Certainly isn't going to get any more people excited than it has before, but it does seem to have some nice improvements. Ground up redesign on the chassis (shared with last year's Avalon release but shortened). SE model involves more significant upgrades including substantial increases in chassis bracing which is interesting as its the first time I've heard of a particular sub-model of car getting chassis mods other than maybe a STB; and of all cars, on a Camry?
V6 power goes up to 268hp and Toyota moves up to a 6-speed auto after only spending a couple years on the 5-speed.
Good aerodynamics, interesting hybrid 4-cyl w/ CVT, and I've always wondered when a car would start using ionization (a'la sharper image ionic breeze) in a car. Maybe this isn't the first application out there but it's the first I've seen or hear of...

http://clublexus.com/forums/showpost...32&postcount=1

 

damn, thats a nice looking car, for the money... i gotta say, honda will have to do something special to the accord to keep it as competition to this car. i'm impressed

 

Ok if Toyota is going to keep putting ugly grills on their cars we don't have to worry about them reaching #1 in sales. What is up with the grill on the SE? It looks incomplete. Good thing I am not a Toyota fan because I would be highly disappointed.

 

Speaking of Honda, any fans of the new redesigned taillights for the new 06 Accord?

This Camry finally has style and performance to take the edge away from it.

 

Thanks for posting the interior pics; Autoweek didn't have any last time I looked.

I have to say, the dash is pretty nice. In fact, I like it far better than the overwrought Avalon dash. Outside looks like a 8/9ths scale Avalon (no surprise). Rear makes me immediately think of the Avalon and looks decent. Front is, amazingly, worse than the Avalon (which I am not a huge fan of). I am really surprised to see that huge Toyota emblem interrupting the flow of the front grille, which isn't that great even without the huge emblem. I also think it looks to "tall" or "thick" in the front above the wheel wells. That is, the area between the tops of the wheel wells and the top of the hood is too thick looking (also somewhat true of the current car and the Solara).

Again, though, the dash is pretty sharp. And obviously it has a winner of a powertrain combo. 268 hp and a six speed auto should make it fairly quick and have good fuel economy. In glancing down the thread after the pics, I saw that the torsion beam rear is being replaced by a "dual link" (??) strut setup. I had forgotten that the current car is on a torsion beam rear suspension.

I'm sure this car will continue to do well. I think the exterior looks are, surprisingly, possibly worse than the current car (of which I am not a fan). But the interior is hands down better (I can't stand the looks of the dash in the current car), and so is the V6/six speed auto powertrain.

It is really making me itch for the transverse six speeds to make their way into the GM lineup. One car that will have it as an option will be the new Aura, at least going by the "concept" that was shown last year (the 95% production ready "concept" that is). I just sat in one - along with a Sky - at Milford yesterday, and it also has a winner of an interior. The concept Aura sported a very similar powertrain to the Camry's (3.6L VVT V6, six speed auto), along with more attractive styling, at least to my eyes.

Of course, the Aura won't be moving in Camry volumes, but it is still something to look forward to. I'm still in the dark as to when we can expect the six speed autos in the updated Impala, for example. I REALLY hope that the upcoming Malibu (that is supposed to be very attractive) comes out, it will offer the 3.6/six speed combo as well.

 

Nice engine and interior looked nice, the rest of the car looked like nothing special. It is good to see someone as big as Toyota put preasure on the other to use Direct injection (tech of the year ) and 6 speed autos.

I still like the looks of the Ford Fusion and G6 better. The new '06 Accord tail lights are a mistake

2007 Saturn Aura is still the winner over all in this segment in my book.

 

The v6 is going to be a very peppy car.

 

I like the interior but I find the exterior as boring as ever.

 

Overall a very good job. I just don't like the exterior design at all. The interior is very well done. GM has shown it can improve it's interiors, but it still needs help with aesthetics to keep up. New Camry has a nice drivetrain too. Any word yet on pricing?

 

That front end looks like they styled it after a rhinoceros with that beak stub at the top of the grill. What is going on with designers lately? It's like they had a meeting and by unanimous decision agreed to buy a lifetime subscription to the Discovery channel or something? Every new car looks like something from the animal kingdom.

 

Exterior:
I haven't seen such a hideous conglomeration of discontinuous shapes since the Bangle-ized BMWs. It makes the predecessor look positively elegant.

Interior:
Very nice.

 

It's okay. No Corolla though.

 

Ehhh, it'll sell.
I don't know if Toyota knows this, but if they actually made a good looking design and put that on top of their reputation, they would sell a whole lot more.

 

Wow, what a completely boring car.

 

Went from bland to fugly.