had with a VXi and Grande models.

And although Vienta V6 was the upmarket Camry, Toyota muddied the waters by introducing a V6 option on the base Camry CSi and dual airbag/ABS-equipped Conquest.

In May ’99 the Camry (not Vienta) Touring sedan was introduced, followed shortly after by a “GTP” body kit option across the range.