V.I.S.I.T. – 2008 Toyota Aurion Grande is a Camry with a cooler name

Antti Kautonen

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aurion

Just for Monday’s sake, I’m officially posting The Most Boring Car You’ll See Me Post, Without a Doubt™. Of course, the car wouldn’t be photographable and postable if it held no merit whatsoever, and I believe this sky blue Toyota is the only Aurion Grande in the country, at least the sole Aurion between Finnish plates.

It’s still boring as hell, though. Isn’t it the same thing as a Camry, too?

aurion_2

From this angle, the car is nigh-on indistinquishable from a similar vintage Hyundai Sonata. We didn’t get Camrys here after the mid-2000s model, since the car was too large and bland to sell.

aurion1

The weird thing is that the car is badged Aurio(n), but is LHD. Apparently Aurions are mainly sold in New Zealand, but that would mean the car would be right-hand-drive. I’m thinking the car is probably a Middle Eastern import.

The car has a 270-hp 3.5 V6 in there, but it’s all probably buried so deep under plastic and automation it’s about as thrilling to use as a watercooler.

[Images: Copyright 2013 Hooniverse/Antti Kautonen]

About

Antti Kautonen

Antti Kautonen

The resident Finn of Hooniverse. Owns old Peugeots and whatnot, writes long thinkpieces on unloved cars. These two facts might be related.

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18 responses to “V.I.S.I.T. – 2008 Toyota Aurion Grande is a Camry with a cooler name”

  1. Number_Six Avatar
    Number_Six

    Who parked that blue blob in front of that awesome Mazda 3? Is that still in your fleet, Antti?

    Reply
    1. julkinen Avatar
      julkinen

      Nah, my brother drives it. And I squeezed it behind the Aurion, not the other way around!

      Reply
  2. duurtlang_ Avatar
    duurtlang_

    I wonder why someone would import a car like that. It must be impossible to find parts for, yet it doesn't have any redeeming qualities other than reliability. It must be owned by an expat.
    I don't think I've ever seen one of these in my life, yet I could walk past one without giving it a second glance. Had it been silver I'm certain I wouldn't have noticed it. You have to give it to Toyota designers, they do this better than any other brand.

    Reply
  3. Devin Avatar
    Devin

    Yet, somehow, better looking than the actual Camry, which was super lumpy in 2008.

    Reply
    1. FuzzyPlushroom Avatar
      FuzzyPlushroom

      And this one doesn't have crooked badging or off-center hubcaps…

      Reply
      1. Vairship Avatar
        Vairship

        Doesn't have the "toyota pimple" on the nose either.

        Reply
  4. dukeisduke Avatar
    dukeisduke

    To me, the rear end looks vaguely like an Acura RL, and the front end a bit Passat-ish. As for the 3.5 V6 (2GR-FE), it can light the front tires on my wife's Sienna (which probably has at least a couple hundred pounds more weight than the Aurion), so it's no slouch. You just have to put up with some torque steer, and the annoying traction control warning light.

    Reply
  5. quattrovalvole Avatar
    quattrovalvole

    Aurion = Camry in most Asian / Southeast Asian countries
    AFAIK, the "Aurion" was sold in Australia & New Zealand
    <img src="http://img20.imageshack.us/img20/1559/24423l.jpg"&gt;

    Reply
    1. dr zero Avatar
      dr zero

      The Aurion was definitely sold here in Aus. I think that it replaced the V6 Camry, and was slightly bigger than the Camry.

      Reply
  6. wisc47 Avatar
    wisc47

    I have to admit, this was all I saw in those pictures.
    <img src="http://remnantculture.com/wp-content/uploads/washingmachine.jpg"&gt;

    Reply
  7. FuzzyPlushroom Avatar
    FuzzyPlushroom

    "We didn’t get Camrys here after the mid-2000s model, since the car was too large and bland to sell."
    I can't tell you how happy that makes me. I wouldn't have shed a single tear if they'd stopped selling them altogether after 2001.

    Reply
  8. Battles Avatar
    Battles

    Embassy car maybe?
    These were possibly sold in Libya as the Aurion, I certainly used to see lots of these with Libyan registrations and Aurion badges in North Africa.

    Reply
  9. Stu_Rock Avatar
    Stu_Rock

    Wasn't there a supercharged TRD version of the Aurion? Admit it, that could be a fun car.

    Reply
    1. fototkr Avatar
      fototkr

      Yes there was a supercharged V6 edition pumping out damn near 325hp. Another car we in the states never got.

      Reply
  10. Dacket84 Avatar
    Dacket84

    I see some resemblance to the 06 Lexus GS, mostly in the head lights and tail lights… But the Lexus is far sexier.
    <img src="http://images.thecarconnection.com/med/2006-lexus-gs-430-4-door-sedan-angular-front-exterior-view_100258135_m.jpg"&gt;
    <img src="http://images.thecarconnection.com/med/2006-lexus-gs-430-4-door-sedan-angular-rear-exterior-view_100258141_m.jpg"&gt;

    Reply
  11. Syrax Avatar
    Syrax

    At least the Aurion had a cool TRD version, no Camry can say that.
    <img src="http://www.privatefleet.com.au/images/upload/Image/toyota-aurion-trd.jpg"/&gt;

    Reply
    1. BobWellington Avatar
      BobWellington

      That looks soooooooo much better than anything from Toyota in the US.

      Reply
  12. Bren Avatar
    Bren

    Question is – mid East = HOT , Fin = FREEZING , I know manufacturers used to lose the rust proofing and add extra fans etc for hot climates and add extra rust proofing and extra heat for cold climates so can this car survive the Nordic winter ???

    Reply