Not dead yet: Toyota visualises new sport sedan
New SEMA concept shows what's possible if you take the brakes off...
Sporty saloons, bejewelled with big wheels and wannabe spoilers, used to be the lifeblood of the mainstream car market, alongside hot hatches and compact execs. Famously, badge-conscious reps used to vie with each other for the implied status of their Vauxhall or Ford, brands that knew everything there was to know about primping (or pimping) a humble Insignia or Mondeo for all it was worth. They were good and happy times.
In some respects, the legacy has been passed to the likes of Audi and BMW, who continue to produce large, mid-sized lineups with often knife-edge differentiation between trim levels - though it isn’t quite as fun as bunging a devil-may-care splitter on something mundane. Toyota, the one manufacturer we can increasingly rely on to get it, gets it. Or it does in the States, at any rate: behold the Camry GT-S Concept bound for SEMA next month.
Okay, the big-selling Camry is dead as disco in Western Europe, but it shows what can still be done if you take an otherwise humdrum saloon and wave a styling wand over it. ‘Unlike the over-the-top builds that often headline SEMA, the GT-S stays rooted in reality,’ boasts Toyota - and you can’t get more rooted in reality than sticking with the standard 232hp 2.5-litre hybridised four-pot under the hood. They haven’t even bothered with overhauling the interior.
No, this is all about stick-on body addenda, custom ‘Inferno Flare’ paint, a chunkier exhaust and arch-filling 20-inch alloys. And the benefit of fitting adjustable coilovers, which drop the ride height by a whopping 1.5 inches. Toyota has even fitted massive 365mm discs and 8-piston calipers to complete the look. “This build is intentionally grounded,” says the marketing boss. “It’s the kind of car customers can picture themselves driving home. SEMA gives us the chance to test new ideas, listen to enthusiasts, and explore how we continue to evolve Camry in ways that excite and inspire.” If it ever gets around to doing the same with the Corolla, it might keep the other half of the planet happy, too.
t crazy V8…!!rally cars to off roaders and LFA replacements, they’re not spineless jellies like the rest of ‘em.
A lot of hybrids have a good amount of power/acceleration with a terrible suspension/brake set up.
The CVT isn't that bad once you're used to it and you have a good amount of power. I was driving the Mrs Lexus UX250h with haste the other day and engine noise aside, it's not that bad
My next car would be a Toyota but then the hatchback is not that great and you start looking at the civic instead. Had a previous gen civic and was really a nice drive. They just don’t sell here I like Japanese carsZ Lexus is all suv now and not that exciting
https://toyotagazooracing.com/pages/grmn/markx/
Tough environment to exist in and with many people happy to pay upwards of £700/month for these vehicles from manufacturers that may not be around in 5-10 years it's a pretty grim outlook.
Edit: maybe consumers have to think harder about what they want in the future and less 'ow much ? now. Quality lasts long after the price is forgotten. Hard to swallow when many are struggling to keep it all together keeping a roof over their heads, food on the table, utility bills paid before the hike in prices we've seen since 2021 for anything mobility related.
I prefer a saloon, have had one in one form or another for the last 19 years but they are no good if you have a dog that doesn't pop in your handbag.
Last year I was in Dubai where every taxi is either a Camry or IS200. From my rear seat research if I were in the market I'd choose the IS200. It was a nicer place to sit and the ride was more to my taste, the Camry was a bit plastic and soft by comparison.
Behold: Lexus is nicer than Toyota equivalent shocker!
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