Holden Special Vehicles celebrated the end of local
Commodore production with the 635 hp HSV GTSR W1 while Ford introduced
the 496 hp Falcon XR8 Sprint shortly before the company stopped production
last October. Toyota's tribute to Australian manufacturing is notably tamer as
it's the Camry Hybrid Commemorative Edition.
Based on the Camry Atara SL, the limited edition
features a silver metallic exterior with a contrasting black roof and a red
accent beneath the grille. Other highlights include a "sports mesh"
interior, blue footwell illumination, and Camry-branded scuff plates. Rounding
out the changes are Commemorative Edition badging on the trunk and floor mats.
Besides the aforementioned features, the car comes
nicely equipped with leather seats, a JBL audio system, and a GPS navigation
system. Drivers will also find an assortment of safety features including
active cruise control, lane departure alert, and rear cross-traffic alert.
Like the standard model, the car has a 2.5-liter
four-cylinder engine that is backed up by an electric motor and a continuously
variable transmission. This setup gives the Camry a combined maximum output of
202 hp.
Pricing starts at AUD 41,150 and production will be
limited to 54 units as a tribute to the company's 54 years of producing
vehicles in Australia. One of the models will be kept by Toyota Australia while
the other will be displayed at the Toyota museum in Japan.
Toyota Australia will cease manufacturing later this
year following a decision to become a "national sales and distribution
company" back in 2014.
