Toyota drops price on many of its newly redesigned 2012 Camrys

Toyota aims to strengthen its redesigned best-selling Camry sedan, which is all new for 2012, by setting base prices on all but the most basic version below the prices of the 2011 models it replaces.

Executives of the Japanese automaker unveiled the new Camry on Thursday with presentations in Hollywood, Detroit, New York and Georgetown, Ky., where President Akio Toyoda drove the first one off the assembly line that has produced about 9 million Camrys since opening in 1987.

There are five trim levels of the 2012 model. The base prices, including delivery charges, range from $22,715 for the Camry L to $26,660 for the Camry hybrid. The trim levels which Toyota expects to account for a majority of sales -- the LE and SC -- are priced $200 and $965 lower, respectively, than the models they replace.

"The launch of the new Camry is very important to our company," said President Toyoda. "This car has become a symbol of Toyota's success over the years."

The Camry has been the best selling car in the U.S. for 13 of the last 14 years. Not even the company's record number of safety recalls in late 2009 and early 2010 knocked it from that perch. But the NIssan Altima, Ford Fusion, Chevrolet Malibu and Hyundai Sonata have narrowed the gap in the first seven months of 2011, with Camry sales leading Altima by about 21,000 cars.

Camry accounted for 14.3% of all midsize cars sold in the U.S. this year through July, but that is down from 17.2% in 2010 and 20.1% in 2009.

This is the seventh generation of the Camry, which Toyota launched in 1983 to compete with the Honda Accord.

The 2012 model will be the first Toyota vehicle to offer the company's new Entune multimedia system designed to enable hands-free use of cell phones and voice-activated access to a limited number of apps that help drivers find restaurants or listen to a variety of music beyond what is available on AM or FM radio.

Toyota officials said pricing for Entune will be announced later.

The new Camry, except for the hybrid, will go on sale Oct. 3. The hybrid will be for sale in early November.