Used car find of the day: Gangsta Toyota Camry!

Toyota Camry sedans are rare cars on Indian roads. It’s surprising as the Camry is one of the biggest selling cars in the world. In fact, North Americans simply love the Camry, and the Camry to Americans is like what the Maruti Dzire is to Indians.

Now, when the Camry is so rare, what are the odds that someone modifies it into a ‘Gangsta’ car here in India? Well, India continues to surprise us every single day. We present to you the used car find of the day – the Toyota ‘Gangsta’ Camry. At Rs. 2.95 lakhs, it’s cheaper than a Tata Nano Automatic. You can buy it here.

As its name suggests, the car is a rather shocking mixture of an Audi grille, fur laden dashboard and bright red interiors. It’s the car that wanted to look hot but ended up with a bad nose job, the kinds that shady cosmetic surgeons with fake medical degrees deliver.

Unlike the human body, where a messed up surgery is usually permanent, we find that this Camry can actually be restored to pristine condition if the buyer has some patience, and of course some deep pockets. Just the front grille needs to go, and the car can get back to its former self, which if not drop dead gorgeous was at least reasonably pleasing. The interiors can always be redone without having to spend a bomb. And finally, the ugly alloy wheels can be swapped for something more good looking.

This example here is the 2.4 liter-4 cylinder version running on petrol. A 5 speed torque converter automatic gearbox is standard. This is one of Toyota’s most reliable petrol automatic combinations in the world, and if maintained well, this motor and tranny will last a lifetime. Peak power is rated at 164 Bhp and peak torque, at 224 Nm. The engine is noted for its impeccable refinement, and and propel the car to speeds of up to 200 Kmph, which is more than enough for any road in the world, leave alone Indian roads.

But the Camry is not meant to be driven like that. It’s the Indian equivalent of the American ‘Big Easy’, the car that’s long, low and perfect to cruise around town as it’s an automatic. In black, with dark tints and smoked alloy wheels, it does make for a perfect ‘Gangsta’ looking car. And we get why the modifier has chosen this route with the

Camry but we just don’t like the horrible grille up front.