Toyota Begins Production of New Generation 2012

While the Camry never managed to win European buyers, a little further to the east and in particular Russia and the surrounding countries, Toyota's mid-size sedan has successfully broken into the market.

Toyota hopes to further increase its share in the region with the launch of the next generation Camry, which began production on Monday at the company's Toyota Motor Manufacturing Russia (TMMR) plant in St. Petersburg, Russia.

The Japanese company has been assembling Camry sedans at the St. Petersburg facility since December 2007 when production began for the previous generation of the model.

Yoshinori Matsunaga, Toyota Motor Manufacturing Russia General Director, said: “This full model change was a great opportunity for our employees to learn new skills and get extensive new knowledge. We are now fully prepared and very proud of our vehicle, its quality and safety features.”

While based on the North American 2012 Camry, the Russian-spec model gains a unique front end with bespoke headlamp, bumper, hood, grille and front fender designs as well as its own set of tail lamps.

Locally, the new 2012 Camry is available with a choice of two petrol engines: a newly developed 4-cylinder, 2.5-litre unit and an upgraded 3.5-litre, Euro V compliant, V6. Both powerplants are fitted with a 6-speed automatic transmission.

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