CAMRY IS A STRETCH

CAMRY IS A STRETCH 11/05/2005 - An Australian-made Toyota Camry is turning heads in Japan as it transports VIPs visiting the 2005 World Expo Aichi. The specially modified black Camry stretch limo will remain in Japan for the remaining five months of the Expo alongside a regular Australian-made Camry Azura. Federal Minister Mark Vaile was the first dignitary to travel in the car and on April 21 it was part of Prime Minister John Howard’s cavalcade to Expo. Commissioner-General for Australia to Expo 2005, Andrew Todd, said the unusual stretch Camry is turning plenty of heads in Japan. “People do tend to stop in the street and stare at the car, especially with its Victorian number plates,” said Mr Todd. “It is a great coals to Newcastle story having two Australian-built Camrys here in Nagoya, the home of Toyota. “Toyota Australia has been a wonderful and generous supporter of Expo 2005, not only financially but also by providing these two fine Australian-built Camrys used to transport Australian dignitaries, including State Premiers and Ministers.” Toyota Australia is a major partner with the Australian Government in Australia’s participation at the World Expo. Aichi prefecture is the home of Toyota Motor Corporation and is Victoria’s sister state in Japan. The black stretch Camry was extended by 400mm in length to provide luxurious legroom in the rear seat for VIPs being hosted by the Australian Pavilion. Sydney company Accessible Transit Specialists (ATS) completed the work on the Altona-built Camry on behalf of Toyota Australia. As part of the conversion, a DVD and satellite navigation system was built into the car with display screens mounted behind the front seats so that the VIPs can follow the route they are travelling or watch movies while being transported. ATS developed the vehicle over five months, including comprehensive static testing to ensure the standard Camry’s crashworthiness was not compromised. Toyota head office has also provided a fleet of environmentally friendly buses to transport the estimated 15 million visitors around the massive Expo site, which covers 173 hectares (about 430 acres). These include 65-seater fuel cell hybrid buses that demonstrate Toyota’s expertise in the use of hydrogen as a fuel source. Toyota regards the fuel cell hybrid bus running on hydrogen as the ultimate eco vehicle as it carries 65 passengers in near silence and emits only water vapour. Toyota also developed a special fleet of smaller buses for the Expo site that are powered by clean CNG (compressed natural gas) engines. EDITOR - Mark Cox