Having already seen the 2018 Toyota Camry made for the North American market now we have a chance to take a look at the 2018 Toyota Camry made for Japan! What does that mean to Americans? Well, the model will be available here later this year.
The difference between the two version lies in minor visual trifles. Those include different headlight inlays, front bumper, the former now have clear indicator lenses contrary to amber tinted ones on the US models, as well as tail lights with slightly different lenses.
However, the focal point of this article is the revelation of two new special trims that are creating a lot of hype for the Camry range. They are called ‘the TRD’ and ‘the Modellista.’
These two beauties have a unique bodywork. Bold low splitter featuring integrated daytime running lights and five-spoke alloy wheels look awesome on the TRD while the Modellista looks even more elegant with multi-spoke alloys and a bit more subtle front bumper. One could hardly discern the degree of subtlety since there are so many lines.
The two-tone roof finish was not featured on any of Toyota’s JDM versions presented here, but that detail really attracted a lot of attention at the 2017 Detroit Motor Show where the Camry debuted. We speculate that the two-tone trim will be available in Australia because it is also implemented on the C-HR, however, taking that it is a small SUV, the Modellista and the TRD packs may not be sold here, unfortunately.
What we have also discerned from new photos was a new-gen Camry’s steering wheel on the correct side of the car. According to the image, Toyota moved away from the tablet-style infotainment system to implementing a flush-fit screen. We still don’t know much tech-wise, but we hope to see extended smartphone connectivity like Apple CarPlay or Android Auto.
As reported before, the Australian Camry will be available with three drivetrain options. The first one is a new 3.5-liter direct injection V6 with an eight-speed automatic, the second is a 2.5-liter four cylinder petrol engine, and the last one is a four-cylinder hybrid. This also marks the end of the V6 powered Aurion in Australia.
Contrary to the American market we will only have the opportunity to see the new 2.5-liter Dynamic Force four cylinder engine packed in hybrid versions, at least in the beginning. The production version Camry will run on the current 2.5-liter engine.
The upcoming Camry is expected to be lighter since it is built on the brand’s New Generation Architecture which means that it will also be more efficient and dynamic when compared to the previous model. Oh yes, and easier to get into and out of.
