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Toyota could add GR Camry to its range of hot GR models

Toyota could add GR Camry to its range of hot GR models


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Toyota is serious about expanding its range of high-performance GR-badged cars. After splicing racing genes into the Corolla's DNA, the Japanese company could inject a significant dose of excitement into the Camry in order to plant its stake in the sport sedan segment.

Bob Carter, the executive vice president of sales at Toyota, answered "stay tuned" when Motor Trend asked him if a sport sedan is in the pipeline. That's obviously not a confirmation, but it's also not a denial. And, while he didn't single out the Camry, there aren't a lot of sedans left in Toyota's American showrooms. There's the Corolla, but that segment of the market is already covered by the 300-horsepower GR Corolla hatchback. There's the Avalon, but it's on its way out after the 2022 model year. There's the Mirai, but that's seriously unlikely.

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We're left with the Camry, a perennially popular sedan that was once a byword for blandness. Toyota went to significant lengths to make the current generation more exciting than its predecessor, so the foundations have already been laid, and a GR-ified Camry would give buyers an alternative to the Kia K5 GT. It's too early to tell precisely what changes the Japanese firm would make to the Camry. We'd expect a muscular-looking body kit, racing-inspired parts in the cabin, and an assortment of mechanical modifications. It'll be interesting to see how much power gets dialed in, because the 3.5-liter V6-powered Camry already outguns the K5 GT with a 301-horsepower rating.

All-wheel-drive could be part of the package as well, as it's offered in the standard Camry, but we wouldn't expect to see a six-speed stick. It stands to reason that beefier brakes and a firmer suspension system will round out the GR updates, though this is all pure speculation.

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