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The Days of this Spicy Toyota Mainstay Aren’t Entirely Over Just Yet

The Camry could be getting sportier variant again. Yes, please.

Rear view of a white Toyota Camry TRD with black spoiler, black wheels, and dual exhaust pipes on a road.Toyota
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By Chris Chin

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If you’ve been looking for a hot Toyota Camry, but are saddened by the absence of the hi-po V6-powered TRD model from not too long ago, there may be some hope. Kind of.

New rumors and a recent trademark filing with the US Patent and Trademark Office suggest Toyota’s prepping a sportier Camry for the latest model.

The Camry recently entered its seventh generation just last year. Now, Toyota’s in the midst of repopulating its range with all the fancy (and not-so-fancy) variants.

Giving grams and gramps speed

White Toyota sedan with black roof and wheels driving on a winding road through dry, hilly terrain.
A new, sporty Camry could rejoin the lineup for the seventh-gen model.
Toyota

When Toyota introduced the seventh generation, fans were sad to see the disappearance of the optional V6. The Camry the last of the mainstream midsize sedans to offer six-cylinder power.

Moreover, it was also one of the last naturally aspirated V6-powered automobiles on the market. Between its high redline and 300-horsepower output (in a freakin’ Camry!), said V6 was an unexpected hoot.

White Toyota Camry TRD sedan with black roof and black wheels parked on asphalt road near trees.
The new sporty Camry may be a rumored Apex model, which won’t be as extreme as the previous TRD V6.
Toyota

As such, grandma and grandpa could burn rubber just like in their 390-powered ’66 Fairlane 500. It also attracted younger buyers for the amount of go-fast performance it offered per dollar.

That was very much the case with the V6-powered TRD variant. But even without the desirable extras from Toyota Racing Development, the V6-powered Camry could sprint to 60 mph in less than six seconds.

Silver sedan with black roof and tinted windows driving on a desert road with blurred background.
When Toyota discontinued the previous gen Camry, it took the V6 option with it, sadly.
Toyota

In fact, that V6 is so good, Lotus used it in a variety of its sports cars up until a few years ago.

The V6 Camry TRD wasn’t perfect. But there certainly weren’t very many cars like it. And the best part was that it was a total sleeper.

Now, Toyota’s looking to revive some of that excitement for its vanilla bread-and-butter family sedan.

Another go-fast Camry?

White Toyota Camry with black roof and rear spoiler driving on a wet racetrack with green fields and cloudy sky.
Sleeper fans may be excited to see another sporty Camry, but they’ll probably miss the V6 like we do
Toyota

According to the rumors and the USPTO filing, Toyota may be prepping an “Apex Edition” of the Camry. If that trim level sounds familiar, the Japanese automaker introduced the same badge and equipment spec for the current Corolla.

For the Corolla, it adds a bit of sporty flair with some performance benefits. This includes a track-tuned sport suspension with a half-inch decrease in ride height for quicker handling, some larger alloys and a sport-tuned exhaust.

White Toyota sedan with black roof, black wheels, and red brake calipers parked on asphalt near trees.
The Camry V6 TRD shocked everyone with its 300-plus horsepower and 0-60 mph time in less than six seconds.
Toyota

The Corolla Apex exists solely for the US market. If those were any telling clues, that could mean a similar treatment for all US-spec Camrys.

Just like all trademark filings, it’s no surefire confirmation of a new model. However, a sportier Camry Apex becoming a reality is hardly a far-fetched possibility.

Black leather Toyota steering wheel with red stitching and digital dashboard, touchscreen center console, and gear shift in a car interior.
The TRD trim wasn’t just an appearance package on the Camry.
Toyota

The only sad part is the absence of the V6. Today, the quickest Camry is the top-spec all-wheel-drive hybrid variant.

It produces a total system output of 232 horsepower and can propel the sedan to 60 mph from a standstill in just six and a half seconds.

Silver sedan with black roof and black wheels driving on a curved brick road near a water feature.
Should a Camry Apex edition happen, it’ll likely take inspiration from the Corolla Apex’s formula.
Toyota

Should the Apex model happen, it likely won’t be as extreme as the TRD version, what with its pronounced rear spoiler, racy bodywork and flashy multi-spoke alloy wheels.

But it’ll still look more appealing than just your plain, vanilla rental-spec Camry.

About the Author: Chris Chin is an associate editor at Gear Patrol, covering cars, trucks and anything else with four wheels. He has over a decade of experience writing news and reviews but considers himself an enthusiast first, with a passion for classics and European cars. His daily driver is a 1987 Mercedes-Benz 560SEL with nearly 250,000 miles (87,000 are his).

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