07 Camry w/ HSD details and specs … - Page 4 - GreenHybrid

lars-ss · #31 (**permalink**) 01-16-2006, 07:29 AM

http://www.mysanantonio.com/business....1bd8f7db.html

Let's hope this reporter is VERY misinformed. This article says Toyota will be "loading up the Camry Hybrid" and selling it for around $30K. That would be a BIG mistake, Toyota !! You better put that Camry price at around $26K if you know what's good fer ya !!!

Quote:

No price has been announced for the Camry hybrid, but consumers can expect to see a list price beginning at nearly the same as that of the Accord hybrid — about $30,000 — because the two are expected to be in close competition and to be similarly equipped.

With the hybrid, Honda added just about every option you can buy on an Accord to help its profitability.

Selling a stripped-down Accord hybrid would have limited any profit the automaker might have realized. Hybrid technology is still very expensive, and automakers already selling hybrids are having a hard time making a profit on them.

By loading the Accord with costly options, such as leather interior and even a high-tech navigation system, Honda can charge up to $33,000 for one and at least make some money on the accessories. Toyota is expected to do the same with the Camry.

Both automakers learned a hard lesson with their first hybrids — the two-seat Insight hatchback and five-passenger compact Civic sedan from Honda and the five-passenger Prius hatchback from Toyota, whose first version was a compact, but now is a midsize.

Analysts say neither automaker makes much profit, if any, on those cars, whose prices begin in the low-$20,000s. Toyota was said to have lost $15,000 per vehicle when sales of the Prius began in 2000, but now it claims to be making at least a small profit on each sale.

CGameProgrammer · #32 (**permalink**) 01-16-2006, 09:41 AM

He's definitely uninformed. All sources indicate leather is not standard on the Camry Hybrid and I didn't even hear mention of it being an option, though it may be, but satellite navigation definitely won't be standard since there have already been interior photos released of a hybrid without it. Same for satellite radio, of course.

Not to mention that Toyota has stated it will be less than a loaded V-6 XLE. That means the base hybrid may be $28k, but hopefully less.

kdhspyder · #33 (**permalink**) 01-16-2006, 04:19 PM

I'm nearly positive I read that there will be two trim levels in the TCH. One equivalent to the V6 LE with cloth, BT and alloys; the other will be like the XLE V6 w/ leather, Sunroof and Navi options.

Using 'Yota's typical prices:
Leather + $1200
sunroof + $1000
Navi + $1800

I'm guessing, hoping, the range is $26-26500 for the HSD LE trim vs $25500 for the LE V6 ICE
and $30500-31000 for the HSD XLE equivalent vs $30000 for the XLE V6 ICE.

Take your pick fuel economy or performance?