The Australian taste for large sedans with big engines are apparent with the Holden Commodore. Mitsubishi’s most recent offensive on the market was the Mitsubishi 380. This is Toyota’s latest offering for the Australian market, the Toyota Aurion, replacing it’s previous failed large sedan offering the Toyota Avalon.
At first glance it looks like it was based on the Lexus GS, but according to drive.com.au, it’s basically a Camry with a redesigned head and tail. It looks much more elegant and muscular than the Camry, which to me has some pretty feminine looks. Maybe you could call it a fat girl instead of a fat boy.
What makes it different from the Camry is the Camry line-up in Australia will be limited to 4-cylinder models while this Toyota Aurion comes with a 3.5 litre V6 (model 2GR-FE), available in normally aspirated form for the base models and also a supercharged version for the Sportivo models. However, it’s direct competitors the Holden Commodore and the Ford Falcon offeres V8 engines.
I don’t have any information at the moment on how much power and torque the Aurion’s 2GR-FE will make, but the same normally aspirated engine in other Toyotas like the Lexus RX350/Toyota Harrier makes 280ps at 6200rpm and 346Nm of torque at 4700rpm. Expect higher figures for the supercharged version.
Above is a concept art of the Sportivo version. The grill looks familiar don’t you think? Pretty similiar to our Toyota VIOS facelift‘s grille. The car will be available in October 2006 in Australia first, although there are plans to sell it elsewhere like China, Taiwan, Thailand and the Middle East. Grey imports anyone?
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:D *drool*
Superb car
…sure look like an Audi A6…hmm
iguanaa said,
February 12, 2006 @ 9:32 pm
…sure look like an Audi A6…hmm
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Where did you get the idea of that? lol~~
I like the blackedned headlights on the Spotivo version, bet it would look better with a rim upgrade and silver / white colour hehe.
this model is slightly wider & larger than Camry even thought shared the same platform as Camry.
i hope UMW will introduce this model, damn nicer than Camry.
if UMW don't want, please bring Camry V6 model!!
I myself dont mind the look of this, But it is not wider than the Camry. It has been designed to compete with the Ford Falcon/Holden Commodore pair which is in the large car class here, Problem is, Take a Camry, put a new front and rear on it, a large car it does not make. Further, this is Toyota's second chance at this, the first was the Avalon, a steaming pile of crap using an imported US body.
Australians like width in a car and the Aurion is not better than the standard Camry and therefore doomed to fail here. But at least they will export a few and the Camry will do well.
Anyone notice the colour on the sportivo is taken from the Ford Falcon XR6 colour range? Strange that…
i go crazy looking at the design of this car and other newly launched models these days. It makes me wonder (banging my head) why is that some Malaysian made are just so ugly! (sorry)
Looks a bit like our Accord and Sonata don't you think so?
Why can't we have a decent look for a car over here in Malaysia? I mean look at he Arion. This is what a car should look like. If comparing this one with Camry, I'd surely go for this one for look. The overall design looked more composed, more solid compared to a Camry. Why, Toyota?
At one glance, the Sportivo version reminds me of the Altezza + Vios grille. I don't know. Maybe I just love thAltezza. My dream car lorr. Hehe…
Benno: I think they chose that colour because they wants to woo the Australian market, don't you think?
the new aurion? seems to me toyota likes the look of the BA falconxr6, ahh, would ya expect anything less from toyota, just trying to spruce up a boring car like the camry! don`t get me wrong, I have a deep love for the toyota motor company, having thrashed countless corollas and various other models to within an inch of their lives, but they were all rear wheel drive! nuuf said.
UMW Toyota should import this one instead of the oddball Camry… :D
The Aurion & Aurion Sportivo (supercharged) will be released this Nov in Australia, and these are to be followed by a Aurion TRD next year.
Toyota Australia are going to produce TRD-spec vehicles straight from the factory as answer to Holden's HSV and Ford's FPV, with Aurion TRD being the first. There are news that there is a 200kw Corolla TRD in the pipeline.
Where did my post go?
Just half a year to go until it ought to be face-lifted.
my name is behnam and I am iranian.I live in IRAN. I like to drive by suv toyotas but toyota do not have a beautiful appearance.
aurion is a beautiful car in toyota.but lexus is very good and beautiful.