Rhd Camry Hybrid

[Grumpy Cabbie]

Just seen that Australia are getting a RHD Toyota Camry Hybrid next year.

Now that would be great - esp for me in my job. Any chance they will release the car over here? I'm sure it would sell like hot cakes, even with a 2.4 litre engine They would probably sell more hybrid versions than they did of the petrol only one they previously sold before dropping it a couple of years ago.

Anyone know?

[Fujisan]

When will it arrive in the UK?

My guess.....never!

Toyota will leave the large car market to Lexus.

[Grumpy Cabbie]

Ah, so it the Toyota Camry actually branded a Lexus over here?

[timberwolf]

i would guess not as the Lexus is the luxury brand.

We have the Avensis in the UK, that seems roughly the closest match if you accept that it somewhere between 3 to 5 inches shorter?

[Sagitar]

Ah, so it the Toyota Camry actually branded a Lexus over here?

I last bought a Camry some six years ago - the 3 litre V6 version. I kept it for three years, but when I tried to buy another, was told that they were not importing them any more because there was insufficient demand for a car wtih that engine size.

At that point I changed to a Lexus IS250, but would have much preferred another (front wheel drive) Camry which IMO was much better value for money than the Lexus.

[Fujisan]

Ah, so it the Toyota Camry actually branded a Lexus over here?

Not exactly, but they have left that corner of the luxury big car market to Lexus.

Sadly (in the UK, maybe Europe ) the Camry has gone the way of the Granada and Omega. No demand for big cars with mainstream badges!

Audi, BMW and MB now rule that market, even Jaguar is only just getting a share now with the XF.

Pity, seen loads of Camry's in China and they are a handsome car...in the right colours.

[mfs1011]

The Australian Hybrid Camry is being built in Australia and is being heavily bought into by the Australian Government. The Victoria State Government is ordering 2000 for its fleet for instance.

Perhaps the real question is why doesn't Toyota build a hybrid Avensis here in the UK?

[mfs1011]

Ah, so it the Toyota Camry actually branded a Lexus over here?

Not exactly, but they have left that corner of the luxury big car market to Lexus.

Sadly (in the UK, maybe Europe ) the Camry has gone the way of the Granada and Omega. No demand for big cars with mainstream badges!

Audi, BMW and MB now rule that market, even Jaguar is only just getting a share now with the XF.

Pity, seen loads of Camry's in China and they are a handsome car...in the right colours.

The biggest Toyota in Australia is the Aurion

http://www.toyota.com.au/aurion

Love those V6s

[Grumpy Cabbie]

The Australian Hybrid Camry is being built in Australia and is being heavily bought into by the Australian Government. The Victoria State Government is ordering 2000 for its fleet for instance.

Perhaps the real question is why doesn't Toyota build a hybrid Avensis here in the UK?

Or if Toyota have spent all that money making a rhd hybrid why not maximise the markets and sell it here? Even if they only sell a couple thousand it is no loss to them.

[Fujisan]

Or if Toyota have spent all that money making a rhd hybrid why not maximise the markets and sell it here? Even if they only sell a couple thousand it is no loss to them.

It'll be the cost of European type approval, shipping, marketing etc., that makes it uneconomic.

[Grumpy Cabbie]

Or if Toyota have spent all that money making a rhd hybrid why not maximise the markets and sell it here? Even if they only sell a couple thousand it is no loss to them.

It'll be the cost of European type approval, shipping, marketing etc., that makes it uneconomic.

But they would sell many. Anyway other manufacturers find it economic to sell other low volume cars. Maybe Toyota just want to charge top dollar under the lexus branding here for a larger hybrid?

[mfs1011]

Or if Toyota have spent all that money making a rhd hybrid why not maximise the markets and sell it here? Even if they only sell a couple thousand it is no loss to them.

It'll be the cost of European type approval, shipping, marketing etc., that makes it uneconomic.

But they would sell many. Anyway other manufacturers find it economic to sell other low volume cars. Maybe Toyota just want to charge top dollar under the lexus branding here for a larger hybrid?

I think that the Aussies will get their Lexii hybrids as well. What you have in Australia is a relatively isolated and insulated car industry protected by high import tariffs for luxury brands and a local taste in what will sell and not sell.

I drove a Camry over 1000kms up the Queensland coast (then back) recently and it was a very nice car, albeit slightly underspecced with not even a fuel consumption computer or outside temp gauge. I could have had the larger Aurion for not much extra which had a V6 but chose the 4 cylinder Camry as it was more economical. The cost of fuel in Australia is less than half the UK, but it still adds up over long distances...

I'd go back to my point, Toyota should consider a hybrid Avensis. It would be bigger and more expensive than the Prius, yet cheaper than a Lexus. It would outflank Honda, the Germans and the French and be a boost to the local car industry. Perhaps Toyota GB should take a leaf from the book of Toyota AU?

[johalareewi]

I'd go back to my point, Toyota should consider a hybrid Avensis. It would be bigger and more expensive than the Prius, yet cheaper than a Lexus. It would outflank Honda, the Germans and the French and be a boost to the local car industry. Perhaps Toyota GB should take a leaf from the book of Toyota AU?

Aren't toyota working on a hybrid Auris? They seem to be going for smaller hybrids.

[mfs1011]

I'd go back to my point, Toyota should consider a hybrid Avensis. It would be bigger and more expensive than the Prius, yet cheaper than a Lexus. It would outflank Honda, the Germans and the French and be a boost to the local car industry. Perhaps Toyota GB should take a leaf from the book of Toyota AU?

Aren't toyota working on a hybrid Auris? They seem to be going for smaller hybrids.

You're right

[Grumpy Cabbie]

Not one to usually resurrect an old post, but was reading somewhere that the RHD Camry Hybrid built and sold in Australia isn't selling very well at all ( http://www.thegreencarwebsite.co.uk/blog/index.php/2010/09/14/is-it-time-to-give-up-on-hybrid-cars-the-green-piece/ )

Apparantly sales were expected at 10,000 per year but at the end of August only 4,000 had been sold.

Well, this is why I resurrected this thread - Toyota have obviously invested big money in a plant in Australia to produce the RHD Camry Hybrid and it isn't selling well because petrol is much cheaper over there. Why not sell some here? It would add an extra hybrid to the Toyota lineup for minimal costs and it would help our Aussie mates out too. I know there are costs applied to selling cars in the UK and Europe, but if they are sold in restricted numbers they can get round some of these costings in the same way Holden did with the Monaro.

I doubt it will take sales from either the Prius or the Auris as it is aiming for a different segment. Though saying that, I would be very tempted as the Camry looks like a proper car.

Parts King, you're a Toyota man. Any comments?

[wooski]

Toyota do sell a Rear wheel drive Hybrid in the UK, it's called the Lexus GS450h....

Toyota are to launch 6 new hybrids by the end of 2012. 2 are Lexus models (CT and IS I reckon). So that leaves 4 Toyotas. The Avensis will almost certainly go hybrid at some point, maybe with the same likely drivetrain as the ISh (i.e. with the 2.4 litre motor from the Lexus HS250h which is Japan and US only).