GAC Toyota releases new Camry model today

Shanghai, February 18 (Gasgoo.com) GAC Toyota (Guangzhou Toyota) will launch its revamped Camry model this afternoon. The new Toyota Camry sedan locally made in China can be ordered now in the joint venture's dealerships and buyers can pick up the car this week, xinhuanet.com today. The slightly altered Camry still offers only the 2.0L and 2.4L versions.

Sources said that the new Camry sedan model is revamped of its predecessor but has borrowed some features of the 2010 Toyota Camry in the North American market. There is little change in the China-made new Camry, except that the exterior, especially the front face, is modified according to the 2010 Camry that was displayed at the 2009 Detroit auto show last month.

GAC Toyota's new Camry model still comes with the 2.0L and 2.4L versions as before, without the expected 2.5L 4-cylinder model like the 2010 Toyota Camry in the U.S. market. However, Camry dealers in Beijing said that the 2.5L Camry model would be more competitive if it is launched in the China market this year.

With the new Camry coming to its showrooms, GAC Toyota will stop producing the old Camry sedan, which is now on special offer in some stores, with a discount of about 10,000 yuan ($1,470). The new Camry will be priced like the current one, whose 2.0L version at 168,800-237,800 yuan, and the 2.4L version at 185,800-269,800 yuan.

GAC Toyota, a joint venture between Guangzhou Auto and Toyota Motor, launched the locally made Camry to the Chinese market in June 2006. More than 147,000 Camry sedans made by the venture were registered for licenses in 2008. The China-made Camry topped the country’s sedan registration rankings in again after 2007.