Toyota's big-six Avalon replacement draws near

[Cosmo]

From carsales.com

http://editorial.carsales.com.au/mellor/me...A2570A600077384

"Toyota’s all-new - and, this time, fair-dinkum - large car will appear in February

By MARTON PETTENDY 26 October 2005

TOYOTA Australia’s first fully-fledged big-six contender for Holden’s all-conquering Commodore is just over three months from making its first official public appearance.

Codenamed 323L and to be powered exclusively by a new 3.5-litre V6, the vital new Avalon replacement will be unveiled at the 2006 Melbourne International Motor Show on February 9, when its new name will also be announced.

Just a month earlier in January, the Detroit motor show will host the world premiere of Toyota’s next-generation Camry , which will be built in seven plants globally – including Altona in Victoria.

The all-new 042L-codenamed Camry will beat Holden’s redesigned VE Commodore sedan to market when it goes on sale in July, however, the Avalon successor will not be released until November 2006 – nine months after its Melbourne debut.

As revealed by GoAuto 12 months ago, Toyota Australia will offer the 2006 Camry with four-cylinder power only, while Avalon’s successor will employ V6 urge exclusively.

As such, ours will be the only market in the world not to offer a Camry V6, while a low-spec, fleet-oriented version of the Avalon successor will be unique to Australia and is expected to attract up to 70 per cent of Avalon replacement sales. Fifty per cent of new Camry sales are forecast to go to fleets.

Conceived five years ago, Toyota’s next-generation Camry/Avalon strategy aims to position the Avalon successor directly against large sedan rivals like the VE Commodore, BF Falcon and 380 sedan, and away from Toyota’s own mid-sized Camry.

According to Toyota Australia executive chairman John Conomos, "nenkei" – a Toyota Motor Corporation term for setting production numbers – for Camry/Avalon has been set at 114,000 vehicles, rising to 130,000 and then 150,000.

That represents a substantial increase on previous Camry/Avalon production levels, and will again account for a significant number of exports to Middle East markets, which currently comprise the lion’s share of Toyota’s annual export total of more than 65,000 cars, around 10 per cent of which is Camry V6.

However, Mr Conomos indicated the declining large-car market may have implications for Toyota’s Avalon successor, annual production of which should rise to around 30,000 from Avalon’s original June 2000 launch forecast of 24,000 annual sales – despite the fact it failed to achieve half that sales volume.

"Oil prices have thrown us a curve ball – (but) only the (V6 versus four-cylinder) mix has changed and Camry will make inroads into its rear-drive, low-tech rivals," said Mr Conomos.

"The current Avalon wasn’t differentiated enough to attract Commodore and Falcon buyers.

"You cannot convince buyers to buy what they do not want.

"It (the Avalon replacement) won’t be perfect but there will be sufficient upper body and internal changes to increase its appeal to six-cylinder buyers.

"The question is how many V6 buyers will be around then," he said.

"The fuel shock will push fleets away from six-cylinder exclusively, but keep in mind we have a large country and a desire to pull boats and the Commodore-type car is still the best value anywhere in the world."

The current 380N Camry-based Avalon ceased production on June 28 and will be replaced by a rebodied, "Australianised" version of the global Camry, designed by young Toyota Australia designer Nick Hogios.

Bigger, better equipped and offering more technology than its forthcoming Camry stablemate, Australia’s 2007 Avalon replacement will also be differentiated from its US-market Avalon sibling, which appeared at this year’s Detroit show before going on sale in February.

Now in final production mode, the Avalon’s successor will take design cues (and employ hard points) from the US Avalon, with which it shares its platform.

Measuring 25mm wider than the previous Avalon and riding on a 100mm-longer wheelbase, America’s new Avalon is powered by a new Lexus-derived 24-valve DOHC 3.5-litre V6 mated to a five-speed semi-auto.

Claimed to be the most powerful V6 ever offered by Toyota in the US, the new engine employs VVT-i variable valve timing and a dual-stage intake manifold to produce 200kW/338Nm – making it 33 per cent more powerful than the 145kW 3.0-litre V6 that powers the outgoing Camry/Avalon.

The 2005 US Avalon also features an all-new interior with seven-way adjustable steering column, sliding armrest and a flat rear floor, and is available in four grades: XL, XLS, Touring and Limited.

America’s most basic Avalon offers ABS, EBD, BA, twin front, side and knee airbags, dual-zone climate control, power-adjustable front seats, a nine-speaker CD sound system, 16-inch alloys and Optitron instruments.

Upstream variants also offer stability control, side curtain airbags, leather trim, HID headlights, LED puddle lights and reclining rear seats.

Meantime, next year's new Camry (based on the same platform as its Avalon-replacing sibling), will be available in just three variants from launch, which will assume different nameplates to the current Altise, Ateva, Azura, Grande and Sportivo range.

What's coming from Toyota:

Yaris hatch - November 2005

RAV4 redesign - January 2006

Yaris sedan - February 2006

Tarago redesign - March 2006

Camry sedan redesign - July 2006

Avalon sedan redesign - November 2006

LandCruiser redesign - 2007

Corolla (incl. diesel) - 2007

Prius III hatch redesign - 2007 "

Personally, I can't wait to see what it'll be like. Hopefully not a dud like the current Avalon...

[Terry]

looks pretty good ;)

i cant believe we are the only country in the world not to get the Camry V6 in the Gen6 model ....that is just BS <_<

so the new Avalon better make up for that

[Cosmo]

It better :D But something tells me that it will have bit less power than the US version, since stuff here is usually detuned to abide with stricter emission laws.

[Buddha]

It better :D But something tells me that it will have bit less power than the US version, since stuff here is usually detuned to abide with stricter emission laws.

←

Stuff is detuned here because of our alleged poor quality fuel ... I would have thought California's emission laws were much stricter that ours! :P

All I know is that Toyota are going to have to pull something out of their hat with the Avalon this time, if they expect it to do better than last time.

They replaced the Camry wagon with the Corolla wagon, but as good as that car is (ask an owner!), the dealers were hurting with no V6 wagon in the yard and they never really recouped the lost sales. Let's hope they don't lose any more sales with their new model mix.

[perthcamry]

Put a Lexus V8 in, tune for some good fuel consumption, AWD and everone is happy :P

[Cosmo]

Ah, I thought the Camry wagon was to be replaced by the Kluger! :)

Anyway, here's another article about the new Avalon:

http://carsguide.news.com.au/news/story_pa...5E21822,00.html

Toyota's 'X' in family fight

Paul Gover

28oct05

Rising fuel prices will not stop Toyota Australia from mounting its toughest challenge yet to the Holden Commodore and Ford Falcon.

It has set opening day at the 2006 Melbourne Motor Show next February for the official unveiling of its all-new family six - at present known only as the X-car - ahead of sales in the second half of next year.

Toyota Australia executive chairman John Conomos broke the news at the Tokyo Motor Show this week, where the company showed futuristic concepts including the Fine-X hydrogen fuel cell, the Tarago people-mover and the LS Lexus flagship.

But no concepts pointed to the Australian replacement for the unloved and unlovely Avalon.

Toyota Australia is putting a lot of emphasis on the six-cylinder X-car and believes it is still the right choice to win customers to the brand and to earn extra overseas sales.

"We believe there is still a future for a six-cylinder vehicle of the right type," Conomos says.

"The Commodore is probably one of the best-value products in the world. Our six-cylinder car is an appropriate car for Australia and will gradually make inroads."

He revealed significant details of the Avalon replacement plan at the Tokyo show, where he also made the keynote address to a global gathering of Toyota importers and distributors.

"The car will make its world debut at the Melbourne Motor Show. We're locked in.

"We expect to do pretty well with the six-cylinder car, relative to the outgoing Avalon. About 65 to 70 per cent will go to fleets."

He says the name change and new body, designed by youngster Nick Hogious in a joint Australia-Japan project, will be keys to the car's future.

"We've learned that a Commodore buyer will not buy a Camry. Hence the name change," Conomos says.

"The original Avalon didn't have enough sex appeal to switch buyers from Commodore or the Falcon."

Conomos confirmed the X-car project is well advanced. Other executives hinted that the first pre-production cars are already being road-tested in Australia.

He says the new Camry will sell from July. The Avalon replacement will come about three months later, after the arrival of Holden's new VE Commodore.

Conomos confirmed that the car, which will be sold outside Australia without the local name and badge, will push into new markets beyond the Middle East.

[Buddha]

Ah, I thought the Camry wagon was to be replaced by the Kluger! :)

←

That is the official Toyota line, yes, but the dealers have found there's a considerable market for a 2wd V6 wagon, just as not every Falcon wagon buyer would necessarily want a Territory.

[Otaku]

Don't worry, it's good. :D

[Buddha]

Don't worry, it's good.  :D

←

Sounds like someone has some info they want to share ... :)

You must tell us all that you know! :D

Edited November 7, 2005 by Buddha

[Otaku]

Don't worry, it's good.  :D

←

Sounds like someone has some info they want to share ... :)

You must tell us all that you know! :D

←

Well, I've driven a prototype build with the V6 engine in it. The engine is very nice, it sounds much better than current model and is much more nimble.

I've also seen the body and it is actually a good looking car. I'm pretty convinced it's going to do well.

[lucio_libre]

The headlights look similar to the mitsubishi 380, but by the looks of it, this car will kill mitsubishi and the 380, it should do well, coule get close to commo and falcon.

[Cosmo]

Don't worry, it's good.  :D

←

Sounds like someone has some info they want to share ... :)

You must tell us all that you know! :D

←

Well, I've driven a prototype build with the V6 engine in it. The engine is very nice, it sounds much better than current model and is much more nimble.

I've also seen the body and it is actually a good looking car. I'm pretty convinced it's going to do well.

←

Any photos you'd like the share?

:D