MELBOURNE—Car giant Toyota is poised to manufacture its hybrid Camry in Melbourne with a deal set to be clinched by mid-year.
Talks are still under way but senior Toyota executives in Tokyo are strongly backing plans to make the company's Altona plant the regional production base for the green Camry, Fairfax newspapers report today.
The deal will go ahead providing the right government incentives are secured, and the federal government is aiming for an announcement by the end of July.
Victorian Premier John Brumby has been in discussions with Tokuichi Uranishi, executive vice-president of Toyota in Japan.
And senior Victorian cabinet ministers, armed with the government's $500-million green car fund, have met Japanese diplomatic officials and Toyota executives in an effort to secure the vehicle for Altona.
Federal Innovation Minister Kim Carr said negotiations with Toyota were continuing "fruitfully".
The green Camry is currently in production in Japan and the US.
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