The Toyota Camry is a mid-size car manufactured by Toyota in Georgetown, Kentucky, USA, as well as Australia, and in Japan. The Camry has been the best selling car in the United States for eight of the last nine years starting in 1997. The United States is the Camry's largest consumer market, where it mainly competes with the Honda Accord, Mazda6 and the Nissan Altima. The Camry also sells very well in Australia and a number of Asian markets, in particular Cambodia where the vast majority of cars are Camrys. It has not sold as well in Europe and Japan—many criticize its design as ill-suited for European and Japanese tastes. In Japan and Asia, its main rivals are the Nissan Teana and the Honda Accord. An upbranded luxury version of the Camry is sold under the Lexus ES nameplate in the United States also known as the Windom in Japan. The Camry name was first launched in 1980 with the Toyota Celica Camry. The first model line independently named the Toyota Camry was launched in 1982 for the 1983 model year. It is primarily configured as a four-door sedan but at different times has also been available as a five-door hatchback, two-door coupé, and a station wagon. An offshoot of the Camry, the Toyota Camry Solara, has been available as a coupe and a convertible. The Camry underwent major redesigns and upgrades in model years 1987, 1992 (1990 in Japan), 1997, 2002 and most recently in 2007. Other than the original Celica Camry, the Toyota Camry has always been an FF layout vehicle. This means the engine is transversely mounted to drive the front wheels. Some models have been offered with all-wheel drive. The second and third-generation Camrys were rebadged to be sold as the Holden Apollo in Australia. The Holden equivalents were not successful even though they came from the same factory as the Camry. Since 2000, Daihatsu has sold a Camry twin named the Altis. The name "Camry" comes from a phonetic transcription of the Japanese word kanmuri (冠, かんむり), which means "crown," as did the names of the Toyota Crown, Toyota Corona, and Toyota Tiara. MarketThe Camry is consistently ranked as one of the most popular vehicles in the North American market. It is Toyota's "bread-and-butter" vehicle, so its marketing and sales strategy is cautious, aimed squarely at the center of buyer demographics, as most Camry buyers are not car enthusiasts. The Camry is positioned directly below the Toyota Avalon and the Lexus ES in its two largest markets, Australia and North America. It is considered a sub-luxury mid-size sedan. The Camry is rarely optioned above the Avalon or ES 330, but a fully equipped Corolla slightly overlaps with the base-model Camry. The Camry was less popular in Europe, where the design was considered bland and incompatible with European driving habits. Toyota positioned the Camry as a BMW 5-Series rival, yet it lacked the cachet to compete. Following long-term poor sales, the Camry was withdrawn altogether from Europe in 2004, leaving the smaller, UK-built Avensis as the top-of-the-line sedan. Because there is no station wagon version for the fifth generation Camry, the Camry sedan and the Avensis station wagon are sold side by side in markets like Australia and New Zealand. After the introduction of the fourth-generation Camry, sales in Japan dipped. Prior to the fourth generation, Toyota adapted the Camry's design to suit Japanese tax laws and domestic market requirements. These versions of the Camry are bounded by a certain set of dimensions which would otherwise be unsuitable for export markets. These modified-for-Japan models were called the Vista, which became separate from the Camry in 2000. For the fourth-generation Camry, Toyota decided to split the Vista from the Camry. Both models still share a large number of components, but the fourth-generation split was more significant than the previous re-engineered splits. Though the Vista was sized according to domestic vehicle tax laws, the Camry (now called the Camry Gracia) was identical to those sold in foreign markets. This placed the Camry at a disadvantage as it was sized at the lower-end of a higher tax category, which included cars such as the Crown and Aristo, both aimed at a higher-end market than the Camry. The introduction of the A32-series Nissan Cefiro in 1994 may have prompted Toyota to change its strategy, despite the poor sales of the Scepter, basically a rest-of-the-world third-generation Camry, which was sold between 1992–1994 (only 4,885 units sold in total). The continued success of the Nissan Cefiro (and afterwards the Nissan Teana) meant that some customers were willing to pay extra taxes for a larger family car, and so this marketing strategy continued. As of 2005, the Camry is produced at Toyota plants in Japan, Australia; and Georgetown, Kentucky, USA, with CKD assembly operations in Vietnam, Philippines; and Thailand. It is also assembled from CKD-kits at Toyota's local partners in Malaysia and Taiwan. [1] The Camry was imported into China as the Toyota Jiamei until 2005. Thereafter, the car was assembled locally and known as the Toyota Kaimeirui, which sounds closer to "Camry". Current competitionThe Camry's perennial competitor, the Honda Accord, is often described as sportier and has traditionally been equipped with a few more performance-oriented options. North American sales figures for the Accord and the Camry are usually comparable. However, the Honda Accord consistently scores higher in regards to Consumer Reports ratings and the Motor Trend family sedan award, which it continues to win over the Camry. In the US, most recent comparisons have placed the car against the Hyundai Sonata, Nissan Altima, Mitsubishi Galant, Mazda6, Ford Fusion and the Chevrolet Malibu; and although the Camry isn't always the clear winner, it nevertheless remains a solid competitor. [2] [3] In most parts of Asia, the Camry remains competitive against the Honda Accord, with the exception of China and Japan. In China, both the Nissan Teana and Honda Accord (two of Camry's main competitors) are produced locally, and, until recently, had a price advantage against the imported Camry, as Camry was not produced locally until May 2006. In Japan, its only competitor is the Nissan Cefiro (and afterwards, the Nissan Teana), but Nissan consistently outsells Toyota in this market segment. In Australasia, the Camry sells well in comparison to the top-selling family cars, the Ford Falcon and General Motors' Holden Commodore. In Europe, the Camry's success was always limited due to excessive size (which put it into competition with the Opel/Vauxhall Omega and Ford Scorpio) when compared to the European-developed Carina E and Avensis. The Camry will no longer be available in Europe from 2006. Model historyThere is some dispute over the generational naming of the Toyota Camry. Most sources refer to the 1983 Camry as the first generation production model. A few sources believe the first generation to be the 1980 Toyota Celica Camry. This article follows the former convention. It should also be noted that the Japanese-language version of this article follows the convention that includes the 1980 to 1982 model. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Toyota Celica Camry (1980–1982)Originally launched as the Toyota Celica Camry in January 1980 for the Japanese home market, this model was essentially a second-generation Toyota Carina with updated body-styling and a front-end that resembled a 1978 Toyota Celica XX (known as the Celica Supra in export markets). The car used the rear-wheel drive Celica platform (which was shared by both the Corona and Carina) and was powered by either a 1.6 L 12T-U engine producing 88 hp JIS (65 kW) and 128 N·m (94 ft·lbf) or a 1.8 L 13T-U engine producing 95 hp JIS (70 kW) and 147 N·m (108 ft·lbf). Towards the end of its model lifecycle, Toyota introduced a sports version of the Celica Camry equipped with the 16-valve DOHC 2.0 L engine from the Celica. This is the most sought after version of the Celica Camry in the secondhand market today. Although it has an identical 2500 mm (98.4 in) wheelbase to the Celica, the Corona, and the Carina, it is longer than the Carina but shorter than both the Corona and Celica. During its model cycle, over 100,000 units were sold in Japan. The Celica Camry was also exported to a number of markets using the Carina's name, and it replaced the second-generation Carina in those markets. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
First generation (1983–1986)In 1982 for the 1983 model year, the Camry became an independent model line, and was sold as a mid-size four-door sedan and five-door hatchback. There were limited exports, predominantly to right-hand-drive markets. At this point, Camry was positioned above the Carina and Corona, two other mid-sized models made by Toyota. A twin was announced at this point: the Toyota Vista. In North America, the Camry was available with a 92 hp SAE (68 kW) 2.0 L 2S-E engine or a 74 hp 2.0 L I4 turbodiesel engine, four-door sedan or five-door hatchback body style, and could be purchased with either a five-speed manual transmission or a four-speed automatic. In contrast to the rear-wheel drive Celica Camry, the Toyota Camry was a front-wheel drive vehicle built on an all-new platform. The design of the first-generation Camry fit well within the box-shaped trends of the early 1980s. Additionally, the vehicle size and available options were characteristic of Japanese-designed cars of the time; the Camry was a small, inexpensive sedan with solid but spartan construction and competed indirectly against larger American counterparts. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Second generation (1987–1991)The second-generation model debuted in 1986 for the 1987 model year, and included a station wagon but dropped the hatchback. At this point, it was still regarded as a mid-size car. In 1988, all-wheel drive (called All-Trac) and a 160 hp JIS (118 kW) 2.5 L V6 engine were added as options for the first time. The V6 featured dual overhead camshafts, much like the upgraded 130 hp JIS (96 kW) 4 cylinder. In 1991, anti-lock brakes became optional on the V6, LE, and wagon models. Since the opening of the Kentucky plant, the plant began producing Camrys in 1988, where three trim levels of the second-generation Camry were made: the unbadged base model, the DX, and the LE. The 2.5 L engine and Camry chassis was repackaged as the upscale Lexus ES 250. The ES 250 was essentially the Japanese-market Camry hardtop. The second-generation Camry was extremely popular in the United States and it is not at all uncommon to see examples on American roads, even to this day (over 15 years after production). The 1987 Camry marked the first generation of Camry to be built in Australia. In fact, it was the first Camry ever made outside of Japan! A 1.8L 4 cylinder EFI, with 64 kW (86 hp) was standard on the base model, while a 2.0L 4 cylinder EFI, with 88 kW (116 hp) was available on all others. In 1988, a 2.5L V6 was introduced. The V6 sat the very top of the range, and was the only model to be imported from Japan. Due to its positioning in the line-up, and the high import duty it attracted, it was very expensive, and only sold in small numbers. In 1989, the 1.8L Camry was dropped, and the base engine was replaced with a non-fuel injected 2.0L engine, producing 82 kW (110 hp).
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Third generation (1992–1996)The third-generation Camry (first sold in 1990 in Japan; in the US as a 1992 model year car) is regarded as the first to break into the large-car market, or what Toyota billed at the time as "world-sized". This model marked the transition away from an inexpensive four door vehicle into a larger, more luxurious family sedan. However, in Japan, the 1992 Camry was a different vehicle, which shared its doors and fenders with the exported model, but was limited to the 1700 mm (66.9 in) width required to fit into a lower tax bracket (the 'number 5' bracket). The wider export model was called the Toyota Scepter in its home market. In the United States, an automatic transmission became the only option on all but the base and sport-model Camrys, whereas previously, a manual transmission was available on nearly all trim levels. In that market, both the four and six-cylinder engines received upgrades in displacement and power: the four was upped to 2.2 L and 130 hp SAE 5S-FE (97 kW), and the V6 to 3.0 L and 185 hp SAE (137 kW). In addition to the DX (also sometimes called Deluxe) and LE trims, 1992 saw the addition of an XLE luxury trim and the SE sport trim—presumably introduced to compete with the Nissan Maxima SE. Some other countries followed the 2.2 L and 3.0 L engine choice. Toyota in New Zealand sold these models as the 220 and V6 respectively, the smaller-engined car filling the gap of the departed Corona. It shared the rounded-body-panel look of many imports of similar vintage: the Toyota Corolla, Honda Accord, and Nissan Altima, to name a few. This was a departure from the second-generation models which, although they had many more rounded panels than the first-generation Camrys, were nevertheless generally slab-sided in shape. The third-generation Camrys had rounded features and a very curved silhouette. The Vista continued in parallel, available in addition as a hardtop sedan. This is a similar car to the then new Windom, which formed the basis of the Lexus ES 300 in foreign markets, equipped with a 3.0 L V6 engine. In 1994, Toyota released a coupe version of the Camry with styling very similar to the four door version. This vehicle would be dropped for the next generation, although it would later be replaced by the Camry Solara (discussed below). The same year, the Japanese home market saw a revised, 1700 mm wide Camry and Vista, with different sheetmetal, on the same platform. (The Japanese version of this page lists this as a 'fifth-generation' model.) The third-generation Camry was on Car and Driver magazine's Ten Best list for 1992 and 1993. AustraliaIn Australia, the Camry 4-cylinder models consisted of the Executive, CSI and Ultima sedan models (automatic only). The V6 range was known as the Camry Vienta and also consisted of the Executive, CSI and Ultima sedan model. The Camry Vientas were available in automatic transmission only. In 1993, a new sedan model called the Touring Series was launched which was fitted with sports suspension. In 1994, the range was revised slightly, where the Executive model was renamed CSI and the CSI was renamed the CSX. In July 1995, the facelifted model was launched in Australia and was now built at the new Altona plant. This also marked the beginning of the exporting of left-hand drive Camrys to the Middle East. The 4 cylinder range consisted of the CSI and CSX models. The V6 models were simply known as the Vienta. The Ultima sedan was renamed the Grande model, and manual transmission was now available in the CSI and Touring Series sedan models. Towards the end of the model run, limited edition Getaway and Intrigue sedan models were launched. United KingdomIn the United Kingdom, the Camry range was more limited, compared to Japan, Australia and the United States. It was launched in October 1991. It consisted of the 2.2 GL and 3.0 V6 GX models in sedan and station wagon form. The GX version had automatic transmission only. Other changes to the line-up included:
basic. The last Camrys were available in the United Kingdom on 01 June 1996. However, grey import fans imported the Toyota Windom because they felt the UK line-up was too small.
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Fourth generation (1997–2001)The fourth-generation Camry was launched in Japan in December 1996. It continued as a sedan and station wagon (called the Camry Gracia in Japan), though the latter model was not sold in the United States. This generation was launched in the US for the 1997 model year. In 2000, the sedan models received a mid-model upgrade to the front and rear fascias, but remained otherwise similar to the 1999 models. The Japanese Scepter ceased to exist as the Japanese Camrys adopted the 1795 mm wide platform. The Vista began departing from the Camry, remaining 1700 mm wide and eventually forming the basis of the growing Corolla. In addition, the Vista's sheetmetal resembled a tall, formal sedan, while the Camry became sleeker. This "split" continues today. The Lexus ES 300 was again built from the Windom, which uses the Camry chassis. The Camry Solara was added in both coupé and convertible form in 1999. In contrast to the third-generation Camry two door, the Camry Solara was a significant styling departure from the four door. The Solara was available in SE and SLE trim, corresponding roughly to the sedan's LE and XLE trims. In the United States, the four door Camry SE was dropped and the base model was renamed the CE for the 1998 model year. Both the LE and the XLE trims were carried over from the previous generation. The LE and XLE were available with either the 2.2 L I4 or the 3.0 L V6 engine, although the Solara SLE was only available with the V6. The LE-based Collector Edition was new for 2001 model year. Power was increased slightly to 133 hp SAE (99 kW) for the 5S-FE 2.2 L I4 and 194 hp SAE (145 kW) for the 1MZ-FE V6. Manual transmissions were only available on the CE trim level and any Solara model. For the General Export Market, the Camry was offered as 2.2 GLX and 3.0 V6 Grande. This was the first Camry to be sold as a Daihatsu; the Daihatsu Altis was identical to the export version of the Camry. The Camry V6 was again on Car and Driver magazine's Ten Best list for 1997. AustraliaIn Australia, unlike the previous generation, the nameplate Camry was also applied to the V6 variants, while the Vienta V6 range was revised as the "upmarket" models. The line-up of 4 cylinder Camry models consisted of the CSI, Conquest and CSX models (automatic transmission only), all three variants were available in sedan or wagon. The Camry V6 models consisted of CSI and Conquest, with the wagon models only available in automatic transmission. The Camry V6 Touring Series sedan model was launched in March 1999. The Vienta line up consisted of VXI and Grande sedan models and the VXI wagon. The VXI model was basically a V6-powered version of the 4-cylinder Camry CSX model. In September 2000, the revised Camry range was launched. The Vienta V6 range was discontinued due to the launch of the Avalon sedan in July 2000 and two new models were added to the Camry range: the top-of-the-range Azura V6 sedan and the Touring Series V6 sportswagon model, both of which were available in automatic transmission only. Towards the end of the model run, the limited edition Intrigue and Advantage sedan models were launched. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Fifth generation (2002–2006)In September 2001, the Toyota Camry was released as a larger sedan (taking styling cues from the successful Vitz, Corolla and Solara coupé) only, but without a station wagon for the first time (a similarly styled wagon was sold on the Japanese home market however, as the Toyota Mark II Blit). Elsewhere, the Camry station wagon was replaced by the Highlander crossover SUV. This model was launched in most export markets, including the United States, as a 2002 model year car. The front end of the car is relatively short, leaving a great deal of the length to the cabin, a technique adopted by compact cars. In contrast to the fairly squat fourth-generation Camry, the fifth generation is a decidedly tall vehicle. It is 2.5 in (64 mm) taller and has a 2 in (51 mm) longer wheelbase than the previous model. In the United States for 2002, the basic CE model was dropped but the SE sport model was reintroduced. Both the LE and SE models are available with a manual transmission when equipped with the four-cylinder engine. Any model may be equipped with a V6 or an automatic transmission, although the manual transmission is not available on V6 models. The 2002 Camry Solara remained on the fourth generation chassis, and received only minor styling upgrades to the front and rear ends. However the Solara did receive the same 2.4 L 2AZ-FE VVT-i I4 engine now available on the Camry. In late 2004, the 2005 Camry was introduced with new upgrades such as a chrome grille (though the SE had a sportier grille), a new taillight design, and new wheels. A new trim level was added (the standard model) priced lower than the Camry LE. Interior upgrades to the Camry included a rear center head restraint, a storage bin in the door, optitron gauges, and standard leather seating on XLE V6 models. The second generation Camry Solara was introduced in August 2004. Again, styling from the Camry was radically different, taking design cues from the Lexus SC 430. The 2.4 L VVT-i engine was still offered, however, a new [[Toyota MZ engine#3MZ-FE|3.3 L VVT-i V6]] was optional. The V6 was coupled with a 5-speed automatic transmission. In addition to SE and SLE trims, a new SE Sport was offered. Unlike the first generation Solara, the SLE trim could be had with the four-cylinder engine. Daihatsu continued with its twin Altis model for the Japanese market! Australia & New ZealandIn Australia and New Zealand, the 2002-2006 Camry is available in four different trims: the Altise, Ateva, Sportivo and Azura, . The Altise, Ateva, and Sportivo are available with either the 2.4 L VVT-i four cylinder or the 3.0 L V6 VVT-i engine, and the Azura was only available in V6. Only the Altise and Sportivo models may be fitted with a manual transmission— all other models are equipped with an automatic transmission. In 2003, the V6 Altise Sport model was introduced, which is basically the Altise model with the sports suspension that was fitted on the Sportivo and Azura models and was available in manual and automatic trasmission. The Australian and New Zealand Camry Sportivo corresponds roughly to the American Camry SE. The Australian and New Zealand models were significantly different from the other Camry models around the world and had around 77% locally developed components to suit Australian/NZ roads and driving conditions. The brakes, body panels (which would only fit on the Australian made body and chassis), headlights, seats and suspension were all locally developed after 10,000 km of extensive testing in New Zealand under the supervision of Toyota engineers. Power output on the Altise Sport, V6 Sportivo and Azura models was 145 kW (194 hp) compared with the 141 kW (189 hp) of the standard V6 models due to the variable back pressure exhaust system that boosts low-down torque and top-end power. When the revised range was launched in Australia and New Zealand in September 2004, the Grande model was reintroduced which together with the Azura model, were the top-of-the-range models. The Grande however was fitted with the standard suspension rather than the sports suspension as fitted on the Azura model. The Grande and Azura models have Satellite Navigation (GPS) as standard equipment, and were the first Toyota models in Australia to be fitted with the new Toyota Link system. The Toyota Link system is a state-of-the-art satellite and mobile SMS GSM communications system that gives the driver access to roadside assistance and emergency help via the electrochromatic rear view mirror. In August 2005 the Altise Sport model was reintroduced (V6 auto only) together with Altise Limited (four-cylinder and V6) that has additional features. The Altise was repositioned as a fleet model and manual transmission was no longer available on V6 Sportivo models from January 2006 production. A number of milestones were achieved with this generation's Camry in Australia. The one millionth Camry (Black Azura) built in Australia and 10 millionth Camry worldwide was rolled off the production line at Altona in September 2004. In May 2006, Toyota Australia exported the 500,000th Camry to New Zealand, in recognition of the relationship between Toyota Australia and Toyota New Zealand. More than 90% of Australian Camry exports are left-hand drive vehicles to Middle East countries including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. The overseas demand for the Australian-made Camry is still running at record levels, despite the imminent release of an all-new model in August 2006. The current Australian made Camry remains one of the top-selling passenger vehicle in Saudi Arabia.
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Sixth generation (2007)The sixth generation Camry is a significantly redesigned model and is assembled at the Toyota plant in Georgetown, Kentucky as well as at Toyota Manufacturing in Aichi, Japan, in Australia, and in China (for the Chinese market only). The length remains unchanged from the previous model, and the wheelbase is longer than the previous model. Starting in 2007, the Camry will also be manufactured at Subaru's Lafayette, Indiana plant, about 100,000 units per year. In Subaru's plant, Toyota will set up its own machinery and assembly line to manufacture the Camry. A Camry manufactured in Japan is denoted with a VIN starting with "J" as well as a small hatch on the passenger's side of the front bumper, used to secure the vehicle during shipping over the ocean, US made models are denoted with a VIN starting with "4". It was released as a 2007 model making its first introduction at the 2006 North American International Auto Show [4] along with its identical hybrid twin, the Camry HV. The new Camry has a 2.4 L VVT-i I4 making 158 hp (118 kW) with 4 trim levels: CE, LE, SE, and XLE. It will also have an optional 3.5 L VVT-i V6 making 268 hp (200 kW) with three trims: LE, SE, and XLE. The V6 will be available with a 6-speed sequential transmission. A split-folding rear seat is not available on the SE trim. A navigation system with a cell phone link and heated leather seats are available for the SE and the V6-powered XLE. A keyless entry/remote starter is optional on the V6-powered XLE. The CE and LE have hubcap designs similar to the previous generation models. The rear of the car features the controversial "Bangle-butt" design first seen on the 2002 BMW 7 Series. The sixth generation Camry will also be built in Australia. There, it goes on sale on July 22, 2006. For the first time in 18 years, the Australian-market Camry will lack a V6 engine. The only option will be a 2.4L VVT-i I4 which is expected to produce 125 kW (168 hp). Some have argued that the new design, specifically the headlights, copied styling cues from Mazda. Camry Hybrid
For 2006, Toyota has created a hybrid gas/electric Camry called the Camry Hybrid to be introduced alongside the redesigned 2007 Toyota Camry . It uses a Hybrid Synergy Drive setup similar to that of the Toyota Prius, Toyota Highlander Hybrid and Lexus RX 400h, which mates Toyota's 3MZ V6 with an electric motor. However, the Camry Hybrid will utilize a 4-cylinder gasoline engine as opposed to a V6, a setup that will produce 192 hp (143 kW). Standard features include remote entry and start, side torso airbags, knee airbags and side-curtain airbags.The Camry Hybrid will be built at the company's Georgetown, Kentucky plant, with about 45,000 projected per year. Crash test resultsBoth the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) [5] and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) [6] publish crash information for the third-, fourth-, and fifth-generation Camry. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) scores crash ratings as one to five stars for front and side crashes. Similarly, the IIHS scores crash performance with a four-level grade (Good, Acceptable, Marginal, and Poor) in multiple categories and overall. Third generationThe third-generation Camry was tested only frontal (NHTSA) and frontal offset (IIHS) crashes. NHTSA gave the vehicle four stars for the driver and between three and four stars for the passenger, depending on the year. [7] The IIHS scored it acceptable overall, with three out of six categories listed as good and the other three listed as acceptable. [8] In comparison, the similar-vintage Honda Accord fared similarly (although somewhat worse) [9], the Ford Taurus did notably better [10], and the Nissan Maxima performed much worse. [11] Fourth generationThe fourth-generation Camry was tested for frontal and side impacts (NHTSA) and frontal offset (IIHS) crashes, but scored significantly better than the third generation in all frontal tests. [12] [13] Additionally, the IIHS website lists the 1997-2001 Camry as being a BEST PICK in frontal crash tests. The NHTSA gave the Camry four stars in side impact tests when fitted with side airbags and three stars without. [14] Fifth generationThe fifth generation Camry was tested for front, side, and rollover crashes (NHTSA) and rear, side (with and without side airbags), and frontal offset crashes (IIHS). The fifth-generation frontal performance was similar to that for the fourth-generation. [15] [16] It was also again listed as a BEST PICK in frontal crashes. Similarly, IIHS side impacts with airbags was rated as good overall with good in most categories. [17] However, side crash performance without airbags was only two stars in 2002 (NHTSA) [18] and poor, the lowest score on the IIHS scale. [19] Three out of the nine categories were scored as poor, including Head protection, driver, Injury:Head/neck, and Injury:Torso, rear passenger. The IIHS website notes that although Toyota changed the design of 2004 Camrys to improve side performance, the changes would not significantly impact the crash performance of vehicles without side airbags. NHTSA rollover performance is listed as five stars for 2001 models and four stars thereafter. IIHS rear-crash performance was rated as marginal for Camrys with cloth seats and poor for Camrys with leather seats. [20] Theft statisticsThe Camry is reportedly the most stolen car in the United States. [21] This can be partly attributed to the fact that the Camry has been the top selling car in the U.S. for several years. In 2001, for example, the second-generation Camry was the most-stolen vehicle, whereas the fourth-generation Camry was the 79th most stolen. The Camry received an "average" theft loss index in yearly reports generated by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) for every year between 1992 and 2004 except 1997, when it received a "worse than average." [22] Each of these reports only covers the previous three model years (e.g., the 1992 report covers 1989-1991 Camrys). Racing and aftermarketDue to the Camry's size and market orientation, it is not a suitable candidate for professional motorsports activities. So far, the one and only time that a Camry has been used by a works Toyota team as a race car is during the 1990s, when Toyota South Africa commissioned a third-generation Camry, built according to FIA's Class-2 Super Touring regulations, to be raced in the South African Touring Car Championship. It achieved only moderate success as the competition included other more suitable machinery - for example, the BMW 320is prepared by Team Schnitzer. In spite of past failures, there nonetheless exists evidence that late-model Camrys have been raced in other minor championships. [23] The Camry's popularity and Toyota's reputation for reliability means that older-model Camrys occasionally surface in amateur motorsports. In fact, the South African Super Touring Camry was still raced by a private individual in Australia in 2005, despite the car being more than 10 years old. On January 23, 2006, Toyota announced that their 2007 version of the Camry will be entered for NASCAR's elite Busch and Nextel Cup series, starting in the 2007 season, marking the first appearance by a vehicle made by an automobile manufacturer not based in the United States to compete in NASCAR's top two series since the 1950s. Since 2004, Tundra pickups have competed in the Craftsman Truck Series. Toyota's in-house engine sport department, Toyota Racing Development, as well as Toyota Team Europe and TOM'S, does offer performance parts for the fourth- and fifth-generation Camry. Aftermarket performance parts for the Camry are significantly more limited than for sportier vehicles; however, even a supercharger has been developed specifically for the Camry. [24] [25] See alsoExternal links
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