The new Toyota Camry will hit the race track before it reaches dealer lots. Today, the automaker revealed the Camry XSE Next Gen that will compete in the NASCAR Cup Series next year. It’ll make its racing debut at the Clash at the Coliseum in early February, but the Camry you can buy won’t go on sale in the US until March 19.
Toyota designed the new race car to look like the road-going version, the only thing the two share. The Camry XSE Next Gen features the sedan’s hammerhead front fascia and broad lower grille opening that’s flanked by C-shaped corner vents.
The car has distinctive fender flares that blend into a rear-end design less similar to the road car. The Toyota badge sits high on the back above the Camry word mark between the thin taillight stickers.
Toyota updated the Camry for the 2025 model year a few weeks ago. The automaker gave the ninth-generation sedan a revamped exterior design and an updated cabin.
The carmaker also shifted the powertrain lineup to hybrid-only, killing the V6. The front-wheel-drive version pairs a 2.5-liter four-cylinder to two electric motors, making a total of 225 horsepower. All-wheel-drive versions get a third electric motor on the rear axle with 232 hp on tap. The Camry XSE Next Gen will have a pushrod V8 making close to 700 hp.
The Camry XSE Next Gen, which replaces the Camry TRD racer, will compete against the new Mustang Dark Horse that Ford revealed earlier this month. Toyota competes in all three national series, racing the Supra in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and the Tundra TRD Pro in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.
