Folks, its now official. As we suggested would be the case earlier today, Toyota Australia has announced that it will begin manufacturing a hybrid Camry sedan at its Altona plant from the beginning of 2010.
Toyota Motor Corporation President Mr Katsuaki Watanabe reported the decision to introduce hybrid manufacturing to Australia to the Honourable Kevin Rudd, MP, Prime Minister of Australia at a meeting in Nagoya, Japan earlier today.
Toyota Australia plans to produce 10,000 hybrid Camry vehicles each year for the domestic market, with earlier reports suggesting that there would be an initial trial of 10,000 units. This will add to the existing four-cylinder Camry and six-cylinder Aurion vehicles produced at the Altona plant located in Melbourne’s west.
Toyota Australia President and CEO Mr Max Yasuda said he was delighted to have secured production of Australia’s first local hybrid, believing that customers would welcome the introduction of an Australian hybrid Camry.
“We acknowledge that the Federal and Victorian governments have a strong desire to see new, environmentally friendly technologies introduced to Australia. Both governments continue to provide strong support to the Australian automotive industry and can share in this historic announcement which is positive for Toyota, local car manufacturing and the Australian community,” Mr Yasuda said.
Toyota’s decision is the culmination of an intensive study conducted during the past year which included discussions with the Federal and Victorian governments.
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Governments obviously need some one on board that knows about cars………cause every one knows thats really involved with cars and has a car knowledge of 5 on the car knowledge scale that hybrids are false environmentally friendly…..Toyota are coning the lot of you…
Quick someone ring the opposition and tell them that the current government have no idea what their doing and they have an opportunity to embarrass Kevin 07 ,but I already knew that!
Buy a diesel……….even a diesel 5 series was shown to have less emissions that a Prius and better on fuel……environmental fools!
Exactly The Milky bar Kid has lost the Plot. In his speech [which I believe was delivered in Fluent Minka] the Ruddy idiot said that he is proud of Toyotas plans to buidl a Hybrid in Oz.. Then went on to say that he;d like the other Ozi manufacturers to start building a locally built Hybrid or more environmentally friendly car.
He obviosly forgot that within the next couple of yearsHlden are Planning to release a Diesel; a 4 cylinder turbo; a Twin Turbo V6; a V8 with Displacement on Demand as well as a Hybrid Commodore and Ford are also Planning a Diesel Falcon
He was solely focussed on Toyota - mmmm sounds like someone we know
Bloody Hell Bavarian M. I never thought I’d hear you say “Buy a diesel”. I nearly fell off me seat. Of course your right, BMW 535D would suit me just dandy.
Bet Dingo Dog having a field day over this!!
Tis warm here today in the northern hemisphere. Love it.
The only hybrid I will ever own is a crossbred K9
A step in the right direction maybe in some ways. But it is annoying when hybrids are exalted as the here-and-now perfect solution when the complex processes required to produce the batteries make them no less harmful to the environment than a normal Low Emissions Vehicle.
Seems to me this is more of a medium-long term alternative solution but right now the methods of production are far from perfected.
I’ll have my R35 GT-R thanks! It’s also classed as an LEV!!!
Its good news. But…….Just how much will it cost & just how much fuel will it use? We already know it’ll be way north of 4.4litres seeing the PriArse has trouble achieving 5.5litres.
The disapointing thing is it seems our Prime Minister has blinkers on. Aparently hybrid is the only way to save fuel.
I’m thinking on a fuel efficiency level Diesel Territory with stop/start technology would give it a run for its money. Will K-rudd give Ford a &70 million gift?
hahaha…..yep Cupid,you’ve converted me.
Annoys the hell out of me this morning how the Today show are using a VE Commodore a family car priced at 36k compared to the Prius at 46k then they compared the fuel cost!! What the hell?? Of course its going to be more its a bigger car to start of with ,they need to price it against a similar priced car thats the same size….Diesel Golf..I know what will win then! Not the Prius. Did think it funny that Toyota were found out they already were making a hybrid Camry not by federal or state governments I imagine though cause their clueless. Nice little gift to Toyota cause we all know there doing it hard.10,000 cars heading off the production line in 2010…….hope they do better with that than the TRD hahaha
Godspeed………Im still with you at the moment I love my performance but it is starting to sting when it costs $93 to fill my car……..not slowing me down though ,doesn’t seem to matter how I drive it,BMW tune their cars so well unless your on the open road thrashing it or driving like a slug round town makes no difference. What do you get out of the GT-R Godspeed per 100 ks ? Still doing better than the V8 boys in fuel economy .
“Honourable”, when it comes to describing Kevin Rudd, is more a required title than a volunteered compliment.
Why are we paying off the world’s most profitable carmarker to do something they were going to do anyway? Toyota Australia said they were going to build the hybrid plant in Australia, and the $70 million the Federal and State governments are chipping in were just icing on the cake.
Save fuel. Build a hybrid diesel.
But THIS is a bit rich - Toyota asking the Fed govt for special privileges for Hybrid drivers, such as special fast lanes and free parking ..!!!
http://www.drive.com.au/Editorial/ArticleDetail.aspx?ArticleID=53465
Now come on!! This is exactly what I meant when I said that some people consider it the perfect solution, without any equivalents.
BM $93 eh? It would cost me about the same to fill the tank, I guess cos I have another car as a runaround, and I don’t run the GTR down (usually only put about 30L in to fill her up), I don’t notice it as much - trying not to think about it! Just came back from the south coast and it was using about 11L/100, country driving, some traffic, some full throttle was used, a lot of A/C. Best I got was from Blue Mountains to Mudgee and was avging about 10L/100. A fraction better than a V8 maybe, not sure… I do know our Bimmers have been pretty frugal. I sued to get 8.0L/100 in the 328Ci highway driving. Even when giving it a spank in the city it wouldn’t drink more than about 11.
Kevin Rudd could do more for the environment if he kept his mouth shut
It’s best to remain quiet and let the world think you’re a fool - than to open your mouth and remove all doubt!