Boring is boring

Over the past 30 years, the Toyota Camry became America's best-selling nameplate specifically because of its rock-solid reliability, uninspiring design and lackluster performance.

Now Toyota wants to change that.

According to this article in the New York Times, they're feeling pressure from others (read Ford and Hyundai) who have caught up in the area of reliability while offering products that are just a little more interesting.

So they're injecting "attitude" into their campaign with the slogan "It's ready. Are you?" and spots that feature smoking tires...

Maybe it's time someone told auto company executives, most of the country finds NASCAR boring. Just check out the ratings and attendance figures over the past few years. Putting the car in this context does not make my heartbeat race. And neither does a "reinvented" Camry.

I'm sure the Camry's a great car but sportier body panels won't make it more interesting, any more than dressing Mr. Rogers in a track suit will all of a sudden transform him into Usain Bolt.