UMW Toyota Motor, distributor of Toyota vehicles in Malaysia has announced the decision of its principal Toyota Motor Corp to assemble the Toyota Camry at Assembly Services Sdn Bhd (ASSB). Currently, the Camrys sold in Malaysia are imported from Thailand.
UMWT will invest an initial RM100 million to set up production for the D-segment market leader at its plant in Shah Alam. Production will start in 2 years time, so we’ll be able to buy CKD Camrys in 2012. An educated guess indicates that this CKD assembly is likely for the next generation Toyota Camry, since the Camry has just undergone its usual 2.5 year mid-life facelift. 2 years from now would be an appropriate time to introduce a replacement.
Despite the arrival of fresher faced rivals, the ever popular Camry still records sales that rival brands envy, and with possibly keener pricing, the trend is set to continue. Facelifted late last year with sharper looks and more equipment, the Camry is available in three variants, starting from RM144,990 for the 2.0E to RM174,990 for the 2.4V. The middle spec is the 2.0G, which costs RM154,990.
