Toyota has just lifted the veil on the Camry TRD, the first time its venerable sedan has gotten the special treatment from the Toyota Racing Development division. The limited-edition 2020 Camry TRD is more sporty and aerodynamic, with its special styling created by Calty, Toyota’s North American design studio. The performance capabilities are intended to make of the family sedan an entirely track-ready creature.
The TRD recipe as used here actually involves recalibrating a number of mechanical components in Toyota’s popular models to allow for aggressive on-track driving, without compromising their qualities in terms of comfort and daily-use practicality.
The mechanics
The new Camry TRD is powered by a DOHC 3.5L V6 engine delivering 301 hp and wedded to an 8-speed automatic transmission, and featuring a Sport mode and paddle shifters on the steering wheel. Also present is a specially-tuned cat-back dual exhaust.
The model also benefits from exclusive aerodynamic elements that complement the racier silhouette of the next-generation Camry; the TRD-modified chassis has a more dynamic posture as well. The aerodynamic body kit includes a front splitter, side aero skirts, trunk lid spoiler and rear diffuser. All of this, Toyota promises, results in better stability at higher speeds. Also included are red pinstriping, red painted brake calipers and red TRD badging.
Thicker underbody braces increase torsional rigidity and unique coil springs lower the vehicle by 0.6 inches for a reduced centre of gravity.
The matte-black 19 x 8.5-inch alloy wheels are a half-inch wider, yet 3.1 pounds lighter (each) than the 19 x 8.0-inch alloy wheels on the XSE trim of the regular Camry. The specially calibrated front brakes are larger and feature dual-piston calipers.
The Camry TRD will come standard with Toyota Safety Sense-P, a suite of advanced drive-assist technologies, among these Pre-Collision Braking.
To further help it stand apart, the TRD version of the Camry a unique gloss-black front grille with sport mesh insert and black exterior badging. Available colours include the appropriately dramatic Supersonic Red, Windchill Pearl, Celestial Silver Metallic -- all three of which are two-toned -- and Midnight Black Metallic.
The interior
The TRD division has fitted the Camry TRD with black sport front seats, red accents and red-stitched TRD embroidered headrests. The leather-wrapped steering wheel also has red stitching, and even the seatbelts are red. A shift knob with an embossed TRD logo, unique TRD floor and trunk mats and a TRD information display complete the cabin upgrades.
If you're interested in acquiring a Camry TRD, you'll have to be both patient and ready to jump: The 2020 Toyota Camry TRD will be a limited edition, and is not expected to hit the market before fall 2019.