Toyota India pulls off the curtains from the revamped model of Camry

Pitching an appropriate contender in the premium sedan segment of the Indian auto industry, Toyota India has come up with a refreshed avatar of Camry. When it comes to build quality, the Japanese manufacturer is known to set very high standards. The seventh generation model of Toyota Camry, which was first displayed at the 2012 Delhi Auto Expo, boasts of industry-leading features, which will surely help the car major to wand some magic in the market. New edition Camry is a flagship vehicle for the brand, which is doing well in the global arena.

The new generation Camry hit the Indian shores on August 24, 2012, with a price of Rs. 23.8 lacs (ex-showroom, New Delhi). 2012 model has angular headlamps and a new chrome grill, which gives it a sleek Lexus look. The bulge on the bonnet adds more character to the frontal styling of the model and considering its well-crafted lines and curves as opposed to the curvaceous and soft looks of the previous version, the signature of futuristic design is well-versed with the new generation Camry.

At the course of launch, Hiroshi Nakagawa, Managing Director of the company, quoted, “We are extremely happy to introduce the 7th generation, All New Camry. The vehicles are the latest addition to our fleet of domestically manufactured vehicles. This further reinforces the growing importance of TKM (Toyota Kirloskar Motors) in Toyota’s global operations. The local production of New Camry of global standards will mark an important milestone in the history of TKM.”

Interiors of Camry are quite spacious, which are optimally designed for superior ride quality. Although front seats of the model are electronically adjustable, the rear seats score high when it comes to thigh and back support. Evaluating the model on technical grounds, the car comes assimilated with a 2.5 litre dual VVT-i, 4-cylinder engine, which churns out a maximum power of 178.5 bhp of peak power with a maximum torque of 231 Nm. With these configurations, the 2012 edition of Camry seems more powerful than the previous model, which had a 2.4 litre engine.

Following global standards, the recently launched model is only offered in the petrol guise. Considering this fact, the Japanese auto maker lose out here as its close rivals Skoda Superb and Volkswagen Passat have a diesel model in their portfolio. Just like the Camry, the Honda Accord also faces the same problem. As diesel model seems to be a preferred choice among many buyers of the country, Toyota may have to think about a diesel version soon.

Till the previous version, Toyota Camry was routed as a Completely Built Unit (CBU) in the country. But now, it will be locally assembled at its plant in Bidadi, near Bangalore, thanks to the availability of CKD kits. Presently, the model is manufactured at ten different locations across the world and Bangalore being the 11th production base.

The Deputy Managing Director, Marketing, of Toyota, Sandeep Singh, commented, “The globally renowned Camry is the flagship brand of Toyota and we are delighted to introduce the All New Camry in India. The All New Camry is aimed at offering enhanced design, sense of quality, spaciousness and comfort. The vehicles are on display in all our dealerships across India, from today. Bookings will be accepted and deliveries undertaken, starting today. We thank our customers for appreciating and accepting the Camry sold in India previously, and hope to see continued patronage of this legendary model of Toyota.”