Official 2007 Toyota Camry Announcement, Images & Specs

[Jaggrey]

Seems that they put them for the HVAC controls as well! What color are the HVAC controls on the non-SE models?

[TTercel]

To me it needs a intermediate engine like maybe like a refeshed 3.0L. the front end to me looks akward. Overall good job.

[BEI]

Originally Posted by LunarMist

Now this is a beautifully colored Camry

[BEI]

Originally Posted by TTercel

To me it needs a intermediate engine like maybe like a refeshed 3.0L. the front end to me looks akward. Overall good job.

Why need a old 3.0 if the new 3.5 costs the same as the old one?

[SteVTEC]

Yeah I agree it's sorta all or nothing these days.

4-cylinder engines are stretched to the max and really can't extend beyond the 2.3-2.5L range which limits them to 160-170-ish hp, unless they're made into 7000+ rpm top-end beasts (Acura TSX). But you end up trading off a lot of efficiency in order to make a 4-banger perform like that. A TSX auto runs low-16's with 205hp/164tq, but does not manage better fuel economy (22/31) than a 269hp Camry!

The other strategy is to use turbocharging, but when you're cruising and off boost, turbo engines still have much poorer thermal efficiency than a naturally aspirated one and still don't get the mileage. I've seen lots of claims to the contrary and a lot of big talk about how variable turbos and direct injection and yadda yadda will fix everything, but the end results never add up. A new Passat with the 2.0T engine (direct injection & turbocharging) has 200hp/207tq, but also gets 22/31 mpg with the automatic.

For 22/31 mpg, would you rather have 205hp/164tq, 200hp/207tq, or 269hp/248tq. That one is a no brainer.

These new GR engines offer unbeatable combinations of power and efficiency. I don't really "need" that much power either. I'd like to see a 3GR-FSE 3.0L engine in the Camry from the GS300. That would give more than enough performance, and could probably nudge the fuel economy to 23-24 mpg city, and 32-33 mpg hwy. All other factors being equal, smaller engines are still more efficient. Less friction, more efficient combustion, and internal combustion engines operate more efficiently with heavier loads on them. Using larger engines but having them more lightly loaded much of the time works against efficiency, not in favor of it.

[SteVTEC]

I guess the 192hp hybrid is the "intermediate" option, but it totes around 300 lbs more hardware than the base 4-cyl so much of that extra power will be lost pulling that around. And it'll also be a ton more expensive.

[Tideland Prius]

It'll have more features though and optional power moonroof, leather, heated seats, JBL and nav.

Also, ~40hp is quite a bit. Is it really 300lbs heavier? If you wanna know, the battery on the Prius is only 99kg so I expect the Camry's one to be lighter or equal.

Edit: I checked, Camry's battery is 150lbs

[BEI]

Originally Posted by SteVTEC

Yeah I agree it's sorta all or nothing these days.

4-cylinder engines are stretched to the max and really can't extend beyond the 2.3-2.5L range which limits them to 160-170-ish hp, unless they're made into 7000+ rpm top-end beasts (Acura TSX). But you end up trading off a lot of efficiency in order to make a 4-banger perform like that. A TSX auto runs low-16's with 205hp/164tq, but does not manage better fuel economy (22/31) than a 269hp Camry!

The other strategy is to use turbocharging, but when you're cruising and off boost, turbo engines still have much poorer thermal efficiency than a naturally aspirated one and still don't get the mileage. I've seen lots of claims to the contrary and a lot of big talk about how variable turbos and direct injection and yadda yadda will fix everything, but the end results never add up. A new Passat with the 2.0T engine (direct injection & turbocharging) has 200hp/207tq, but also gets 22/31 mpg with the automatic.

For 22/31 mpg, would you rather have 205hp/164tq, 200hp/207tq, or 269hp/248tq. That one is a no brainer.

These new GR engines offer unbeatable combinations of power and efficiency. I don't really "need" that much power either. I'd like to see a 3GR-FSE 3.0L engine in the Camry from the GS300. That would give more than enough performance, and could probably nudge the fuel economy to 23-24 mpg city, and 32-33 mpg hwy. All other factors being equal, smaller engines are still more efficient. Less friction, more efficient combustion, and internal combustion engines operate more efficiently with heavier loads on them. Using larger engines but having them more lightly loaded much of the time works against efficiency, not in favor of it.

I guess direct fuel injection(DFI) will definitely help, like IS350 306hp 3.5v6, LS 380hp 4.6v8. Correct me if I am wrong, seems now only VW and Toyota are using DFIs. Maybe still cost a little bit plus non DFI engines still over or matching competitors, so Toyota just use DFI in Lexus engines. I guess next generation Toyota will all get DFI engines.

[HoboJoe]

Originally Posted by Synwolf

If they're trying to market it to teens, I can tell you from personal experience that it hasn't worked =( I'm 18, and I think that thing is fugly. I'd choose less of those weird bumps (lines you've been calling them?) all over the car that makes it look like it was made out of silly putty. Streamline it, maybe with a single line across the doorhandles, like in this pic. I was really excited about that look. Ah well.

Next step is modding it to look like how I want it, I guess. That's a long way to go for me...

Toyota's not trying to market this to 18 year olds. They could give a damn what a teenager thinks of his mom's car.

[ynot818]

When will this camry be available? Any guesses on pricing? Looks ok, I would have to see it in person, unfortunately it was not at the LA Auto show

[andyman61]

Originally Posted by ynot818

When will this camry be available? Any guesses on pricing? Looks ok, I would have to see it in person, unfortunately it was not at the LA Auto show

the video of the launch on toyota's website says they'll hit dealerships in march and pricing will be announced right before that.

anyone notice the coefficient of drag on this thing? 0.27! that's amazing for a road car. glad to see they took aerodynamics into account. too many people overlook it when trying to improve fuel efficiency.

[Deuce]

i'm more worried about how many G's this Camry will pull on the skid pad. with it looking like this, I cant wait to see the Solara replacement, especially with how much I love the Solara SE V6 Sport.

[SteVTEC]

Originally Posted by BEI

I guess direct fuel injection(DFI) will definitely help, like IS350 306hp 3.5v6, LS 380hp 4.6v8. Correct me if I am wrong, seems now only VW and Toyota are using DFIs. Maybe still cost a little bit plus non DFI engines still over or matching competitors, so Toyota just use DFI in Lexus engines. I guess next generation Toyota will all get DFI engines.

A lot of companies use direct injection in gasoline engines. Mazda is in the MS6, VW/Audi are, and Isuzu has for years (SUV V6's). Tons more companies do also, but those cars don't always make it to US shores. Nissan has had direct injection variants of the VQ V6 since the late-90's or so, but they've been JDM market only.

Direct injection will definitely be finding its way into more and more engines, but newer technology is always more expensive than older, so yeah it might only be used in higher-tier cars first and then trickle down later depending on what the individual company's strategy is.

[SteVTEC]

Originally Posted by Deuce

i'm more worried about how many G's this Camry will pull on the skid pad. with it looking like this, I cant wait to see the Solara replacement, especially with how much I love the Solara SE V6 Sport.

I would be surprised if it broke 0.80g's. Probably high-0.7 range as just a guesstimate.

My Maxima has 215/55 rubber and with 3100 lbs to turn it does something in the low/mid-0.8 range. The Camry has the same rubber but 400 lbs of additional weight to turn. I wish the SE's had 225 or 235 rubber optional. That'd be a lot better but it'd cut down on fuel economy also. More rolling friction and poorer aerodynamics also. It'd probably go from 22/31 mpg to 21/30 or something.

[shred]

Originally Posted by corolla_xe

with a car like this I dont see why people would need to buy a more expensive car. It looks the like a luxury car when parked in front of the villa and looks like the part of a legit sports sedan in the SE tri.

Personally I like the silver XLE better than the red SE but I wish Toyota decided on putting a darker shade of faux wood in the interior coz it looks tacky in that yellowish state.

I agree. I can pretty much buy any car I want, up to $90 grand.
But I just don't think there is a need to piss that much money away on a car.
Especially when you can get a great car like a Camry for less than 30 grand.
Besides I hate leather seats, so for me the Camry is the nicest car I can get in cloth. I can't even get an XLS because the 6 will have only leather. That kind of pisses me off but Oh well.
So I'll have to live with a LE with the 6 with as many options as I can get.
I also would love a darker wood on the interior. I hate that light wood on the Lexus ES, and the Avalon, it does look cheap.