After hiding away since the early 1990s, video tapes detailing behind-the-scenes footage of the XV10 Camry/Vienta have surfaced.
Video tapes showcasing the XV10 Toyota Camry/Vienta’s initial design, product engineering, Australian-manufacturing, crash testing, road testing and eventual product launch have been liberated from their respective dark corners of the country.
One tape, sent out to dealers and interested customers who rang up for a copy, had been hiding in a personal collection for over 30 years. After hassling the collector for almost a decade, I finally arranged to add the tape to my obscure collection (which includes the original media/press kit). As soon as I walked in the door from collecting the tape, it went into my VCR. Holding my breath and hoping the tape wasn’t mangled, I was successfully able to digitise the tape and archive it to my YouTube channel.
Seeing the amount of local engineering and manufacturing that went into the XV10 range (amongst others) was astounding, with many Australian OEMs such as Hella, Bridgestone and Pilkington featuring.
It’s quite interesting to consider that these tapes could be the last surviving copies after so many years. They are not available elsewhere online, and I have not heard any mention of their existence outside a group of select individuals. Either way, I’m glad that they have not become entirely lost to the sands of time.
For me, it was fascinating to see the entire process behind a car that has been a pivotal part of my life. But, that’s a story for another day…
Charlie Munns' Automotive Tales 
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