When it comes to Camry, I believe everyone will not feel unfamiliar, after all, this car has always had very good results in the market. But if you ask you how many years it has actually been launched, how many cars have been sold globally, how about each generation? You should immediately say that this car is a little strange. In fact, it has been just 40 years since Camry was launched. In these 40 years, it has launched 8 generations of models, and its annual sales have reached the top three times in China and the United States at the same time, winning the love of more than 23 million users around the world. 23 million in 40 years, How did Camry do it? Today, the president will talk to you all.
First of all, let’s talk about the evolutionary history of Camry. In 1982, under the background of the oil crisis, the first generation of Camry was born in Japan. At that time, the name of CAMRY came from the Japanese “crown” (かんむり- Kanmuri), which means honor and excellence. At the very beginning of its birth, CAMRY has conquered discerning consumers with its comprehensive product capabilities. Excellent quality, good performance, excellent comfort and excellent reliability, it quickly became a best-selling model in the market, and in 1985 it was rated as “the car with the lowest failure rate in the United States” by the American “Consumer’s Digest” magazine. “.
Time came to 1986, the second-generation Toyota Camry was born. At that time, the new car inherited the essence of the first-generation product (durability, comfort and reliability), and also optimized the size, power, and safety configuration to make it It has become a medium-sized car with higher value, and the next three to five generations are also based on high quality as the core value. During this period, it has been rated as “Top 10 Product Quality” by JD Power for many years.
In the 1990s, China’s reform and opening up entered a new stage, and CAMRY entered China for the first time in the name of “Camry”. At that time, CAMR was gradually recognized by the Chinese people under the name of “Camry” with beautiful meaning, and it has won the championship of imported car sales in China for many years. “New words” such as “V6 engine”, “streamlined body” and “cockpit side airbag” open the door to people’s cognition of cars. A Camry is not only a luxurious and noble status symbol, but also a synonym for high-quality life . As a pioneer before the localization of Camry, Camry has left a deep imprint on the hearts of a generation, and has also established Camry’s unshakable position in the mid- to high-end sedan market.
In 2006, GAC Toyota introduced the sixth-generation Camry, opened the road to the glory of CAMRY’s localization, and set the slogan “from Camry, higher than Camry”. With its comprehensive and balanced product strength and excellent quality, the sixth-generation Camry has set a benchmark for the value of mid-to-high-end sedans, and it has triggered a rush to buy. The annual sales champion of mid-to-high-end sedans has refreshed many records of mid-to-high-end sedans in China.
In 2011, the seventh-generation Camry was launched, pioneering the launch of three series of flagship, sports and hybrid, creating a family layout, injecting fashionable and dynamic youthful elements, and once again setting a new value benchmark for the domestic middle and high-end car market. In 2013 and 2016, Camry reached the sales volume of 1 million units and 1.5 million units respectively at the fastest speed in its class.
In 2017, TNGA China’s first strategic sedan, the eighth-generation Camry, made its debut, realizing a real and complete replacement. The eighth-generation Camry has a unique dual-model design, “World’s Top 10” interiors, a 41% thermal efficiency TNGA engine, the only standard in its class with 10 SRS airbags, a TSS Zhixing safety package, and three The innovative value of screen interconnection and in-vehicle WeChat has once again led the trend of high-value consumption of mid- to high-end cars.
And since the launch of the eighth-generation Camry, there has also been a “Camry phenomenon” of “increasing sales against the life cycle” and “higher distribution, more hot sales”. The average number is 185,000 units, and it will exceed 216,000 units in 2021, becoming the sales champion in the mid-to-high-end sedan market. Since 2022, the eighth-generation Camry has exceeded 22,000 units per month on average, and sales of high-end models above 200,000 units accounted for 45%. At the same time, under the blessing of high quality and high value, the Camry’s value retention rate ranks among the best in the market segment. According to JDPower’s “2022 China Automobile Value Retention Rate Research Report”, the Camry’s 3-year vehicle age retention rate ranks first among models in its class.
It should be said that GAC Toyota’s electrification development process began in 2010, starting with the sixth-generation Camry dual-engine hybrid. As the first mass-selling hybrid sedan in China’s mid-to-high-end vehicle market, the sixth-generation Camry Dual-Engine Hybrid introduces the world’s most advanced Toyota hybrid technology into China, and continues to lead the domestic hybrid market. In the following 12 years, Camry Dual-Engine Hybrid has provided Chinese environmental car users with better environmental protection vehicle solutions in the electrified era with an efficient, advanced, full-cycle, zero-anxiety car experience, as well as an increasingly accessible price threshold. .
After 2012, the seventh-generation Camry dual-engine hybrid was launched. It was equipped with a new generation of Toyota THS hybrid system, and the fuel consumption was only 5.3L/100km. At the same time, the price difference between the hybrid version and the fuel version of the same level was reduced.
After the eighth-generation Camry dual-engine hybrid was launched, its hybrid technology has been further upgraded. The new car adopts the fourth-generation THS II hybrid system newly developed by Toyota and matches the 2.5L Dynamic Force Engine engine. The thermal efficiency of the engine is as high as 41%, and the fuel consumption under comprehensive working conditions is only 4.1L per 100 kilometers, and a tank of fuel can drive about 1,000 kilometers.
Up to now, the cumulative sales volume of Camry dual-engine hybrid has exceeded 170,000 units. According to Toyota’s calculations, the carbon dioxide emission reduction effect of every 3 hybrid vehicles is equivalent to that of a pure electric vehicle, while the batteries mounted on 7 hybrid electric vehicles are only equivalent to about one pure electric vehicle battery, that is, GAC Toyota Shuangqing. The hybrid can use the battery of one pure electric vehicle to achieve the emission reduction effect equivalent to 21 pure electric vehicles, achieving “small battery, big emission reduction”. It can be seen that under the carbon neutrality goal, GAC Toyota Hybrid is the most efficient “electrical option” at present, and the eighth-generation Camry is the flagship of GAC Toyota’s electrification camp.
Throughout the history of Camry’s development, it can be found that it has always been committed to creating a better car value in the current era. This is the “open secret” of its legendary car. Camry has been injected with high QDR quality genes since its birth, and has been awarded the titles of “Sedans with the Lowest Failure Rate” and “Top 10 Product Quality” from generation to generation.
On the basis of continuously consolidating and improving quality, Camry is more committed to providing more attractive and advanced value of mid-to-high-end cars. Relying on the 8th-generation Camry, which has been completely replaced by TNGA Toyota’s new global architecture, it has reactivated the new generation’s preference for family cars. At the same time, with the forward-looking insights of the times, Camry took the lead in developing the electrification market, bringing advanced, high-efficiency and full-cycle anxiety-free “electricity optimization”, and promoting the popularity of hybrid vehicles. .
In addition, on the basis of a solid quality foundation, Camry also, in response to the needs of the times, endows models with higher value from generation to generation through architecture upgrades and technological iterations. Entering the Chinese market for 16 years, Camry has brought the era-leading mid-to-high-end car value experience to 2.6 million users.
A Camry not only pioneered and led the quality era, value era and electrification era of mid-to-high-end cars, but also created the growth and development of GAC Toyota, forging GAC Toyota’s research and development, manufacturing, products, brands, services, marketing, etc. Strong system strength in all fields.
GAC Toyota, with the Camry as its first mass-produced model, stood at the high starting point of automobile manufacturing and service at the beginning of its establishment. “Toyota Global Model Factory in the 21st Century” has established a high benchmark for GAC Toyota’s mid-to-high-end vehicle manufacturing quality. Since then, GAC Toyota’s production line has topped Toyota’s global quality list for three consecutive years, and has repeatedly won “zero defect rate” in Toyota’s global quality inspections. Evaluation, the quality control ability has reached the world-class level.
GAC Toyota “Zero Defect Rate” Production Line
The GAC Toyota channel, which was born at the same time as the Camry, has established a “dignified and caring” service concept since its establishment, introduced the world’s leading e-CRB system (intelligent and progressively improved customer relationship building system), and made every effort to create a “tentacle”. The “Camry Experience” with the core connotation of “accessible dignity, safe and convenient enjoyment and timely and accurate information” brings brand-new mid-to-high-end car service value to domestic consumers.
As the model with the highest delivery volume of GAC Toyota, the Camry has driven the high-quality sales of all GAC Toyota models with its flagship effect. GAC Toyota has devoted its entire system to create the Camry brand, and Camry has also repaid GAC Toyota with its far-reaching brand influence, promoting brand upgrade and achieving a win-win situation.
40 years and 8 generations of evolution, Camry has always led the cutting-edge innovation of automotive technology, always promoted the fashion trend of mid-to-high-end cars, always met the car needs of global users, brought the better car value of the times to users, and achieved mid-to-high-end cars. The value flagship has won the trust and love of 23 million users around the world and 2.6 million in China.
The times are advancing, technologies are changing, and Camry is constantly subverting, innovating, and reshaping. What remains unchanged is the original intention of Camry and the classic imprint of “CAMRY” in people’s hearts.