Toyota Camry (XV40)


The Toyota Camry is a mid-size car produced by Toyota from January 2006 to October 2011. Replacing the XV30 series, the XV40 represented the sixth generation of the Toyota Camry in all markets outside Japan, which followed a different generational lineage. Between 2006 and 2010, a badge engineered model called Daihatsu Altis sold alongside the Camry in Japan. Toyota replaced the XV40 series in 2011 with the XV50.
Introduced at the January 2006 North American International Auto Show, the XV40 made its North American sales debut in March 2006 as a 2007 model. For the first time, a gasoline/electric hybrid version of Camry was offered in addition to the naturally aspirated four- and six-cylinder engines.
Like the previous XV30 model, the XV40 was offered in two distinct forms. The Camry sold in Australasia and North America was the same as the version available in Japan; the version sold in China and the majority of Southeast Asia was based on the Australian-designed XV40 Aurion. The Aurion was essentially the same as the regular Camry, albeit, with revised front- and rear-end styling, and minor alterations to the interior.

Design

Like the previous XV30, the design of the XV40 series Toyota Camry was split into two separate configurations: "regular" and "prestige". The "regular Camry" is sold in Australasia, Hong Kong, India, Japan, the Middle East, North America and Russia. However, the "prestige Camry" is an Australian-designed model sold alongside the "regular Camry" in Australasia and the Middle East as the Aurion. China and most Southeast Asian countries also receive the Aurion, although it is badged "Toyota Camry" as the regular car is not offered in those markets.

Regular Camry

Making its debut at the January 2006 North American International Auto Show, the XV40 Camry takes a sleeker shape compared to its predecessor. The design is based on Toyota's "vibrant clarity" corporate design language, with a three-bar grille and stepped hood and trunk. The chief engineer for the XV40 was Kenichiro Fuse. Development began in early 2002 under the chief engineer Kenichiro Fuse. A final design was set in September 2003 and frozen in August 2004, 17 months ahead of production. Design patents were filed on 27 December 2005 at the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
The XV40 was redesigned to incorporate a longer wheelbase, wider wheel tracks and a stiffer body. Although overall length is equal to its predecessor, Toyota maximized interior volume—especially fore-and-aft space. This was achieved by moving the base of the windshield and rear glass outwards and by the redesigning of the front seats. At, cargo space has been reduced by over the previous model. The SE/Sportivo provides due to the placement of bracing behind the rear seat, with the hybrid version falling to due to the placement of the battery pack. The XV40's underbody is stepped, creating a venturi effect and hence a low-pressure area under the front end to increase downforce. Other aerodynamic design features include a stepped engine undercover and rear wheel fairings to channel airflow around the tires. The coefficient of drag figure remains at 0.28, falling to 0.27 for the hybrid version.
The sports-oriented model, known as the "SE" in North America and "Sportivo" in Australasia, was developed by Toyota Australia. It features a black "honeycomb" grille, black-tinted head and fog lamps, rear lip spoiler, body kit appendages, and a lower ride height coupled with wider and larger 17-inch diameter wheels. To increase rear-end downforce, the SE/Sportivo includes additional rear floor and fuel tank undercovers. Handling-specific upgrades see the use of firmer shock absorbers, a rise in spring rate, thicker anti-roll bars, additional floor and body side bracing, and a "V"-brace behind the rear seat. Interior changes include charcoal-colored sports fabric and a leather-wrapped three-spoke steering wheel. In addition to the sports-oriented suspension setup, Toyota Australia's standard-grade suspension calibration has also been adopted by New Zealand, the Middle East and North America. The suspension geometry consists of independent MacPherson struts, L-arms, coil springs, gas dampers and a ball-jointed stabilizer bar at the front, with the rear setup comprising dual-link independent MacPherson struts with coil springs, gas dampers and ball-jointed stabilizer bar.
Toyota introduced a refreshed "regular" Camry XV40 design in January 2009 at the North American International Auto Show. Visual changes include an updated front fascia, including grille and bumper with larger air intakes, larger projector headlamps, redesigned tail lamp lenses incorporating LEDs on all models and revised wheel trims among other design changes. The interior received revised trim, improved power window switches and a revamped audio system. The audio system now supports satellite radio and added USB connectivity, with the dashboard-mounted screen now integrating a backup camera for models fitted with satellite navigation.

Prestige Camry (Aurion)

The Camry sold in the majority of Southeast Asia, China and Taiwan is referred to as the "prestige Camry" by Toyota officials in Japan. The [|prestige Camry] is a rebadged XV40 Aurion, a regional product designed in Australia and based on the regular Camry. Although front and rear fascias are unique to the Aurion, the body sides including doors and rear quarters, the greenhouse and roof are interchangeable with the regular Camry. This component sharing also means that Aurion has the same wheelbase, axle tracks and interior dimensions. From the inside, the Aurion also shares a common interior design with the Camry, including an almost identical lower dashboard, but gaining a redesigned upper dash portion and revamped center console. In the Middle East, the Aurion shares its dashboard with the regular Camry.
Like the Camry, the Aurion was designed with Toyota's "vibrant clarity" design language. However, the Aurion also integrates a "vibrant clarity" theory known as "perfect imbalance" that involves body features that act as a counterpoint to other body features. Examples of this include intersecting concave and convex surfaces and vertical sculpted features on the front fascia, which are balanced by the horizontal headlamps. The front-end's "double concave architecture" can also be characterized by its protruding hood crease line and deep grille. The same architecture is applied at the rear, with a deep bumper, a clamshell-shaped trunk lid that envelops over the flanks, dual exhaust pipes and tail lamps.

Hybrid

The XV40 was the first Camry series available with a gasoline/electric hybrid drivetrain. Known as the "Toyota Camry Hybrid", the gasoline–electric model premiered in January 2006, alongside the non-hybrid car. Camry Hybrids were initially built solely at the Tsutsumi plant in Toyota, Aichi, Japan, although the hybrid has never been available for purchase in its home market. Since October 2006, models for the North American market shifted production to Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky in the United States. Toyota Australia began local manufacture of the hybrid on 11 December 2009 at its Altona, Victoria plant. In Australasia, the car is known as the "Toyota Hybrid Camry", as opposed to "Camry Hybrid". Since May 2009, the hybrid model has also been produced at Toyota Motor Thailand's Gateway plant in Chachoengsao. Unlike the Camry Hybrid models produced elsewhere, the Thai models are based on the "prestige Camry" design. As of August 2009, worldwide sales of the Camry Hybrid represent 8.3 percent of Toyota's total hybrid sales, ranking second after the Toyota Prius, with more than 167,000 Camry Hybrids sold. As of December 2009, cumulative sales of the Camry Hybrid had reached 154,977 units in the US, placing it as the third best selling electric hybrid car in that market.
Compared to the gasoline-only variants, several features are unique to the hybrid. In addition to the hybrid powertrain, the Camry Hybrid employs electric power steering, brakes, and air conditioning that are fully operational once the internal combustion engine is deactivated. The car can run in an all-electric mode, gasoline-only or both. A real-time dashboard screen shows power distribution and the operation of the hybrid system and the tachometer is replaced by an analog fuel economy readout. The hybrid drivetrain has also necessitated a redesigned front subframe, along with remodeled rear and center floor pressings. This was required to accommodate the battery pack, which is stowed in the trunk. Other differences include wheel spats and underbody pans which reduce aerodynamic drag from 0.28 to 0.27 cd, an "Eco" operating mode for the HVAC system that reduces the output of air conditioning to assist fuel economy, and Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management. Cosmetic changes are limited to redesigned tail lights with LEDs, a chrome-lined grille, as opposed to the color-coded version on every other Camry trim, and hybrid-oriented emblems including "Hybrid" badging on the front fenders and a decklid-mounted "Hybrid Synergy Drive" logo.
For the facelifted version that debuted at the January 2009 North American International Auto Show, Toyota worked to better differentiate the styling of the hybrid away from the rest of the Camry range. This was achieved by fitting a distinct front fascia with a large, central air dam, vertically slotted fog lamps, and a single-blade grille. From the rear, the tail lamps abstain from the primarily red lens inserts fitted previously, to predominantly clear lenses, while the interior receives a newly designed fuel economy gauge. The design registrations for the facelifted Camry Hybrid, noting changes made to the original were filed on 19 December 2008 at the US Patent and Trademark Office.

Powertrain

Powertrain options for the Camry XV40 comprised both four- and six-cylinder engines with manual and automatic transmissions. The entry-level engine was a 2.4-liter 2AZ-FE four-cylinder in front-wheel drive configuration available with manual and automatic transmissions, both five-speed units. For the Japanese market only, an all-wheel drive variant of the 2.4-liter engine was available, although a four-speed automatic was the sole transmission fitted. All other XV40 series Camrys use front-wheel drive. XV40s produced in the United States from January 2009 saw the 2.4-liter 2AZ-FE powerplant replaced by the 2.5-liter 2AR-FE engine and with it bringing new six-speed manual and automatic transmissions. In some markets, the top-level powertrain combination was a 3.5-liter 2GR-FE V6 engine paired exclusively to a six-speed automatic.
Toyota also offered a hybrid electric version of the 2.4-liter engine, designated 2AZ-FXE that employs the Atkinson cycle to maximize fuel economy. The hybrid uses Toyota's Hybrid Synergy Drive system and makes use of Toyota's electronic continuously variable transmission —a mechanism similar in function to a regular CVT. The gasoline engine produces and of torque, with the 650-volt electric motor providing and. Working in conjunction, both powerplants produce a total combined output of, however, due to the intricacy of quantifying a combined torque figure, Toyota has not provided one. The battery pack used by the hybrid version is a trunk-mounted nickel-metal hydride unit, weighing in at about. Approximately of hybrid hardware is fitted to the car in total. However, Toyota claims this is negated by the increased output courtesy of the electric motor that improves acceleration by an estimated 15 percent over the non-hybrid 2.4-liter, five-speed automatic variant. At the November 2008 LA Auto Show, Toyota unveiled a concept compressed natural gas -powered hybrid electric version.
ChassisModelDriveEnginePowerTorqueTransmission
XV40ACV40FWD2.4 L 2AZ-FE inline-four


5-speed E351 manual
5-speed U250E automatic
XV40ACV45AWD2.4 L 2AZ-FE inline-four


4-speed U241E automatic
XV40AHV40FWD2.4 L 2AZ-FXE inline-four
See texteCVT P311 automatic
XV40ASV40FWD2.5 L 2AR-FE inline-four 6-speed EB62 manual
6-speed U760E automatic
XV40ASV40FWD2.5 L 2AR-FE inline-four 6-speed EB62 manual
6-speed U760E automatic
XV40GSV40FWD3.5 L 2GR-FE V6 6-speed U660E automatic