Toyota Avalon on the way

By ALASTAIR SLOANE

Once upon a time Toyota New Zealand guarded the launch date and details of its new vehicles with the ferocity of a tiger guarding her newborn cubs.

Now Toyota has become a bit of a pussycat, offering up a clue here and there as to what's coming.

It's the way of the automotive industry - there is so much information available daily that carmakers are finding it almost impossible to keep a lid on new products.

This is certainly the case in New Zealand since vehicle-assembly plants closed.

Back then carmakers could quietly assemble a new model and pretty much keep it under wraps. Not now, not with every new car coming into the country completely built-up and highly visible.

One of the worst-kept secrets in the industry is the launch this year of the Toyota Avalon sedan, the biggest car in Toyota's lineup and a popular model in the United States.

It is powered by a three-litre, quad-cam, 24-valve V6 engine and will be aimed at the Holden Commodore and Ford Falcon.

Toyota New Zealand executive Alistair Davis said the large-car market now represented about 13 per cent of total new-car sales.

"The Avalon is significantly larger than the Camry V6 and we believe it will provide strong competition for both the Commodore and Falcon," he said.

Although the Avalon was designed to cater for American large-car tastes, Davis expects its design, quality and roomy interior will appeal in New Zealand.

The Avalon will be built at Toyota's assembly plant at Altona, near Melbourne. No word on price yet but it is expected to be competitive, especially as Toyota wants the Avalon to steal sales off its main rival, Ford.