After a two-year wait, Toyota and TRD revealed the new Toyota TRD Camry that will compete in the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series. The TRD Camry is Toyota’s entry into the series under new regulations that NASCAR is calling “Next Gen,” which feature enhanced safety and technology designed to make the sport even more exciting and keep the drivers safe on track.
One of the most significant aspects of the Next Gen cars is their visual similarity to production vehicles. Toyota, TRD, and Calty Design worked together to ensure that the TRD Camry closely resembled its production counterpart. Here’s a look at VehiclesTEST’s consumer Virtual Test Drive of the 2021 Toyota Camry, on Longo Toyota’s website.
Under the skin (which is now made of carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic, as opposed to sheet metal) the changes to the Next Gen car are extensive. The race car is still built on a tube frame, but it will now feature independent suspension at all four corners. Steering is now of a rack-and-pinion type, as opposed to the recirculating-ball setup that the current car uses. The transmission is now a sequential type 5 speed, replacing the old 4-speed manual, and the wheels have grown from 15-inch steelies to 18-inch alloys that use a center locking lug nut.
The Next Gen TRD Camry will still use a Toyota-designed 358-cubic-inch fuel injected pushrod V-8, but the exhaust has been reworked to give the car a new sound and allow for aerodynamic improvements to the underside of the car.
Expect a lot of excitement and interest surrounding the debut of the Next Gen cars when they make their NASCAR Cup Series debut in the 2022 Daytona 500 next February.
For more information on using video at your dealership, on how to use Twitter or to set up a video blog, please reach out to Doug Thompson at VehiclesTEST.com (954-629-2242).