Toyota Camry To Have Aluminum Hoods By 2018
As Ford prepares to stake its future on an aluminum F-150, Toyota is looking to do the same for at least a single part on its best-selling vehicle.
Automotive News reports the automaker will begin stamping aluminum hoods for the Camry in 2018, introducing the metal to its customers in North America with the hood and liftgate of the Lexus RX 350 in 2015. The move is part of an overall plan “to use aluminum on future vehicles for hood, closures and parts for lightweighting,” according to representative Jana Hartline, who adds the automaker will “increase usage of mix metals and resin materials to enhance lightweighting efforts.”
The plan will be enacted through a joint venture between its trading company, Toyota Tsusho Corp., and Kobe Steel, with Toyota being one of the JV’s first clients. The venture aims to produce 100,000 tons of aluminum sheet annually, and plans to build its operation near producer Wise Alloys of Muscle Shoals, Ala. to help tackle constraints resulting from the increased popularity — a result of tightening CAFE regulations — of the metal.
Seattle-based writer, blogger, and photographer for many a publication. Born in Louisville. Raised in Kansas. Where I lay my head is home.
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"Lightweighting"? What an insult to the English language. Oh, and f**k CAFE.
I must say, Toyota did a good job on the '15 Camry. Overall it's a less awkward, more sleek and compact-looking design. My only main gripes are the huge maw on the sporty trim level above (the XLE looks much nicer with Avalon-esque horizontal slats), the somewhat dull rear end treatment, and, of course, the somewhat horrifying DLO FAIL, suggesting C-pillar windowlets where none exist.
Very daring. 400,000 aluminum hoods a year. What will they think of next? Oh what a feeling. Wow, better put out a press release. My old Subaru has one with a nice hood scoop cutout in the middle to save even more weight.
Aluminum hoods are great. My car has an aluminum hood and trunk as well as a sprinkling of composite structure pieces (2006 Infiniti), it saves a little weight, and moves the CG a little lower. Add a carbon fiber roof and life gets a bit better - but that probably won't happen on a Camry for a while. People are afraid of Aluminum body panels, but many companies have been doing it for 20 years at this point. My Audi A8 was all aluminum and that was in the mid 90's.