The Toyota Aurion, (pronounced or-ree-on) is a mid-size car produced by Toyota in Australia and parts of Asia since 2006. The Aurion, given the model designation GSV40R,[1] is essentially a Toyota Camry (GSV40) with revised front- and rear-end treatment, along with changes to the interior. The Camry-based Aurion is also sold in the majority of East and Southeast Asia as the Toyota Camry, with the original version of the Camry sold alongside the Aurion in Australasia and the Middle East. In the previous two markets, the car replaces the Avalon model, which can trace its roots back to the early 1990s.
In the Australasian and Middle Eastern markets, to further differentiate the Aurion from its Camry sibling, Toyota equips the Aurion exclusively with a 3.5 litre V6 engine. With the Camry, only the 2.4 litre four-cylinder model is offered.[2][3] Previously in these markets, prior to the introduction of the Camry (ACV40/GSV40), Toyota had offered both four- and a six-cylinder powerplants.[4] Along with the naturally-aspirated version, Toyota also produced an Australia-only supercharged TRD Aurion between 2007 and 2009. Tuned by Toyota Racing Development (TRD), this performance variant was at its release claimed to be the world's most powerful front-wheel drive car.[5]
The powertrains used in the Asian specification Camry vary slightly from those of the Aurion. As well as the 3.5 litre V6, two four-cylinder engines are offered in either 2.0 litre or a 2.4 litre form. These engines are mated with a six-, four- and five-speed automatic transmissions respectively.[6]
History of development
Before the official unveiling of the Toyota Aurion at the 2006 Melbourne International Motor Show on 9 February 2006, Toyota Australia manufactured the full-size Avalon model at its Altona plant in Melbourne until June 2005.[7] Production of the Avalon had commenced in 2000, and had taken much of its basic design and mechanical features from the then six-year-old Avalon model designed in the United States.[8] The Avalon was offered as a larger, more upmarket car than the Toyota Camry, which it was built alongside.[9] The original sales predictions were not met, with the Avalon failing to challenge rivals such as the Holden Commodore and the Ford Falcon. The reasoning behind this has been widely attributed to the Avalon's older design and styling,[10] which has been widely described as "bland",[11][11] as well as the front-wheel drive configuration and small engine displacement.[11] In its best year, the Avalon only managed to reach half of Toyota's projected sales target,[7] with many potential buyers opting for the slightly smaller sized V6 Camry,[11] featuring the same engine as the Avalon.[12]Toyota, discovering that the Australian public wanted something that was Australian and modern, began working on the Aurion in 2003. The development kick-started when Nick Hogios left Ford Australia and joined Toyota, working in Japan on the design of the Aurion. Hogios became the chief designer of the car. He previously worked on designing the XR performance models of the Ford BA Falcon, and claims that the Aurion follows the traits of current Australian styling, with a tendency to look towards European designs for inspiration. The Aurion is marketed as a new model designed for Australians.[13]
Paul Beranger was the head of Toyota Styling Australia, a team that had regular discussions with Toyota Japan to work out how the car would eventually turn out. Being the first time that Toyota Australia had designed its own car, it took Toyota Styling Australia some time to convince Toyota Japan that the Australian division could indeed design and make the Aurion. Successful concept designs, notably the Sportivo Coupe and Avalon X-Runner coupé utility helped convince Toyota Japan to allow the project to be undertaken.[7]
On 9 February 2006 Toyota Australia unveiled the Aurion alongside the Aurion Sportivo concept at the Melbourne International Motor Show at an official press release. Toyota dropped the Avalon tag for their new large car, as it had gained a reputation to be an uninspiring car, both in flesh and to drive. Toyota made use of the Aurion name to give the car a fresh start.[14] Aurion means "tomorrow" in Ancient Greek, and Aurora translates to "the dawn" in Latin. This gives implications of a completely new car and ties in with Toyota's advertising slogan, "Can't wait for tomorrow".[14] The name was chosen after consumer research on more than 30 potential names.[15]
Safety
Safety was a key aspect in the development of the Aurion. All safety features are standard across the entire range and there are no optional safety devices. Features such as dual front, side and curtain airbags, traction control, brake assist, electronic brakeforce distribution and Vehicle Stability Control come standard. In tests conducted by Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP), the base model scored a four-star rating, with 30.03 out of 37 points.[22] Toyota caused controversy by not providing a third test vehicle for ANCAP to use for the optional "side-pole impact test". This third test, allows tested vehicles to be eligible for a five star rating if the initial score is high enough. Toyota cited the additional expense of AU$75,000–$100,000 including the car as being unjustifiable, and that they did not agree with the nature of the pole test. The scores given without the optional test indicate that the maximum two points that could have been earned would have being slightly less than needed to give the Aurion a five star rating anyway.[23] Due to Toyota's decision to fit a driver and front passenger seat belt reminder, along with their decision to fund the optional pole test, the Aurion's safety rating was upgraded to a full five stars from August 2009 production, with a score of 33.03 out of 37.[24][25]
TRD Aurion
Toyota unveiled the Aurion Sports Concept at the 2006 Australian International Motor Show, held in Sydney.[44] The AU$8 million concept car was a styling exercise previewing the TRD Aurion, which was subsequently released in August 2007.[45] TRD’s first experiment with supercharger technology was with the Toyota Camry-based 2005 TS-01 concept.[46]
The project's exterior design manager was Lee Moran, a former Ford Australia designer. He was chosen by Toyota Styling Australia chief Paul Berninger in 2005. One of Moran’s focuses was to reduce the size of the grille and add emphasis to the front bumper line below it. This was done so the car had more of a Formula One oriented look. In the Toyota wind tunnel in Japan, the vehicle's drag coefficient was confirmed at 0.30, meaning that the car would operate better aerodynamically than its non-TRD variants.[45] The TRD also features bold exterior additions that differentiate it with the standard Aurion range, such as exhaust pipes integrated into the bumper, tinted taillight lenses, and a unique bodykit.[47] Along with the supercharged 3.5 litre V6 engine outputting 241 kilowatts (323 hp) of power and 400 newton metres (300 ft·lbf) of torque, the TRD also incorporates an upgraded suspension system and tyres over the standard Aurion models to improve car handling.[28]
Toyota Australia planned to sell 50–70 TRD Aurion units per month with the majority of the sales coming from Australia.[45] However, the project was unsuccessful, and as of 31 March 2009, TRD Australia halted production of the Aurion TRD (and TRD Hilux), and the division was shut down.[48] When available, the range comprised two variants, the 3500S and 3500SL. The former features performance mufflers, 19 inch alloy wheels, red alcantara leather seats with black alcantara fabric bolsters and other high performance upgrades.[49] The range-topping 3500SL adds clearance and reverse parking sensors, dual-zone climate control air conditioning, a colour-coded transmission selection lever, and an eight-way adjustable driver's seat.[50] Furthermore, the SL gains an aluminium rear bumper reinforcement addition, and is the first production car in the world to use the Eaton twin-vortices supercharger. This substantially reduces engine noise while bringing gains to power and torque.[51]
2009 update
Toyota of Thailand unveiled a reworked version of the East and Southeast Asian-market Camry in June 2009 equipped with a hybrid drivetrain.[52] The revised Aurion-based Camry previewed the Australian Aurion's then upcoming facelift. The updated car features new headlamp and taillamp lens clusters with integrated foglamps, along with a redesigned front bumper, grille insert, and revised interior trim details.[53][54] Toyota Australia later revealed the updated car as its Aurion on 21 September. While the front-end of the original Aurion was designed with a "double-concave" architecture, the revised version abandons this for an "X-Form" design philosophy, characterised by a lower and wider trapezoidal shaped grille. The rear lamp design, according to Toyota Australia's David Buttner, has "evolved from the twin round design [...] to a parallelogram design and striking diffused LED illumination."[54]
Like the original version, the Aurion continues to offer differing frontal design treatments across the range.[54] From side, the rehashed design is identified by the deletion of bodyside moulding strips and a range of new wheels designs, including the standard fitment of alloy wheels on the base-line AT-X.[55] Interior upgrades in the form of new colour combinations are featured, along with upgraded instruments and gauges giving greater turn signal and warning-signal clarity. Revised audio systems, lighting and in-cabin storage are also featured. Prodigy and Presara versions receive a new "linear satin" wood grain finish.[54]
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