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Drive

Can the Camry be dethroned?

By ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published January 29, 2007

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How does any automaker unseat the Toyota Camry?

The top-selling passenger car in the United States for the past five years, the Camry was restyled in 2006, and the more athletic version has kept the dependable vehicle No. 1.

In the competitive midsized segment, the industry is offering more stylish, sporty models to reduce the boredom factor that has marked some of the dependable midsized vehicles in the past.

"The various manufacturers recognize that to keep the sales alive it can't just be a good workhorse anymore - it really has to be exciting," said Dave Conant, president of the CAR Group, which sells Honda and Toyota brands.

In Detroit, one of Toyota's main competitors, General Motors Corp., offers a new challenge to the Camry. The new 2008 Chevrolet Malibu will be drastically restyled, with sweeping lines, a bold front grille and a wider stance atop a more powerful engine.

Consumers often associate quality, fuel economy and safety with Asian manufacturers, but the Malibu can be equal or better in those categories, GM says.

The new Malibu will try to make an emotional connection with consumers looking for an eye-catching midsized car while offering practicality: GM's five-year, 100,000-mile powertrain warranty.

"It's a highly competitive segment but it's a segment where Chevy has to do well," said GM chairman and CEO Rick Wagoner. "Chevy's our big-dog brand, as we say, and drives a lot of volume."

Erich Merkle, director of forecasting for the auto consulting company IRN Inc. in Grand Rapids, Mich., said U.S. brands can beat the Asian manufacturers by taking risks with uniquely American designs like DaimlerChrysler AG's Chrysler Group did with the popular 300.

"I think the Japanese are incredibly vulnerable in terms of design. Toyota, they're Maytag," Merkle said.

Top-sellers last year

The Toyota Camry once again was the top-selling midsized car in the United States last year, but other automakers are rolling out new products in an effort to cut into its sales. The top-selling midsized cars in 2006:

1. Toyota Camry 448,445

2. Honda Accord 354,441

3. Chevrolet Impala 289,868

4. Nissan Altima 232,457

5. Ford Taurus 174,803

6. Pontiac G6 157,644

7. Hyundai Sonata 149,513

8. Ford Fusion 142,502

9. Chevrolet Malibu GMX 138,110

10. Dodge Charger 114,201

[Last modified January 29, 2007, 06:13:13]