New Camry: Dinkum Aussie, sport

TOYOTA Australia is out to convince us the fifth generation Camry due in September is the most sporting, most stylish and most Australian yet.

And to spread that message it has started revealing details of the 380N Camry to the media, imitating Ford's controlled information leaks about Barra Falcon, which is due on sale in October along with Holden's VY Commodore.

Unlike those two, the look of the new Camry is already well known, having been on sale in Japan, the US and Europe for months.

Toyota Australia is instead concentrating on what it has changed under the international bodyshape, claiming a $350 million engineering and plant spend on the new car.

Central to Camry's future is a decision to make the car more sporting and dynamic, in an effort to attract a younger audience and separate it further from its close relation, the family-sized Avalon.

That is particularly important now as 380N is 35mm longer, 15mm wider, 70mm higher and 50mm longer in the wheelbase than its predecessor.

The Camry and Avalon are brought even closer together by their virtually identical V6 drivetrains.

"What becomes the differentiating factor between the two cars in the customer's mind is what we need to address," said Toyota Australia's manager locally manufactured vehicles, Adrian Weimers. "Essentially we can't change anything with Avalon, it is pretty much fixed. But the opportunity came up with Camry to push it in a particular direction."Toyota revealed the Australian Camry's suspension would be uniquely tuned to deliver a more sporty feel. In broad terms, the standard car's suspension and steering feel will equate to the current Touring set-up, while the new Sport model will be more focussed.

"We started the process with the facelift for Camry (in 2000) when we essentially knocked out some of the grades that repeated with Avalon like the Vienta Grandes, and also we revised the driving characteristic," Mr Weimers said.

"We changed from 14 to 15-inch wheels and totally revised the four-cylinder suspension to give it that kind of feel which we are aiming for with 380N."Other changes revealed today included a locally-developed brake package which Toyota claims reduces stopping distance by about two metres from 100km/h, upgraded electronics and new seat designs including a unique-to-Australia sports seat.

Underpinning it all is a modified version of the Avalon platform developed locally called the Toyota Modular Platform, Toyota Australia eschewing the 380N's international platform because of cost and manufacturing complexity issues.

Although unwilling to discuss marketing details, Mr Weimers said Toyota's strategy was designed to boost both Camry and Avalon sales, which have been leaking away. Also, he said the gradual droop in the medium four-cylinder market would be circumvented by the new Camry.

"In the medium class market at the moment there is no reason for people to be there in terms of what the car gives to them" he said. "So somehow with this car we have got to give people the reason and aspiration to come into the market.

"Our solution is to give it personality, not only through the styling, but if you make it fun to drive and people want to be engaged with the vehicle, then hopefully the outflow from the medium four market will be contained."Currently, the average age of Camry V6 buyers is 51 and four-cylinder buyers 53. Toyota wants to drive both averages down by around four years with the new model.

380N CAMRY: WHAT WE KNOW* $350 million investment
* Four models - entry, medium, sport and high
* Unique platform for local version
* Four star crash performance claimed
* Bigger in all vital dimensions than predecessor
* New 2.4-litre four-cylinder variable valve timing engine
* New manual and automatic gearboxes to go with it
* 3.0-litre V6 drivetrain retained
* Two local suspension tunes
* Locally-developed brake package
* All models get dual airbags
* Seat-mounted side airbags available
* New audio systems
* All models get a CD player
* Glass antenna standard
* Touch screen navigation available
* Eight-function trip computer standard on some models
* Front seats redesigned
* All-new sports seat unique to local Camry
* Improved headlight performance