Toyota to bring more TRD models to it's lineup.

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RocZX

RocZX

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Today Automotive News reports that following the success of their Toyota Racing Development edition trucks, Toyota is set to do TRD editions of their other passenger cars in a bid to attract younger, more performance-minded buyers.

Where will they start? With a TRD Camry, of course. Because nothing screams "performance" and "excitement" and "sex" like a souped-up Camry. Also, because NASCAR. From the story:
"I think we'd probably start with Camry and see if there is a little magic we could work with some of the TRD equity that we have," Bill Fay, general manager of Toyota Division, told Automotive News on the sidelines of the Detroit auto show last month. "Camrys are out there during season racing every Saturday and Sunday in NASCAR. So I think there's a logical fit there."
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You could see this TRD Camry in showrooms by the end of this year, but more likely in 2016.

As cynical as I am about a TRD Camry, I get where they're coming from. Toyota's TRD Pro trucks are incredibly popular, especially with younger buyers, and the average age of the "sporty" four-cylinder Camry SE buyer is just 45, significantly lower than the typical Camry LE buyer, who is somewhere between 57 and dead.

I've long felt like Toyota has never properly leveraged the TRD brand or even their NASCAR involvement on their street cars; it has the potential to be their AMG or even Honda's Type R, not that Honda goes in for those anymore.

It's also, you know, something. It's Toyota trying. President Akio Toyoda has made it his goal to add some spark to the brand, and while they have the Scion FR-S and several impressive performance-minded Lexuses
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I really don't think Toyota's involvement in NASCAR is enough to outweigh the Camry's "old man" image.

Then there's the question of what they would actually do to create a TRD Camry. Most likely it will use the same V6 engine and auto gearbox as the regular Camry LE, so the changes will probably be mostly cosmetic such as new wheels and maybe a body kit. Basically a flop in the making.
 
I hope they'll do more than just this:

toyota-gt86-trd-1.jpg
 
As cynical as I am about a TRD Camry, I get where they're coming from. Toyota's TRD Pro trucks are incredibly popular, especially with younger buyers, and the average age of the "sporty" four-cylinder Camry SE buyer is just 45, significantly lower than the typical Camry LE buyer, who is somewhere between 57 and dead.
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That's abit blunt :lol:
 
2015_Toyota_Camry_XSE_03_58574_2524_low.jpg


Well, they did the XSE. Now we'll have the XSE TRD, and its only a matter of time until theres a Toyota Camry XSE TRD Stage 3 with a supercharger and an automatic. Oh boy.

But... I like the idea that there are TRD models coming.

Adding a little more excitement to the cars is a worthwhile endeavor, but it really has to be more of an issue with why they aren't making the regular models handle well in the first place, and instead relying on a badge to give people what they want. You don't see Mazda racing to do a Mazdaspeed-lite version of the 3 and 6 because people aren't happy. Hell, you don't even see Honda racing to do an HFP Accord. But, while Nissan is busy slapping NISMO on anything that drives, it makes sense that Toyota wants to cash-in, too.

In some weird future, maybe we'll get to see an exciting and affordable Corolla again. Maybe this'll be it?
 
If they want to attract younger drivers to the mid-size market, I'd say they'd be better off selling a LHD Mark X instead of a lightly spiced Camry. Which, I suspect, will have little impact on both sales and their image. A Mark X might not sell great, but at least it might help lift their image out of the doldrums.
 
Wanna get younger buyers, Toyota? I have a suggestion:

Sell the "FR-S" as the Toyota GT86, like you should have in the first place. Pretty sure that'll get more young people then a slightly suped up Camry. Honestly if Toyota wants younger buyers, then what's the point of even keeping Scion going?
 
If you want to attract younger buyers, you cater to the market the most relevant to them: inexpensive compact cars. A TRD Corolla and a Yaris RS could both be massive hits if done right.
 
So my dream of a TRD Sienna will eventually become real? :lol:
But honestly, I hope It's more than just go fast looks and body kits. Maybe some actual,legit performance upgrades?
I wouldn't mind a 300 hp, AWD Camry.
 
R1600Turbo
And the mid '00's with the SS "Appearance package" on the Cobalts, the Malibu SS, etc, etc.
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Yes but it wasn't just an exhaust system with slight trim like a TRD, the SS Cobalt and the other variants were worlds apart, the SS Malibu was a good amount of different too.
 
BmwAnthony
If you want to attract younger buyers, you cater to the market the most relevant to them: inexpensive compact cars. A TRD Corolla and a Yaris RS could both be massive hits if done right.
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Thing is, Toyota is giving us the Auris this year for the Scion brand. I'm not sure how credible the performance of the Auris RS is, but, it certainly looks the part... And since they're planning on offering a wagon with a stick, well, they've got some people's attention. Thing is, when the "fun" Corolla doesn't even roll out of a dealer for less than $20k... There's a lot of room somewhere between that and a Yaris. Let's hope they get a little closer to that this time around.
 
Didnt the Yaris have a lot of accessories when it rolled out? I remember seeing a few being driven to dealerships in Yonkers with TRD everything on them. They had coilovers, exhausts, short shift kits, wheels, body kits. TRD back in WRC, may mean good news for road cars.
 
The only non-truck vehicles made by Toyota that have TRD parts that I know of over here in the states are Scion cars.
 
Say what y'all will, I'm glad TRD are expanding. It's kinda annoying that they only work on trucks now. I'd be down for the new Corolla to have a TRD trim, and even the new Camry and Yaris, they're pretty cool :)

And don't even get me started on how hard it is to find TRD parts for the older Corollas.....
 
CSMDuty11
OH NO! LOOK OUT!
A modified Camry is comming to the markets!
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Not really understanding what makes the Camry always the example of something negative with a car. It's improved well over the years, and I think it would be worth getting a TRD trim.
 
The problem is that Toyota wants to be "Sporty" and attract younger buyers and unfortunately for the longest time, The Camry has been the car that's given them the image of, what else, "Old"
 
RACECAR
The problem is that Toyota wants to be "Sporty" and attract younger buyers and unfortunately for the longest time, The Camry has been the car that's given them the image of, what else, "Old"
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Then it makes all the more sense that the Camry should be the first car Toyota would want to take a crack at sprinkling some TRD magic on 'em.

Look at what Honda did with the Civic a while back in Europe, that crazy coupe James drove on Top gear. That was pretty radical compared to the Japanese and American versions of the Civic. If any car in Toyota's lineup should be made as old-person unfriendly as possible it should be the Camry.
 
Thing is, is that really going to make that big a difference to the perception of young buyers? I'm not so sure it will.
 
"Driven a Camry lately?"

That's the tagline I'd use... or some variation of it.

Kids nowadays aren't interested in Camries, but that doesn't matter. Offering a "hot" Camry TRD achieves several objectives:

1. It gives them an extra variant/model to beef up the line-up.
2. It leaves the plain vanilla Camry alone. Let's face it, 90% of Camry buyers (and car buyers in general) don't want a loud, rough-riding, jumpy daily driver.
3. It gives them a very visible, very sporty, more "youthful" Camry. Just because people are old, doesn't mean they want to look old.
4. If it's successful, and more than just a badge job and some side-skirts, it builds an image in the minds of younger motorists. It builds up the aspirational value of the Camry brand.

People who buy Camries now buy it mostly on the name... a name built up by the incredibly solid engineering of mid-90's Camries, which helped cement Toyota's reputation as an engineering concern. But the current Camry is a safe, staid car. It's still reliable, but so are a lot of other things. And, worse, it's falling behind on the technology curve.

Trying to engage the customer more is important in selling the Camry to people who will be fifty years old in ten to twenty years. And making a higher-end Camry that they will hopefully remember by then is part of that.

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Personally, the V6 makes enough power. I'd add maybe a slight remap, exhaust, and some mildly wilder cams for better high rpm punch. I'd rather they focus on constraining body roll (forget about making it stiff as a board) and fettling the steering to give it some approximation of feel. They could probably cheat and get away with beefier links and less electric assist and isolation... most people can't tell the difference between heavy steering and good steering, anyway... :lol:

The TRD 2.5, that they can give a supercharger. Give it about 250 hp, to leave people a reason to go up to the 3.5.
 

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