Supercharged V6 gives Camry boost

By ALASTAIR SLOANE

Expect the adventurous styling of the Echo and Celica to carry through to the next-generation Toyota Camry, due in New Zealand next year.

A disguised version of the 2002 Camry was spotted testing in Europe a couple of months ago.

It revealed enough to suggest that Toyota is going to give its mainstream cars a bolder look.

Reports said the prototype Camry had a curved roofline and strong wedge profile, suggesting that the new model will be more stylish than the four generations of Camry that preceded it.

The carmaker wants to give its products more widespread appeal. One of the reasons why it introduced Toyota Sport models was to emphasise its expanding role in motorsport - its World Rally Championship and Le Mans 24-hour campaigns and its entry into Formula One next year.

Toyota has already taken the wraps off its first Formula One car, which will make its debut at the Melbourne Grand Prix next March.

The high-profile Formula One project is seen as essential to Toyota's plans to beef up its image and attract new buyers.

The front end of the new Camry is said to be more aggressive while the high rear points to a car with luggage capacity, something the range has always had.

The new model sits on a new, longer chassis. But the overall length of the car is not expected to change considerably. Better interior packaging will improve passenger space. The Camry will be powered by a new, clean-burning 2.4-litre four-cylinder engine, smoother, quieter and revving more freely than the current 2.2-litre unit, and a revised version of the 3.0-litre V6.

Both engines will be mated to a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic. There has also been talk of a five-speed automatic with the V6.

But it is not known if the 2.4-litre engine will use Toyota's infinitely variable timing valve system. The current 2.2-litre unit develops 94kW and 187Nm. A 2.4-litre engine with variable system would produce about 115kW and 225Nm.

Toyota New Zealand is expected to get its consultant Chris Amon to tune the new Camry's suspension and steering to suit the younger buyer.

Meantime, former Formula One driver Amon helped tune Toyota New Zealand's latest product, a supercharged version of the existing 3.0-litre V6 Camry.

The TS (Toyota Sport) Camry with its body kit and five-speed manual gearbox will go on sale soon. The supercharger was built by Toyota Racing Development and boosts engine output to 206kW and 367Nm of torque.

Shod with low-profile tyres on 17-inch alloy wheels, the Camry TS has a body-coloured front spoiler, side and rear skirts, a rear spoiler, silver mesh grille, and a sports exhaust with twin chrome pipes.

The interior trim is finished in black and grey leather. New sports-style seats trimmed in perforated leather with "TS" embroidery provide additional support. The steering wheel is finished in black leather.

Product manager Spencer Morris says the $65,000 Camry TS will be available in limited numbers from October.

"It will appeal to drivers who appreciate the refinement and advantages of a V6 Camry with instant extra power when needed."

Camry TS comes with ABS anti-lock braking, radio cassette and single disc in-dash CD player, sports-style instruments and leather and aluminium gear shift knob.

Toyota has also produced a limited-edition version of its two-wheel-drive diesel double cab Hilux ute. The standard three-litre diesel double cab and the corresponding SR5 version are now available with alloy wheels, a nudge bar, bonnet protector and air conditioning at no extra cost.