2006 Toyota Camry

[Jason C]

Above pictured is an SE, sport kit, suspension, etc... the real highlight is the optional engine: 3.5-liter V6, dual VVTi, twin cam, 4 valves per cylinder, 268 hp at 6,200 rpm, 248 lb-ft at 4,700 rpm. Paired with a 6-speed auto. Probably will be about as fast as the Avalon, which places the 0-60 times in the very low 6-second range and the 1/4th in about 14.5 @ 100mph.

Well, this soulless appliance makes a lot of the "sporting" cars I've been considering look hamster-powered in comparison. Of course straight-line speed isn't everything but even I'm a bit taken aback by all these powerful mainstream cars: Sonata 235, Accord 244, Altima 245, and now this.

(Btw, that is a nearly 80-hp gain from one generation V-6 Camry to the next. You'd have to wait about 20 years to get that sort of power bump from a make like Porsche)