Toyota Camry Solara
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This page is about the automobile manufactuered by Toyota. For other uses, see Solara (disambiguation)
| Toyota Camry Solara | |
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| Manufacturer: | Toyota |
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| Production: | 1999-present |
| Predecessor: | Toyota Camry coupé |
| Class: | Mid-size |
| Body style: | 2-door convertible 2-door coupé |
| Related: | Lexus ES Lexus RX Toyota Avalon Toyota Camry Toyota Highlander Toyota Sienna |
| Similar: | Chevrolet Monte Carlo Honda Accord |
The Toyota Camry Solara, also more commonly known as the Toyota Solara, is a mid-size coupe/convertible designed and engineered by Toyota to capture the practical sport enthusiast car market. Created to appeal to a demographic of more sport-minded drivers than those who prefer the Toyota Camry Sedan, The Camry Solara looks to bring together sport car performance and style with spacious practicality. In its second generation thus far, the Camry Solara has found a responsive niche in the car buyer market and continues to provide all that it was designed for.
Prior to the production of the Camry Solara, the 2-door version of the Toyota Camry was simply known as the "Camry Coupé" that was added to the third generation Camry lineup in 1994 to compete with the Honda Accord and other cars in its class. However, due to it never being nearly as popular as the 4-door sedan of the Camry, the Camry Coupé was dropped in 1997. In 1999, retaining the goal to compete with other similar coupés, Toyota launched the Camry Solara. Instead of mirroring the now-fourth generation Camry's design, the Solara had its own unique design with a swooped roofline, heavily creased sides and unique front and rear fascia. The name "Camry Solara" can be divided into 2 parts: The Camry portion to reflect on its roots, the Toyota Camry, and the "Solara" portion of the name portrays the radiance of the sun. However, all models of the Camry Solara only features the "Solara" portion of the name on exterior emblems (internal references, e.g. the owner's manual has it), and the "Camry" portion of the name is rarely used by anybody when referring to the car in general.
Other than the obvious difference in appearance from the Toyota Camry, the Camry Solara features a tightened suspension, and recalibrated, firmer steering. It shares most of the Camry's engines, although some are tuned slightly different and currently does not feature a Hybrid engine, or the much sought-after 2GR-FE with 268 HP (200 kW), which would have meant a 58 HP (43 kW) boost. It was originally built at Toyota’s TMMC production facilities in Cambridge, Ontario, Canada (where it is known simply as the Toyota Solara) and is exclusively available for the North American market. However, the second generation Camry Solara is currently built by Toyota's TMMK factory in Kentucky.
The current Toyota Camry Solara is available in 3 trims: SE, SE Sport, and SLE. The SE comes standard with power windows, locks and mirrors, keyless entry, cruise control, satellite steering wheel audio controls, a six-speaker CD stereo, 16-inch wheels and tires and a multifunction trip computer. The SE Sport offers a stiffer suspension with sportier looks including: 17-inch wheel and tires, an exterior body kit, graphite-style interior trim, a unique gauge cluster, leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob. The most expensive model, the SLE, offers a more luxurious interior with automatic climate control, wood grain trim, Homelink, a power-adjustable driver seat, a moonroof, a JBL premium audio system with a six-disc CD changer and, on V6 models, leather seating.
With the SE and SE Sport trims you have the choice of the 6 cylinder (210 horsepower) engine or the 4 cylinder (157 horsepower) engine. With the SLE trim a 2001-2003 model uses only the 6 cylinder engine, while a 2004-current SLE Camry Solara comes with the option of a 4 cylinder or 6 cylinder engine (with the exception of convertible models). All 4 cylinder engines come mated with a 5-speed manual or automatic transmission, while the 6 cylinder engine only comes with a 5-speed automatic transmission with manual shift-gate.
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| First generation | |
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| Production: | 1999-2001 |
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| Platform: | SXV-20 (I4) MCV-20 (V6) |
| Engine: | I4: 2.2 L 5S-FE V6: 3.0 L 1MZ-FE |
| Transmission: | 4-Speed automatic overdrive 5-Speed manual overdrive |
| Wheelbase: | 105.10 in. |
| Length: | 190.00 in. |
| Width: | 71.10 in. |
| Height: | 55.10 in. |
[edit] First generation (1999-2001)
The first generation Camry Solara went on sale in the fall of 1998, as a 1999 model to replace the Camry coupe. It was based on the mechanical platform of the previous generation Toyota Camry and was built at the TMMC facilities inCambridge, Ontario, Canada. This model featured a 4-cylinder 5S-FE 2.2L engine with 135 net HP (101 kW), and 147 lb-ft of torque @ 4400 rpm (199 Nm), and a V6 1MZ-FE 3.0 L engine with 200 net HP @ 5,200 rpm (149 kW), and 214 lb-ft of torque @ 4,400 rpm (290 Nm), both of which are identical engines to the 4th generation Camry, but slightly revamped to have a small gain in horsepower (2hp and 6hp, respectively).
The Toyota Camry Solara is also the first vehicle in the Toyota lineup, after their 1997 partnership agreement to feature a JBL premium stereo option, which all models came with a single-slot in-dash CD player and cassette deck. The SE models come standard with 15-inch steel rims and hupcabs, upgradable to 15-inch alloy rims. The Sports Package also adds a retuned suspension, perforated leather-wrapped steering wheel, perforated 8-way power-adjustable leather seats, an upgrade to 16-inch alloy rims, retuned steering, minor trim changes and a rear lip spoiler.
In the year 2000, the SE and SLE convertibles are also added to the lineup, and all JBL head units are upgraded to an in-dash 6-disc CD changer with a cassette deck.
The 4-cylinder version of the Camry Solara can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 9.7 seconds with a 17.2 @ 80.0 MPH, while the 6-cylinder version has an acceleration of 0-60 MPH of 7.1 seconds, with a quarter mile of 15.6 seconds @ 90.4 MPH.
| First mid generation | |
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| Production: | 2002-2003 |
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| Platform: | ACV-20 (I4) MCV-20 (V6) |
| Engine: | I4: 2.4 L 2AZ-FE V6: 3.0 L 1MZ-FE |
| Transmission: | 4-Speed automatic overdrive 5-Speed manual overdrive |
[edit] First mid generation (2002-2003)
The Camry Solara was redesigned in 2002, receiving changes to the grille pattern, taillights, headlights that now feature a 4-bulb system instead of 2, a chrome logo on the steering wheel (instead of an embossed pattern), the trunk is now openable by remote, smaller fog lights and the wood trim has changed from Oxford Burlwood to Mustard Wood. New packages and options are also offered, which includes heated leather seats, an Apperance Package that features a 3-spoke steering wheel instead of 4, leather-wrapped shift knob, black pearl emblems and a different center cap on the wheels.
Mechanically, the 2.2 L four-cylinder engine was replaced with the same 2.4 L four-cylinder engine offered on the redesigned 2002 Camry, the 2AZ-FE. This new engine was chosen because it features the same gas mileage as the previous engine, except it offers more horsepower and the addition of VVT-i, a technology that improves performance and reduces emissions. This new engine features 157 HP net @ 5600 RPM (117 kW), and 162 lb-ft of torque @ 4000 RPM (219 Nm), up 22 HP from the previous model with a 0-60 of 9.1 seconds with a quarter mile of 17.1 @ 83.0 MPH.
| Second generation | |
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| Production: | 2004-2006 |
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| Platform: | ACV-30 (I4) MCV-31 (V6) |
| Engine: | I4: 2.4 L 2AZ-FE V6: 3.3 L 3MZ-FE |
| Transmission: | 4-Speed automatic overdrive 5-Speed automatic overdrive 5-Speed manual overdrive |
| Wheelbase: | 107.10 in. |
| Length: | 192.50 in. |
| Width: | 71.50 in. |
| Height: | 56.10 in. |
[edit] Second generation (2004-2006)
The second generation of the Camry Solara was completely redesigned and introduced to the public in 2004 and featured a more curvy body, with the option of adding XM radio and/or a navigation system. The 4 cylinder is a carryover of the first mid generation's engine, but with 0-60 in 8.94 seconds with a quarter mile of 16.9 @ 83.8 MPH due to weight differences, and the larger available engine was the new 3.3 L V6 rated at 225 net HP @ 5600 RPM (168kW) and 240 lb-ft of torque @ 3600 RPM (325 Nm) with a 0-60 of 6.9 seconds, with a quarter mile of 15.50 @ 93.50 MPH. With the four-cylinder engine you could choose a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmission, while the V6 was matched to only a five-speed automatic transmission equipped with a sequential automatic, also known as a Multi-Mode Transmission (MMT). Both engines now feature Toyota's VVT-i technology.
In 2006, the four-speed automatic was dropped on the Solara in favor of the five-speed MMT automatic transmission.
| Second mid generation | |
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| Production: | 2007-present |
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| Engine: | I4: 2.4 L 2AZ-FE V6: 3.3 L 3MZ-FE |
| Transmission: | 5-Speed automatic overdrive 5-Speed manual overdrive |
| Wheelbase: | 107.10 in. |
| Length: | 192.50 in. |
| Width: | 71.50 in. |
| Height: | 56.10 in. |
[edit] Second mid generation (2007-present)
In June 2006 a restyled 2007 Solara went on sale. On the SE, rear LED tailights had been added, with the reverse lights moved into the bumpers. The SE Sport became available with its own unique spoiler; a noticeable change on the front end were smaller foglights, a slightly redesigned set of headlights and grille. Interior changes include Optitron gauges, blue backlighting in the rest of the car's controls, revised shifter, MP3 and WMA CD playback capability, external audio device (e.g. iPod, Zen, cassette) auxiliary port connectivity, Bluetooth connectivity, and voice-activated navigation on the SLE V6 models.
Although it gained a slightly updated appearance, it still retained both engines. Due to the new SAE-Certified testing method, the 4-cylinder model is rated at 155 HP (116 kW) with 158 lb-ft of torque (214 Nm), and the V6 is rated at 210 HP (157 kW) and 220 lb-ft of torque (298 Nm), but the output and performance is still the same without mechanical change.
[edit] Use of model name
The name Solara was previously used on a motor vehicle by Peugeot, with their Talbot Solara, a notchback variant of the Chrysler Alpine hatchback developed by Chrysler Europe before their takeover by Peugeot in 1978. The rights to use the Solara name on a motor vehicle within Europe remain with Peugeot. From time to time, such names from the past appear on limited edition models.
