An early 1990s Toyota Camry is world-renowned as not only the car your parents probably had growing up, but also as the one of the beigest of beigemobiles ever created. It is your generic "car," when one has to think of some "car." So the fact that it might be a herald of the 21st century was frightening.
The 1992 Toyota Camry wasn't the only one to try out a vague idea of the future as a marketing ploy for a fairly dreary mode of transportation. Geo tried it, too, with their Geo Metro. But the Camry and the Metro were dreary in different ways.
The Metro sent a message of frugality, and not much else. A silver 1992 Toyota Camry, with a dull, gray leather interior, sent the message of responsibility, and not much else.
And your life is full of responsibilities already. You've got your job, your mortgage, your rent, your car payment, your insurance payment, your student loan, diaper bills, electric bills, water bills, heating bills, groceries, cable bill, really just everything in life that you have to either pay for, or you do so that you can pay for. So why should your car remind you of that?
Why should your car say "I have seen the next century, and it is basic family transportation AND NOTHING ELSE."
Sure, an old Camry is basically bulletproof and will always get you from point A to point B, but a little fun, or even the idea of fun, never hurt anybody. Especially when we're talking about the future.