Cool. Will they be exported to other local countries like New Zealand or is it Aussie domestic only. :canada:

They were going to do it anyway, I love Kevin07 but he would have better spent his energy talking Holden into putting into use some of the stuff they learned from the CSIRO and the Ecommodore. Instead Holden closed the engine plant where they made the engine in the Ecommodore! I can't understand why they didn't expand the alloy casting and continue making alloy 4 cylinder engines?

Sad when you think about it, sales of 8 and 6 cylinder cars are falling globally so Holden keeps the 6 cylinder engine plant open and close their 4 cylinder engine plant. Can anyone guess it is General Motors that owns Holden.

I only wish Mitsubishi with its electrical interests and airconditioning inverter experience had seen fit to build a hybrid here in Adelaide but instead they took their bat and ball and went home.

I'd say if you are getting Aussie Camrys now you would get the hybrid too.
(Why the Canadian flag?)

So are you Aussies gonna mess up the Hybrid by putting the steering wheel on the wrong side .......again?

(hides his head in his hands and ducks)

ZC1

Cuz there's no Oz flag icon, and Canada is a fellow Commonwealth country. What with the Imperial gallon history and 'U's' in various words that Mericans think are funny.

Also, I'm Canuck. But beware, cuz I'm Merican too, having been born there.

Considering that Australia's population is only 21 million, I am surprised that much auto production goes on there.

150,000 production per year is very good number, I think.
Following is Toyota's press release, in Thailand too...
TOYOTA: News Releases
TOYOTA: News Releases

Ken@Japan

Sounds like a lot of Aussies are not too happy about this deal...

Readers' Comments: Toyota wins $35m green grant - Herald Sun

Hey ZC1, what makes you think that the Aussies et al got it wrong ? When are you guys going to learn to drive on the proper side of the road ?

Scientifically proven that on an impending crash a drivers instinctive, natural reaction is to pull the steering wheel to the left, which means away from traffic in the correct countries and into oncoming traffic in USA and most of Europe...

Really ? References please ?

Perhaps that's only true down under where the water swirls down the drain the "wrong" way.

Actually we are putting it back where it belongs. After all, the design came from Japan where they drive on the correct side of the road, so everything is lined up correctly when the steering wheel is on the right side.

Like you in the US, we have our own set of rev-heads and other hybrid bashers, all with the usual misinformation (or should that be missing information ). I think that the real complaint is that a lot of people don't want the government to give away $35m to Toyota, especially as some, including key local Toyota people, were saying that Toyota were going to introduce the hybrid Camry here regardless of what the government were offering - the $35m is a bonus for them.

For me, apart from the fact that we will start getting more hybrids here in Aust, and most likely NZ, Toyota are putting in the effort to support the local car manufacturing and providing local jobs, which is more than most other manufacturers (see pat's comments re Holden (GM)). Why shouldn't they get a bonus. There was another article recently that commented that Aussie built cars are now getting too expensive to export courtesy of our strong dollar, but still Toyota are supporting the locals.

I have thought long about this and I now think it is a good thing. Toyota need to push more hybrids into the Australian market and in the whole scheme of things $35M isn't a lot. I assume the money will go toward ensuring the Camry Hybrid built here will suit the Aussie and export markets. Good on you Kevin Rudd, money well spent.

Now the government and Toyota probably need to spend an equal amount on educating people what a hybrid is and how it will help them get about in the future.

And Toyota, if you're reading this, how about we make Kluger Hybrids here too? Same chassis as the Camry and it will give those bushies an eco-nomical AWD to drive to town. Come on Toyota, how 'bout it? You know you want to!!

"The $35 million comes from the $500 million green car innovation fund that Mr Rudd promised before the election."

I can barely wait to hear what auto manufacturers are going to announce as they compete for the remaining $465 million!

Don't worry ABC (Australian Broadcast Corp)'s 7:30 Report (dated 11 June 2008)program highlights Holden(GM)'s fumble with government funded CSIRO/Holden eCommodore project.

Some Australians are dumb enough to think Holden is an Aussie company e.g. "geoff of melb".

Roger Hart of Phoenix, Arizona is too stupid realize the MPG difference between Hybrid Camry and half baked Hybrid Accord.

Here's an extract from Wikipedia to whet your appetite. If you'd like more info try Google ,it's there somewhere...

Right- and left-hand traffic

Research in 1969 by J. J. Leeming showed that countries that drive on the left had a lower accident rate than countries that drive on the right, but this research is questioned in Peter Kincaid's book on the rule of the road. Some countries that have switched to driving on the right (such as Sweden) saw their long term accident rates increase by more than any increase in traffic volumes[citation needed]. It has been suggested, but not proven, that this is partly because it is more common to be right-eye dominant.[18][19][20] Traffic flows in a clockwise direction when driving on the left which enables right eyed people to use the right eye to see oncoming traffic. When overtaking (passing) on a right-side-driving road, the right-eyed driver looks in the wing mirror (side mirror) with the left eye and also views the oncoming traffic with the left eye which is not suited to the majority right-eyed people.... "

Interesting, thanks. I didn't think most of us are right-eyed as well as right-handed.

Anyway, we're stuck with RHD in North America now anyway, and perhaps forever more. I can't imagine the chaos that would ensue if we switched one day, like some European countries have.

I knew it, yes I did.
The way people drive in Detroit, I just knew they were driving with only one eye open.

Psstt...you're probably asking "But what about the "other" eye?
Well that eye, my friend, is talking on the cell phone.


ZC1

You are lucky they still drive with one eye open. I see so many drivers whom I am sure are driving with both eyes closed for most of the time. Either that, or their brains were left at home, and thus don't need to look.