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DEARBORN, Mich. (AP) — Toyota plans to unveil its first redesign
of the Camry in five years on Tuesday. While it promises new
technology and other upgrades, America’s best-selling car faces a
fight to stay on top.
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Toyota has released few details about the new car, which will be
shown at simultaneous events in California, Michigan and at the
Georgetown, Ky., plant where the Camry is made. The Camry will
carry an entertainment system called Entune, which lets drivers
connect to mobile applications such as Pandora.
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Analysts say competition from rivals has never been stronger. The
Hyundai Sonata has been praised for its sharp styling, fuel economy
and price tag – it starts at $500 less than the 2011 Camry – while
General Motors will soon release a redesigned Chevrolet Malibu. The
Nissan Altima, Ford Fusion and Honda Accord are also closing in on
Camry’s lead.
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“The Camry is not a slam-dunk by itself anymore,” said Jesse
Toprak, vice president of industry trends and insights for car
pricing site TrueCar.com.
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Through July of this year, Toyota has sold 174,485 Camrys, down 8
percent from the same period in 2010. That’s still 20,000 more than
its closest rival, the Nissan Altima, even with supply shortages
this spring and summer caused by the earthquake in
Japan.
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Toyota introduced the Camry in the U.S. in 1983 to compete with the
Honda Accord. It quickly became a big seller because of its
reputation for reliability and good gas mileage. The Camry outsold
the Ford Taurus in 1997. It has been the best-selling car in
America ever since, except for 2001, when it was outsold by the
Accord.
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Even the safety recalls of 2010 – in which Toyota recalled hundreds
of thousands of Camrys because of sticky accelerator pedals and
floor mats – didn’t knock it down from No. 1. But the car’s sales
fell 8 percent that year, while sales of the Hyundai Sonata rose 64
percent.
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Toprak said the new Camry will satisfy current owners who want to
trade in their cars. But it could have a tough time attracting new
customers. Toprak said the Camry and the Accord have lost sales to
competitors in part because they stuck with bland styling while
other automakers took chances with their designs.
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“They are safe vehicles that have nothing fundamentally wrong with
them, but they don’t promote excitement,” he said. “That is one of
those elements you need to attract younger buyers.”
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