Next Generation Toyota Camry & Aurion Australian Production 'Locked & Loaded'

[JoeT]

Toyota Oz Locked & Loaded

Marton Pettendy
8 August 2007
www.goauto.com.au

Toyota’s next Camry, Aurion are set, but the ‘dream’ is for a third car at Altona.

Toyota has locked in its next generation of locally-built, Camry-based vehicles to be launched in 2011 – including a hybrid Aurion and, possibly, an all-new homegrown Kluger – but it seems that, at least publicly, senior executives do not share the vision of their new boss when it comes to a third model line at Altona.

“It is my dream to have a third model line,” said Toyota Australia’s new president and chief executive officer Masahide (Max) Yasuda in his first national media launch since arriving here in June.

“It is also my dream to build 200,000 cars annually, but currently we have full capacity, so in the short-term it’s not really possible,” he said at the Kluger MkII launch on Monday, before being whisked away from the day’s proceedings.

The 200,000-vehicle mark has long been coveted as a long-term annual production target by Toyota Australia chairman emeritus John Conomos, who is on record as saying a third model line is required to achieve it.

Considerably more than the nearly 140,000 vehicles it will manufacture this year (some 67 per cent of which are expected to be exported) and the 160,000 cars it plans to produce within two years, the figure is just 35,000 vehicles short of the total number of vehicles Toyota Australia hopes to sell this year.

GoAuto understands major discussions concerning future plant utilisation are now underway at Toyota, but when asked whether Toyota would follow the lead of Ford Australia, which recently announced it would produce the Focus small car alongside its Falcon and Territory models from 2011, senior executive director sales and marketing David Buttner said a third model line was not necessary – at this stage.

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Toyota: More Hybrids

CarsGuide Editor
10 August 2007
www.carsguide.com.au

Toyota intends to build the Aurion and Camry hybrids at the Altona plant.

Toyota Australia is planning to build a hybrid version of its family-sized Camry or Aurion and have it on sale within four years.

Toyota's head of sales and marketing, Dave Buttner says one will get the hybrid petrol-battery system.

Toyota sells three imported hybrids, the Prius, based on the Corolla; a Lexus prestige sedan, the GS450h; and all-wheel-drive wagon, the RX400h, while a V8 luxury saloon, the LS600hl is due later this year.

The home-grown hybrid would be built on the same lines as the Camry and Aurion at Toyota's Altona plant.

“We want to be the first local manufacturer with green credentials. We want to be known as the company that was first to market,” Buttner says. “We want to be the leader on this issue. We have been looking at the Camry and Aurion for the hybrid and it's looking like the Aurion. It will go on sale in 2011 or 2012.”

Toyota has been encouraged by the take-up rate of its hybrid Prius.

“When launched, 3 per cent of sales went to private buyers, now it's 39 per cent,” Buttner says.

"Demand for our Lexus hybrids is double (our) expectations."

[GMusa]

looks like a lexus

[Gm786]

Looks UGLY!

[Smaart Aas Saabr]

That Aurion looks HOT compared to the Camry we get here...

[Bvonscott]

^^ Not really, it has the same ugly bug eyes like on the tundra. I think what you're liking is the lower air vents and ground effects which look better.

[TaHoE]

Originally Posted by Smaart Aas Saabr

That Aurion looks HOT compared to the Camry we get here...

You can take this two ways:

1) If you take the comment above yours, then that means that the "Ugly" Aurion, must make our ugly "Truly Hideous"

2) Our Camry is really ugly if the Aurion looks better than it.

...either way the Camry is ugly, so I am satisfied.

[redTT]

So where are the doom and gloom merchants?

Where are those loud mouths "the sky is falling" medium and large sedans are doomed?

I guess even the media has fallen silent on those issues, seing as toyota is the main subject.

[redTT]

Aurion looks Ugly......has the same styling as a Hyundai.

[cadillacpimpin]

Originally Posted by GMusa

looks like a lexus

agreed i feel that toyota is not getting as much heat as GM does for using the same styling across vehicle lines.

[stevecmh]

it looks better than what they have here. the sides .. does look like a lexus.. not nessarly a bad thing

[samkung]

Originally Posted by GMusa

looks like a lexus

Nah the Aurion is the same car as the Camry for asian market


But they dont have V6 only 2 I-4 engines a 2.0L and a 2.4L

[KUZCO]

look holdensque to me but im high on pcp (joking)

[chevydlrmn]

g8 and last gen camry got drunk and.... BAM!

[BBDOS CV8]

It looks like a Camry and a Lexus because in some markets it is. It is only the front clip and doorsils and some detail that vary. Toyota Oz headhunted Ford's designer of the XR-series Falcons and he designed it in Japan. It won the internal comp for the V6 Aurion for Oz, and they liked it so much they decided to use it for some other models in other markets.

In person they look like a cane toad.

[redimpss5]

Do you think it will have all those prior problems installed also, so it will include a recall?