Right under our noses, Toyota of Australia has introduced their new Aurion sedan at the Melbourne International
Motor Show last week. To be built at the company’s Altona plant, the big sedan replaces the slow-selling Avalon with an
offering specifically tailored to local tastes.
Designed to take on domestic autos from companies like Holden and Ford, the Aurion is once again saddled with a
front-wheel-drive setup (Aussies tend to prefer their rubber burning at the other end when it comes to large
sedans), but this time ’round it gains some more sporting cues, and in early 2007, it’s also slated to get a
supercharged 3.5-liter V6 mill under the ‘Sportivo’ moniker.
As the Aurion is based on the upcoming Camry, one can’t help but wonder if Toyota may eventually consider a more
sporting iteration of its workaday sedan for Stateside enthusiasts, especially with their pending foray into the world
of NASCAR. Of course, Toyota is presently targeting such consumers as SE-spec buyers, but initial impressions of the
company’s new mainstay seem to indicate that such aspirations may be a shade optimistic.
[Source: The Australian]