Toyota Camry 2002 review: snapshot

The new Toyota Camry is ... is ... well, it's Aussie - right down to its brake pads. Sure the badge belongs to a famous Japanese manufacturer, but THIS Camry was refined, developed, honed and built in Australia by Australians for Australians.

With a $350 million development budget there was room to hunt around for the really good stuff, the best product made, the good overseas stuff.

The new Camry has been subject to record levels of local development for a Toyota model. It also has the highest-ever levels of local content for the local plant since Camry was first built in this country in 1987. Australian government figures put the local content at 77 per cent.

The locally-pressed body makes it unique in the Camry world. Only panels pressed in Australia will fit the Aussie body, unlike vehicles made in Japan and the United States, where panels are interchangeable. The body is bolted to the Toyota Modular Platform and meets the latest Global Outstanding Assessment safety standards.

Central to the 95 per cent locally produced body panels are the one-piece side members which are the key to improved panel fit and body integrity - the result of an $18 million investment in presses at the Altona shop.

In the paint shop Toyota splashed out $15 million to ensure that nothing else splashed.

The massive upgrade to the Altona paint shop inlcudes a cartridge-based application system which helps limit overspray as well as boosting quality control. It gives a better looking paint job, while contributing substantially to flexibility, paint quality and, importantly, to environmental control.

The 2.4-litre four-cylinder VVTi engine is cast and built in a new local $90 million plant with an innovative just-in-time moulten alloy delivery system.

Brakes were developed in conjunction with PBR. Seats, headlamps, electronics, the security system, suspension calibration and the Sportivo body kit were all developed in association with local suppliers - guaranteeing the company improved control over final design and quality.

The benefit for local suppliers is right on the bottom line. The new Camry adds $120 million to Toyota Australia's purchasing commitment to Australian manufacturers, taking the company's total component spending within the country to more than one billion dollars.

At the end of the day, Toyota has delivered 11 models in the Camry range with two all-alloy engines - the VVTi I4 and the quad-cam multi-valve 3.0-litre V6 - two transmission and four specification levels.

The Altise and Sportivo models are available with either engine and a choice of manual or automatic. The Ateva also comes with either engine but automatic shifter only and the range-topping new Azura is available only as a V6 automatic.