Toyota has released a special edition Camry to commemorate its proud history of manufacturing cars in Australia ahead of the forthcoming exit.
The company confirmed on Wednesday that just 54 new hybrid models are being produced – one for each year that Toyota cars have been built in Australia.
Toyota Australia President Dave Buttner said the Camry was nominated for the honour because of its significant impact on local and export markets as well as the hybrid’s position as the most technically advanced car mass-produced in this country.
He said the special version of the last Camry was a poignant reminder of six Camry generations built at Port Melbourne and then Altona, and the commitment to the last LM car being the best LM car.
“One of the 54 Commemorative Camrys will be kept by Toyota Australia and another sent for display at the TMC Museum in Japan, confirming our parent company’s high regard for the employee commitment, local engineering input and quality achieved in 54 years of local manufacture,” Mr Buttner added.
Based on the Camry Atara SL sedan, the signature cars will be distinguished by their combination of metallic silver paint and a black roof.
According to Toyota, other special features include a sporty red garnish along the lower lip of the grille, blue illumination in the footwell and for the Camry-branded scuff plates, a sports mesh interior, plus commemorative edition floor mats and badge.
The Commemorative Edition Camry will run on a hybrid powertrain that develops maximum power of 151kW from the combination of its 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, 105kW electric drive motor and electronic continuously variable transmission.
The vehicles are also equipped with a pre-collision safety system that includes autonomous braking, active cruise control, automatic high beam, lane departure alert and rear cross-traffic alert.
According to the Japanese car maker, other standard features include premium satellite navigation with SUNA traffic updates, JBL audio, leather-accented seats, ISOFIX attachment points for child safety seats, front and rear corner parking sensors and a wireless phone charger.
With a fuel economy rated at just 5.2 litres/100km – an exceptional figure for a large sedan with the level of power available – the recommended retail price of $41,150 looks like a bargain given the fact that it is just $710 more than for the standard hybrid Camry Atara SL.
