Latest Camry Attracts Younger Buyers
Nov 2, 2012 By Toyota Australia.
Toyota's latest
Camry range is attracting a significantly higher share of younger buyers than its predecessor.
Toyota's latest Camry range is attracting a significantly higher share of younger buyers than its predecessor, the company said today.
Toyota Australia's executive director sales and marketing Matthew Callachor said customers are also buying more up-market versions.
Mr Callachor said the trends to a younger demographic and a richer model mix for Camry were significant for the locally manufactured cars.
'Toyota's strategy is to expand Camry's appeal, especially to younger buyers, by putting put more focus on contemporary design and improved driving dynamics,' Mr Callachor said.
'It is also important for our business to encourage customers to move up the range to experience even better levels of features and equipment,' he said.
'The only surprise is that the shift to a younger buyer profile and more profitable model mix has been more extensive than we imagined,' he said.
The seventh-generation range, launched late last year, aimed to expand buyer appeal and attract a younger audience with three new Atara variants above the entry-level Camry Altise.
Atara S, SX and SL models have unique styling, including a lower-body design, sporty mesh upper grille, prominent side skirts and twin exhausts.
'As a result, there are now significantly more people under 50 buying Camry - an increase of more than 20 per cent compared with the previous generation,' Mr Callachor said.
'At the same time, sales of the higher-grade Atara sedans are now accounting for more than one-third of all Camry sales compared with around 20 per cent for the previous generation,' he said.
Camry, which has been built in Australia since 1987, is now in its 19th consecutive year as the top-selling mid-size car in this country.
Sales of the new Camry are up more than 20 per cent so far this year and it has a 10,000-unit lead over the number-two-selling Mazda 6.
Camry is a linchpin of the local automotive manufacturing sector and a significant contributor to the Australian and Victorian economies.
Toyota Australia employs more than 4000 people and last year built 96,618 vehicles at its Altona manufacturing plant in Victoria.
In addition to local sales, Camry is exported to more than 12 countries, including Saudi Arabia, other Middle East countries and New Zealand, earning export sales revenue in excess of $1 billion a year.