Why is the Toyota Camry overlooked by the tuner crowd?

Ok hear me out most tuner cars are economy cars with I4 or V6 eingines right? Well according to http://www.zeroto60times.com/ the 1997 Toyota Camry CE V6 ( which only comes in manual ) gets a 15.3 second quarter mile whereas a brand new 2012 Honda Civic Si (also manual) manages a 15.1 second quarter mile (tested by edmunds, link to video here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8JsGTSipJs&feature=player_embedded#at=23). Thats enough to make it a drivers race. The Civic might handle better but thats nothing coilovers and a big brake kit can fix. The 1MZFE (camry eingine) can handle 300whp without even cracking open the block. A guy in Saudi Arabia managed 471 Whp and 467 lbft @20PSI with forged pistons (8.5:1 CR), Aftermarket headgasket and ARP head/main studs. Also a '98 camry CE V6 is about $5,000 vs $22,000 for a 2012 Civic Si. So for the price of a late 90s Honda Civic Si you get the performance of a brand new Civic Si? Why does the Civic get so much love and why do people laugh at the thought of tuning a Camry? I guess its a good thing because I get a sleeper as my favorite car but whats your opinion? And to boot the camry is a overal better car...