New Toyota Camry spied testing

Toyota’s upcoming Camry was caught during what seemed like final test runs, in Bangalore. The test mule had only camouflage over the logos and badges while the exterior was visible and looked exactly like the new Camry showcased at the 2012 Delhi Auto Expo.

The new Camry is expected to hit showrooms in June 2012 and takes design cues from Toyota’s premium brand, Lexus. The radiator grille has six horizontal chrome slats and wedge shaped headlamps that give it a sharp yet premium look.

The low air dam with unique shaped fog lamps, mildly sculpted bonnet and the sharp edges of the bumper give the new Camry, a sporty look. The side profile reveals the blacked out B-pillar and the thick C pillar that doesn’t exactly gel with the overall design. The new Camry’s rear profile has neatly chiseled out taillamp cluster and a thick horizontal chrome slat giving it a premium feel. The large windscreen should offer adequate rear view for the driver.

Overall, the new Camry looks more mature than the outgoing model, but its squared edges and conventional curves don’t stand out when compared to its rivals such as the Skoda Superb and the new Hyundai Sonata. See more photos of the new Toyota Camry.

The new Camry is powered by a 2.5-litre petrol motor that puts out 167 Bhp of power and is mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission. With sky rocketing petrol prices, diesel engine variant is crucial (even in luxury segments) for the Camry to attract buyers. However, we do not expect Toyota to launch a Camry diesel in the near future.

Toyota may throw in surprises when it comes to pricing the new Camry, simply because the upcoming Camry is speculated to be assembled locally (via CKD route). If this happens, it may bring down the production costs and hence, the price of the Camry could go down by a couple of lakhs when compared with the outgoing model’s price range of Rs. 21.58 lakh – Rs. 23.73 lakh, ex-showroom, Delhi.

The new Camry will take on the segment leader Skoda Superb, Honda Accord, the recently launched Hyundai Sonata and the Volkswagen Passat.

(Photo courtesy: Top Gear)