Hybrid Camry for Targa Tassie

The smell of 'blow-by' and burnt rubber prevail in parc ferme at any rally event. What you can't smell is the CO2, a by-product of the modern motor car that's blamed for global climate change.

There'll be one car at this year's Targa Tasmania that will be pumping out lower quantities of CO2 however -- a Toyota Camry Hybrid. The locally-manufactured car, with its high-tech petrol/electric drivetrain has been entered by Peter Whitaker, who has previously competed in Targa Tasmania.

Toyota is lending Whitaker and his team some support and the Camry will be easily identifiable by its livery incorporating the signatures of nearly 2000 employees working at Toyota's Altona plant, where the car is built. For the manufacturer, the Targa Tasmania entry is an opportunity to promote the hybrid-drive vehicle, which has only just gone on sale in this country. The competition car will visit Toyota dealers around Tasmania while there for the tarmac rally.

"While we do not expect to be slow during the event, we are, in effect, on an economy run," says Whitaker.

"So while we will demonstrate the good handling and performance of the car, we will be focusing on using as little biodegradable fuel as possible across the six days of Targa."

It's not the first time a Toyota hybrid has competed in motor sport; a Supra hybrid (pictured) recovering energy and storing it in capacitors, rather than a battery, has campaigned in a Japanese domestic racing category.

For the Tasmanian event, don't expect the Camry to achieve 'combined cycle' fuel consumption or CO2 emission figures on competitive stages, but between its auto-stop/start facility while sitting idle in control checkpoints and its regenerative braking on downhill grades, it's likely that the Toyota will be the most economical vehicle in the event, not that that's necessarily a reason to boast.

But Targa Tasmania event director Mark Perry welcomes the Camry Hybrid -- the first and only vehicle to compete in the newly-created Hybrid Category.

"At Targa Tasmania we recognise the contemporary emphasis on low CO2 emissions," Perry said.

"In fact, we have a mandate to become carbon neutral by 2011; only one of the reasons why we've introduced a Hybrid Category for competitors."

At the very least, how the capable Toyota performs will be watched with much interest, we're sure. Targa Tasmania starts in George Town on Tuesday, April 27 and finishes in Hobart on May 2.

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