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Toyota Camry sedan recast for new generation with more power
Bob Plunkett
Date Posted: 5/10/2005
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Tampering with the design for a car that has become one of this country's top sellers, with more than two million units issued since its inception in 1983, should not be undertaken without considerable deliberation.
Complicating Toyota's decision to create a new fourth generational expression for Camry -- the mid-size sedan which accounts for 20 percent of all Toyota badges in North America -- is the fact that Camry's third design of 1992 established a new benchmark for curvy aerodynamic styling and performance that still seems progressive and modern.
The new design, conformed strictly in sedan format for introductory models and cast with 1997 badging, looks vaguely different from its predecessor.
Camry appears more rakish now with a sharply canted windshield which sets the tone for an exterior package that's even more streamlined and smooth.
It also seems bigger, as measurements confirm.
The wheelbase expands by more than two inches, with overall width increasing by almost half an inch and cabin height rising by fractions.
This stretched structure translates to more interior room for riders, particularly in the rear seat where space for heads and legs enlarges by a half-inch each.
Camry's larger stance reflects Toyota's general goal to Americanize its mainstay model, as witnessed in evolutionary process that began in earnest in 1988 with the inception of a Kentucky assembly plant.
Although Camry has been generally classified as "Japanese" due to parentage by Toyota, the vast majority of all revamped sedans will flow from the Kentucky facility.
This plant has also produced many past Camrys marked for export, including right-hand-drive versions which end up in Japan for sale to Japanese drivers.
How "American" is the new Camry? Well, Toyota's United States design team conceived and developed the package specifically for our domestic market.
Underpinnings -- chassis, suspension, drivetrain -- were engineered in Japan, with the rest -- exterior styling, interior fittings, production processes and materials -- worked out by Toyota's domestic designers.
This American slant shows up in subtle ways inside Camry, such as dimensions for passenger head and leg space.
Adults in the United States generally have longer legs and taller torsos than the typical Japanese rider, so we need more interior inches devoted to legroom and more space overhead to keep from bumping the headliner.
Camry's front bucket seats serve as case in point. The new design features seat bottoms which extend forward to better cradle longer thighs of American bodies.
Further, each seat's vertical adjustment range was doubled in height, meaning it can accommodate a taller array of torsos and make each feel more comfortable.
Many other aspects of Camry's new cabin design reflect the design goal to make appointments more friendly in use.
Analog gauges of the instrument panel with easy-read white-on-black design appear bigger and brighter.
Controls for audio and interior climate system have been reset in the console cluster for logical arrangement, with those frequently used placed in more accessible spots.
Cupholders -- a unique compassion for Americans -- show up in plentiful and convenient positions.
Thoughtful touches scattered throughout Camry's cabin include multiple new storage spaces and more practical appointments, such as the new overhead console, secondary power outlet and visor extension panels.
Perhaps the best new asset is Camry's quietness. The quality of this quietness is more akin to deluxe luxury cars like a Lexus, Toyota's upscale spin-off.
Increased insulating materials in Camry block external noises -- even from the engine. With gear in neutral position and accelerator revving engine to redline, you may detect only the slightest hint of noise or vibration.
This factor of quietness imparts a discriminating flavor through Camry's interior -- you feel dressed up and fancy, like you're riding in one of those mega-bucks models.
It stems from Toyota's extensive refinements of Camry's body and powertrain, like high-tech balance shafts in the engine which delete high-rpm vibrations, or special sound-damping materials embedded throughout the rigid structure.
In a series of Texas tests involving the three trim levels and both 4-cylinder and V6 powerplants, Camry's 1997 editions also felt more stable and controllable on the road.
Independent suspension elements at all corners and a power-assisted rack and pinion steering system smooth out the road bumps but quicken Camry's responses.
A new computer-controlled Bosch anti-lock brake system shows up as standard hardware on all models now, save the price-conscious entry edition.
In addition, a traction control system, working in concert with anti-lock brakes and fuel delivery system, prevents wheel slippage on wet or icy pavement. The device becomes a new option for Camry's top models with V6 engine.
Tackle a set of twisties like I did through the Texas Hill Country, and you'll find the kind of wheel action you'd expect from European touring cars. Take to freeways, like those navigated around Austin, and Camry won't let you down when time to boogie up a ramp or rip to another lane.
The base twin-cam 2.2-liter 4-cylinder engine works well with output pushed up to 133 hp, but that revised 3.0-liter V6 -- in quad-cam format now pegged to 194 hp -- puts a definitive kick in Camry's pedal.
Pick a trim to clarify Camry's personality. Both engines and manual or automatic transmission are available at each stage, labeled CE, LE and XLE.
In base CE trim Camry skews toward the economical, first for purchase price, later with operating expenses.
Mid-level LE tilts toward luxury with upgraded appointments and power-operated equipment.
Ultimate XLE, primed for performance and outfitted with fancy fixtures, mimics expensive luxury imports in content and action but for far more affordable prices.
1997 TOYOTA CAMRY
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| Vehicle Specifications: |
| 1997 TOYOTA CAMRY Specs |
| Description: |
Mid-size sedan |
| Model Options: |
Mid-size sedan |
| Wheelbase: |
105.2 inches |
| Overall Length: |
188.5 inches
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| Engine Size: |
DOHC 2.2-L I4
QOHC 3.0-L V6
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| Transmission: |
Manual/5, Auto/4 |
| Drive: |
Front |
| Braking: |
I4: Power disc/drum/ABS
V6: Power 4-disc/ABS |
| Airbags: |
2 |
| Gas Mileage: |
I4 M/5: 23/31 mpg
V6 A/4: 19/26 mpg |
| Price: |
$ 17,000 to $ 26,000 |
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