Toyota Believes TRD Models Will Bring In The Youthful Buyers Scion Failed To

Since 2007, Toyota Motor Corp. has been racing the nation's best-selling car, its Camry sedan, in the nation's most-watched motor sports series: NASCAR.

Now, it hopes to finally leverage some of that track cred in the showroom as part of President Akio Toyoda's bid to zest up the brand's stodgy image and win over younger shoppers.

The idea: Expand the brand's line of Toyota Racing Development tuner editions to passenger cars, possibly starting with a Camry TRD as early as this year. Toyota bets it can replicate the success its TRD editions have had in drawing the coveted younger demographic to its trucks.

MDarringer - 2/2/2015 6:42:31 PM

0 Boost

Does Toyota not see how writing TuRD on their vehicles is dumb.

Vette71 - 2/2/2015 7:00:19 PM

+1 Boost

Toyota = dull. A reliable appliance yes, but being sporty and fun to drive? Nope.

MDarringer - 2/2/2015 8:39:05 PM

-1 Boost

They have Lexus for luxury. If they took Scion to sport with a Scion "Celica" and a "Supra" that were not flushable turds designed by Subaru, they'd be in motion. Add in a Scion "GTI" and "GLI" and suddenly Scion would be cool.

Tapping into the JDM, tuner boy market is critical.

mini22 - 2/2/2015 8:41:38 PM

+2 Boost

The question is this. Is the Camry as a platform decent enough to turn it into a TRD? Next question. Will a TRD Camry be as fun to drive as a Mazda 6 or Honda Accord Sport? What about a Corolla TRD? That's a car crying out for better steering and better handling let alone better performance. Would not young people who can more easily afford a Corolla over a Camry might appreciate a TRD Corolla? Questions, questions, questions!