Possibly the final major announcement of the year for the Japanese automaker, Toyota unleashed at the recently concluded 2023 Los Angeles Auto Show the first-ever Crown Signia crossover SUV and the latest iteration of the best-selling Camry mid-size sedan.
The former will replace the subtle yet popular 2024 Venza starting next year. That's quite a shame because the Venza is only sold as a hybrid and is also quite affordable at under $35k. As for the Camry, some treat it like an extended facelift of the XV70 generation, but Toyota says the XV80 is an all-new generation – one that is only offered as a hybrid and with 'just' four grades: LE, SE, XLE, and XSE.
There's no Nightshade (though we reckon it will make a comeback as soon as possible), no TRD version, and especially no V6 powertrain option. While the hybrid powertrain is quite potent indeed, offering up to 232 combined ponies on the AWD-equipped model, it's not exactly a muscle sedan either – especially since the current V6 model offers a little over 300 horsepower.
Of course, you can still choose the 2024 Camry with the V6 option for a little while because the 2025 Camry will only be coming out to dealerships in the spring of 2024 if everything goes according to plan. However, what if you want the goodies brought by the latest incarnation of the best-seller combined with a feistier powertrain than the hybrid system? So, what if Toyota gave its blessing to Gazoo Racing to include the popular Camry in the pantheon of GR models?
Well, that is not possible in the real world, at least for the time being. After Toyota launches the 2025 Camry sales, it needs to wait at least another model year before starting to fine-tune the model's lineup. And a halo vehicle like the GR Camry wouldn't arrive, for sure, until it's time for the mid-cycle facelift. However, the imaginative realm of digital car content creators doesn't have to wait so long.
Instead, they can always bring to life whatever they dream. For example, this virtual artist, known as Theottle on social media, has resorted to CGI slicing and dicing the new XV80 Toyota Camry to make it worthy of Gazoo Racing even before the regular version is ready for mass-market series production. So, in his latest behind-the-scenes making-of video, the pixel master takes the Camry and mixes it with the widebody allure of the GR Corolla hot hatchback, now adapted for a new lease of life as a four-door sedan.
Interestingly, the author's implementation shows the Camry can become sportier, with bulging wheel arches, a wider track, larger air intakes, as well as a nice black rear wing, and a big diffuser. Even the oddly designed three-piece exhaust system looks spot on – probably because it's wider-spaced now. As for the powertrain, should we also consider the little-yet-mighty 1.6-liter turbo inline-three?
Aurel has aimed high all his life (literally, at 16 he was flying gliders all by himself) so in 2006 he switched careers and got hired as a writer at his favorite magazine. Since then, his work has been published both by print and online outlets, most recently right here, on autoevolution. Full profile
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