Toyota Unveils New Camry
DEARBORN (WWJ) --With sales impacted by a big recall and a major earthquake, Toyota is beginning a product offensive aimed at winning back lost market share.
It started with the unveiling of the all-new 2012 Camry at events in Dearborn, Hollywood, New York and Kentucky.
"I personally tested the new Camry until I was satisfied that it outperformed its competitors," said Toyota President Akio Toyoda, who drove the ceremonial first Camry off the line at the company's Georgetown, Kentucky Plant.
The Camry is the first of ten new or updated products that Toyota is bringing to the marketplace in the coming year.
"This is an opportunity to show the world again what Toyota is all about," said Toyoda.
The new Camry will officially launch October 3rd, with a major ad campaign beginning that same month.
"We anticipate the ramp-up's going to come very quickly," said James Colon, Toyota's vice president of product communications. "We've got less than a thirty day supply of the current model Camry in dealer stock right now."
Toyota says it's lowered prices on most trims of the Camry, and improved fuel economy. It's also upgraded exterior and interior styling, and added Toyota's new EnTune communications system, which connects the vehicle with your cell phone.
Similar systems have been criticized as too confusing. But, Colon says they will do all they can to make their system user friendly.
"We think it's simple," he said. "We think it's easy to use. We're going to do a high degree of training our salespeople."
This is the 7th generation of the Toyota Camry, which has sold more than 15 million models worldwide since its debut in 1983.
