Toyota on top of the world

By ALASTAIR SLOANE motoring editor

Toyota reckons a would-be car thief would have a many-million-times better chance of winning Lotto than cracking the new Camry's remote entry code.

The company says that if the security system with its electronic rolling codes - a different code every time the car is unlocked - was used eight times a day, it would take 22 years for the same code to appear again.

The thief would, therefore, theoretically have to wait until the 64,240th attempt to open the car's doors.

By that time, 2024 and perhaps four generations of Camry on, he or she would be working another street and Toyota would be the world's No 1 carmaker.

The company said so the other day at the new Camry launch in Auckland. Not that the thief would be elsewhere, but that Toyota aims to replace General Motors as the world's big wheel within 15 years.

"Toyota Motor Corporation is targeting a 15 per cent global market share in the decade beginning 2010," said Toyota New Zealand chairman and managing director Bob Field.

"That's a 50 per cent lift on today's global share of 10 per cent and involves an extra three million vehicles a year.

"Achievement of this target will also make Toyota the biggest motor vehicle company in the world."

Toyota continues to build the bestselling car in history, the Corolla. At last count, production of the Corolla was nearing 25,900,000.

Field said one of the indicators to a strong future was that Toyota was the only one of the top three carmakers (in order, General Motors, Ford, Toyota) to increase sales last year - "and 2002 will be an even bigger year of growth."

"The biggest problem for Toyota growth is the availability of sufficient stock," he said.

"While other global manufacturers suffer from an overcapacity of production facilities, Toyota will need to build many new plants and expand existing ones to fulfil the growth.

"Expanding capacity parallel with the increase in demand is the objective so that Toyota can preserve the principle of lean production and strong profitability.

"The latest profit results of the global big three reflect the value of this strategy."

Field said that aiming for the No 1 position was a marketing challenge that required the backing of world financial and product strength.

"There is no doubt that Toyota Motor Corporation has the necessary financial backing with shareholders' equity that is more than twice the combined value of General Motors and Ford [$60-odd billion against about $27 billion]," he said.

"By applying vast cash resources to expand production facilities and product research and development, TMC's growth objective is realistic and achievable."

Toyota's planned growth will please many people, including the International Carwash Association, an American body. The association likes Toyotas because they are easy to wash.

It even voted the new Camry the most washable car in America, giving it top marks for its securely fastened mirrors, bumpers and wipers.

"The Camry slips easily through car washes," it said. "Its aerodynamic design resists catching and retaining dirt."

A spokesman for Toyota in America says the carmaker pays special attention to the washability of its cars.

It also pays special attention to how water affects the brakes. Certainly in the new Australian-built Camry where, as part of a rigorous test programme, Toyota engineers in Melbourne heated the all-round disc brakes to 700 degrees before driving through water.

The results included gains in stopping power - by about two metres at 100km/h - and resistance to wear and distortion.

There are many other gains in the new fourth-generation Camry. It is bigger overall than the outgoing model - 35mm longer, 15mm wider, 70mm higher, with a 50mm longer wheelbase. The H- or hip-point for occupants is 48mm higher to aid entry and exit.

It is quieter, stronger, better built, with an improved handling/ride mix "just right" for New Zealand, says Toyota consultant and former Formula One driver Chris Amon.

There is a new 112kW/218Nm 2.4-litre four-cylinder VVT-i engine, a reworked variable valve unit from the Previa. This replaces the previous 2.2-litre. Six-cylinder models use a slightly more powerful 145kW/284Nm version of the carried-over 3-litre V6.

There is more interior room front and back, more equipment. Anti-lock brakes on all four wheels are standard, along with seatbelt pre-tensioners - which pull tighter against the body in an emergency - air-conditioning with rear-seat vents, CD player and power windows. All models except one have cruise control.

It has a new line-up of names. Camry - from the Japanese "kan-muri" meaning "crown" - obviously remains, but the previous GL, GX and GLX handles have gone.

The Altise replaces the entry-level GL, Ateva the mid-range GX and Azura the premium GLX. Toyota Australia names its cars as such and Toyota New Zealand fell into line for "efficiency and convenience".

There are three 2.4-litre models - the Altise manual at $37,250 and automatic at $38,750 and the Ateva automatic at $42,500.

The five-model V6 range starts with the Altise automatic at $41,900 and includes the Ateva automatic at $44,900 and swept-up Azura at $56,600. There are also two body-kitted TS - Toyota Sport - models, the manual at $43,000 and automatic at $45,000.

There is a choice of nine colours in the eight-model line-up. Black is not one of them. Black isn't a good colour, say the people who study these things. Drivers of black cars are the most volatile on the road, more prone to fits of road rage than other drivers. The Camry would never be a black car.