We May See a TRD Camry Very Soon

Even though the only real success Toyota has had with its TRD (Toyota Racing Development) division has been in the form of pickup trucks and SUVs, they have started talks to the tune of possibly offering TRD on all models in their lineup. Overall, Toyota has had a hard time turning its sedans and other cars in to racing machines for buyers to enjoy even though they have had some great sports cars of the years. In order to take full advantage of the TRD division and put some amazing performance in their lineup Toyota wants to eventually expand to the whole line, but will start with the Camry.

The Camry makes the smartest and most obvious choice to begin this process. With the Camry currently plaster on the front of several NASCAR competitors cars, Toyota feels it can take the Sunday racing and translate it into Monday sales by offering the same car fans saw racing around the track as one that carries the TRD badge on the road and offers even better performance than ever before. This would take the Camry, which is typically a commuter car, and turn it into one that is fun and exciting to drive.

Actually, Toyota already started work on having the Camry be more fun by offering the XSE and SE models which are sporty and more powerful than the base models. By adding a TRD version, most likely of the XSE, to the lineup, Toyota will be able to offer the car at a higher price and with much more capability than the current XSE model. This will give them another version of the Camry to offer and should attract a younger consumer.

For several years Toyota has been trying to attract a much younger audience. Thus far they have successfully moved the average age for the Camry from sixty years old to 57 on the LE trim and 45 for the SE trim level. For the Tacoma, Tundra and 4Runner models that already carry the TRD badge the average age of the consumer is much younger than the entire lineup of the Camry and these models sell for higher prices than their lower model counterparts. What Toyota has seen is those who buy a vehicle that is offered with a TRD option, the TRD is 40 percent more likely to be purchased.

For those of us on the edge of our seat to see the Camry come out as a TRD model we won’t have to wait long, it will be here either at the end of 2015 or offered in the 2016 lineup. Hopefully this will be a huge success for Toyota and they will then offer TRD versions of their entire lineup based on the success of the Camry with the TRD equipment.