Toyota Camry Sleeper hides a big secret for SEMA

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It seems that in the United States at least, the Toyota Camry has been working hard to shed its own dowdy image. First, we saw the radically-facelifted USDM model unveiled earlier this year at NYIAS, then witnessed the covers pulled off the 2015 NASCAR racer last month. But at this week’s SEMA tuner show, the D-segment staple dealt its biggest hand yet in the form of a specially-modified car.

Looks like just another silver Camry, doesn’t it? So did the crowds at SEMA, until the body was lifted to reveal a purpose-built dragster. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, this is a normal-looking Camry that can smoke just about all that come before it, truly giving a new meaning to the term “sleeper”.

Toyota Camry Sleeper hides a big secret for SEMA

Under the skin is a tube-frame chassis, into which is stuffed a 3UR-FE 5.7 litre V8 from the Tundra pick-up. That engine has been breathed on with a TRD supercharger and a wet nitrous system to produce over 850 hp, sent to DOT 335/30/18 drag radials at the rear via a six-speed automatic and live rear axle also pulled from the Tundra.

With such mechanicals, the Camry Sleeper is estimated to rocket down the quarter mile in an astonishing 9.8 seconds. It took Toyota’s Motorsports Technical Center just 11 weeks to gut a bone-stock Camry and put it over a dragster, which belies the level of detail on this build – even the doors and boot lid are fully functional, and the doors even retain most of the production car’s trimmings.

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“This Camry is the ultimate sleeper — it definitely has the element of surprise on its side and more than enough muscle to drop the hammer on any unsuspecting car that pulls up,” said Motorsports Technical Centre director Chuck Wade.

So, the Toyota Camry – the default uncle’s car ain’t so boring after all, eh?


US-market 2015 Toyota Camry
2015 Toyota Camry

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Jonathan Lee

After trying to pursue a career in product design, Jonathan Lee decided to make the sideways jump into the world of car journalism instead. He therefore appreciates the aesthetic appeal of a car, but for him, the driving experience is still second to none.

 

Comments

  • sudonano (Member) on Nov 05, 2014 at 5:37 pm

    Goodness.

    I can’t believe I just said wow, in amazement, to a Camry.

    Sam Loo approves of this I guess.

    GG. Better be careful incase it somehow makes it into production, those Golf GTI drivers will never know what passed them at their Malaysian Traffic Light Gran Prix.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 19 Thumb down 5
  • Same L0rrr on Nov 05, 2014 at 5:38 pm

    For the Proton fanboys who is smoke addict, this is the car you guys should be dreamt of.

    No point talkok smoke this smoke that smoke chicken wings with your Proton. You get nothing but Syok Sendiri only.

    Too much of Sendiri Cakap Sendiri Syok Proton lifestyle. Too much!

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 20 Thumb down 38
    • samelorstpd on Nov 05, 2014 at 8:40 pm

      This is track car, not approved to go on road.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 17 Thumb down 1
    • UBAHUMWToyota on Nov 06, 2014 at 2:51 pm

      SamakLorr has an udon brain, that is a track car. UMW Toyota still cannot smoke Proton car or any other CKD car here. UBAH UMWtoyota management not the UMW.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 2
  • Contender on Nov 05, 2014 at 5:52 pm

    What do we have here ….. my oh my ….. if only our Malaysia Camry is like that or our very own UMW Toyota to do something like that to transform the “uncle Camry” to more appealing !!!

    But well done to Toyota USA ! Nice one

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 12 Thumb down 1
    • Same L0rrr on Nov 05, 2014 at 7:25 pm

      Trust me you won’t wanna drive this. With one seat only, do you willing to pay RM80k for that? lol

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 14
      • Eurobeat on Nov 05, 2014 at 8:55 pm

        Petrolheads/Gearheads like me would buy it. Its a damn awesome drag weapon!!!!

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 1
      • Eurobeat on Nov 05, 2014 at 8:55 pm

        Petrolheads/Gearheads like me would buy it. Its a damn awesome drag weapon!!!!

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
    • nicholas on Nov 06, 2014 at 4:53 am

      no need to look to far..just look at toyota aurion trd spec australia..is a production car…and the power outpout..3.5liter supercharged..241kw..that’s more than enough

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
      • Subaru fan on Nov 06, 2014 at 4:51 pm

        Sounds few,we need more power!!!! Expect 400BHp and 900BHP

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 1
  • Meanwhile in Malaysia…

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 12 Thumb down 1
  • Move aside kid! Uncle got to find some ah beng to smoke!

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 19 Thumb down 0
  • Eurobeat on Nov 05, 2014 at 6:48 pm

    Don’t expect clean car has no power ;)

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 0
  • Crasher7 on Nov 05, 2014 at 6:50 pm

    Americans always get the more appealing Camry than everybody else

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 7 Thumb down 0
    • 4G63T DSM on Nov 06, 2014 at 4:32 pm

      Thats because the Camry needs to work harder to compete in a competitive market.

      They have Koreans, American and the rest of the Japanese all gunning for each other’s throats. The difference in price is mere hundreds.

      Here people only have the deluded notion of RV.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 0
  • wow…really not unclish anymore! Wonder if we will get this version of camry or not…the current camry in malaysia is too unclish…cant help it

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 1
  • Ssshhhhiittt ! – In a very good way. Dammmnnn.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 0
  • panjang on Nov 05, 2014 at 8:13 pm

    As much as i like it,Its a dragster..not a sleeper car.
    u wont be driving it everyday.
    I really thought its something like the AMG E55.Thats one of true sleeper ‘car’ i cam think of.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 0
    • kadajawi (Member) on Nov 06, 2014 at 12:05 am

      AMG models, at least newer ones, are way too flashy. This isn’t.

      And it is a sleeper, it very much is. There’s no way you’d expect it to be powerful at all, let alone this powerful, and at least in the US you could probably drive this thing on public roads. Sleepers don’t have to be daily drivers anyway.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 1
    • 4G63T DSM on Nov 06, 2014 at 5:01 pm

      Nah, subtlety has been lost on the germans for some time now. A shame really.

      Long gone is the time when real german sleepers really were incognito. The E28 and to an extent the E39 M5, The Audi RS, and the odd debadged AMG E400. Even the range topping V12 powered E38 750 and S600 can be ordered debadged.

      But I am partial to the 850R and T5 wagons and the Galant E39 VR4. They weren’t particularly quick but will surprise a lot of cars with a lot more sporting pretentions in its time. A modded VR4 (the 4G63 6 bolt engine can be relatively easily modded to crank out 400hp) in its day would lay waste to V8 powered sports cars in streetlight grand prix.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 0
  • superbird #43 on Nov 05, 2014 at 8:15 pm

    Camry Funny Cars!

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • Aero (Member) on Nov 05, 2014 at 9:00 pm

    Mid-life crisis maybe ?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 0
  • Baja Lapis Seng on Nov 05, 2014 at 9:11 pm

    Lucky American. Envy them

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Semi-Value (Member) on Nov 05, 2014 at 9:34 pm

    sam loo approves…

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 0
  • shiftstick on Nov 05, 2014 at 10:57 pm

    I think this got higher RV than standard spec one.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 3
  • UbahUMW on Nov 05, 2014 at 11:45 pm

    If Samak Loo approved that he is an uncle with midlife crisis.

    UbahUMW

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 0
  • UbahUMW on Nov 05, 2014 at 11:54 pm

    If Samak Loo approved that he is an uncle with midlife crisis.

    YestoToyota not to UMW TOYOTA

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 0
  • Sam Loo (ori1) on Nov 06, 2014 at 8:31 am

    As long as its not a kimchi, it will have RV

    If its a KIA, it can no longer be traded in

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 2
    • UbahUMW on Nov 06, 2014 at 11:05 am

      As long is not Toyota UMW then the RV is fine. No to UMW toyota.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 1
  • mmmmm on Nov 06, 2014 at 8:57 am

    any car can be made like this. Typical american with big power and straight line.

    v8 in persona?…lol nothing to prove

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 1
 

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