Fresh off its debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show, the 2025 Toyota Camry is going racing. As part of that effort, the automaker has unveiled the new Camry XSE for the NASCAR Cup Series. Set to enter competition next year, the race car closely resembles the road-going model as Toyota, TRD, and Calty Design worked to ensure the two vehicles shared a number of attributes. The similarities are most noticeable up front as the racer embraces “distinctive hammerhead styling,” C-shaped headlights, and a familiar grille. While most of the ‘styling’ is simply stickers, Toyota said the “hood features new character lines and … duct exits.”
Out back, there are revised quarter panels
with “chamfered bumper corners that blend into the rear bumper.” They’re joined
by thinner taillights and a massive diffuser. Toyota Motor North America’s
group manager of motorsports, Paul Doleshal, said “The 2024 Camry XSE race car
will properly highlight Toyota’s attention to detail as has been showcased in
the new street version [of the] Toyota Camry. We are excited to bring this car
to the race track and continue to achieve success with it for years to come.”
The Camry XSE has big shoes to fill as the
outgoing Camry TRD Next Gen racer claimed 18 victories and 25 poles during its
last two seasons. However, it will see plenty of action as eight Camry XSEs
will compete on the track every weekend, starting with the Clash at the
Coliseum in February.
While Toyota didn’t say much about the
race car, the road-going model will arrive next spring and be offered
exclusively with a hybridized 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine. It produces 225
hp, while the all-wheel drive variant is rated at 232 hp.
