Photo: Toyota
After the Ford Motor Company packed its bags and left Australia to depend on imported vehicles, General Motors will do the same on October 20, 2017. But before Holden gives up the ghost, Toyota’s Altona production facility in the Land Down Under will come to an ominous and grinding halt at the beginning of October.
Known as the XV50, the former-generation Camry is the best-selling mid-size car in Australia. In fact, the record run hasn’t been broken since 1994, which is a testament to how popular the Camry is outside of the United States. The imminent stop of local manufacturing puts an end to a story that started with the Tiara in 1963, but the business decision has been taken back in 2014.
Toyota Australia staff will drop from 4,000 to 1,300 people once Altona shuts down the assembly line, with the remaining workforce moving from blue-collar manufacturing to white-collar jobs. After October 3, the Australia-spec Camry will be imported from the Tsutsumi factory in Japan’s Aichi prefecture.
Marking the end of local Camry production, Toyota came up with the Commemorative Edition. Only 54 examples will be offered, each one representing a year of Australian manufacturing. Based on the Atara SL trim level, the Camry Commemorative Edition benefits from hybrid oomph.
With 151 kW (202 horsepower; 205 PS) of maximum power from the combination between 2.5-liter inline-four engine and electric motor, the special edition returns 5.2 liters per 100 kilometers. That’s 45.2 miles per gallon in U.S. currency, which is exceptionally frugal for a car of this size.
Priced at AUD 41,150, the Commemorative Edition is AUD 710 more expensive than the trim level on which it’s based. Needless to say, it comes with all the bells and whistles imaginable, including autonomous braking, JBL audio system, leather-accented seats, and premium sat-nav system.
"One of the 54 Commemorative Camrys will be kept by Toyota Australia and another sent for display at the Toyota Motor Company Museum in Japan, confirming our parent company's high regard for the employee commitment, local engineering input and quality achieved in 54 years of local manufacture,” commented Toyota Australia head honcho Dave Buttner.
Toyota Australia staff will drop from 4,000 to 1,300 people once Altona shuts down the assembly line, with the remaining workforce moving from blue-collar manufacturing to white-collar jobs. After October 3, the Australia-spec Camry will be imported from the Tsutsumi factory in Japan’s Aichi prefecture.
Marking the end of local Camry production, Toyota came up with the Commemorative Edition. Only 54 examples will be offered, each one representing a year of Australian manufacturing. Based on the Atara SL trim level, the Camry Commemorative Edition benefits from hybrid oomph.
With 151 kW (202 horsepower; 205 PS) of maximum power from the combination between 2.5-liter inline-four engine and electric motor, the special edition returns 5.2 liters per 100 kilometers. That’s 45.2 miles per gallon in U.S. currency, which is exceptionally frugal for a car of this size.
Priced at AUD 41,150, the Commemorative Edition is AUD 710 more expensive than the trim level on which it’s based. Needless to say, it comes with all the bells and whistles imaginable, including autonomous braking, JBL audio system, leather-accented seats, and premium sat-nav system.
"One of the 54 Commemorative Camrys will be kept by Toyota Australia and another sent for display at the Toyota Motor Company Museum in Japan, confirming our parent company's high regard for the employee commitment, local engineering input and quality achieved in 54 years of local manufacture,” commented Toyota Australia head honcho Dave Buttner.
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