Filed under: Convertibles, Plants/Manufacturing, Toyota
Toyota Camry Solara Convertible saved from Gallows Pole
Did Toyota get some silver? Did it get a little gold? What did it get, to keep the Camry Solara Convertible from the Gallows Pole*? According to Steve St. Angelo, president of Toyota's Kentucky operations and of no relation to Robert Plant, Toyota got a lot of grief from customers and dealers who didn't want to see the drop-top swinging from the Gallow's Pole. The Hangman was supposed to come for the Solara 'Vert this month, but production has now been extended for two full years. Automotive News reports that Toyota only sold 28,479 units of the Solara Coupe and Convertible in all of 2007, and while the majority were likely 'verts, the number still seems too low to argue that demand was high enough to give it two years' worth of extra production. St. Angelo also didn't clarify if the Solara Coupe would enjoy the convertible's amnesty or not. Regardless, the Hangman's wrong on this one and the Solara should be swinging.
*for those too young to remember Led Zeppelin's 'Gallows Pole', click here.
[Source: Automotive News, sub. req'd]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
LMBVette 11:22AM (8/11/2008)
The rear end of the Camary/Solara coupe/vert is the most bulbous car this side of another Toyota....the Lexus SC. Ew!
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Greg 4:21PM (8/12/2008)
Bulbous? It's obvious you haven't seen the rear of that vette lately.
Jimesq 11:23AM (8/11/2008)
The Chrysler Sebring vert needed some competition on rental lots.
Toyota fleet sales info always seems somewhat guarded and often accomplished at the dealer level, or so I have heard. That could be one justification. Use up some excess capacity.
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VP 11:24AM (8/11/2008)
Wow, just wow. You learn something new everyday. There are people begging to save this thing? Okay!!
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MKIV 11:24AM (8/11/2008)
This car has a decent following. Glad Toyota decided to keep it around for couple more years.
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Mike 11:24AM (8/11/2008)
They saved it because it's so damn sexy.
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3seriesisking 12:18PM (8/11/2008)
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA..............HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
TJ 11:27AM (8/11/2008)
They are keeping it because for the first time it is a better vehicle than the Sebring...
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senatorcongressman 11:29AM (8/11/2008)
My mom really wants this car. Mostly because she wants another convertible, and my stepfather has forbidden all non-Toyota cars from the household. I can see no other reason for this stupid car.
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Swannie 12:03PM (8/11/2008)
Thank you for the Zeppelin reference.
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Scott 12:04PM (8/11/2008)
Sadly, it's the closest thing to a sports coupe that Toyota still has. Giving it the axe before they have something else to fill the "sport car" spot would be a poor choice.
And if such a small group of people can keep the Solara around, why oh why did the Supra, MR2 and Celica lines end*? There are arguably more people interested in these cars.
*AE86 was a Corolla, and that line continues. We have the ZZE142
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BlackCanary 12:07PM (8/11/2008)
+1 on the Celica. That car seemed to sell very well in its last form (the only one I recall being found of). I never undersood getting rid of it either. Also, Honda should not have killed the Prelude.
JDMlover 1:48PM (8/11/2008)
@ Scott
Closet thing to sport toyota has? your kidding right...the GS...IS Line...toyota is not a rival to lamo or aston...why would it need so much sport cars? unless everyone in the world is you... stop your bicthin
Jrejre 1:54PM (8/11/2008)
jdmlover. . .was that post a joke?
Scott 2:00PM (8/11/2008)
@ JDMlover
Both cars you mentioned are Lexus models. I'm talking about the Toyota brand. Besides, I don't consider the GS a sports car. The IS line is sporty, I'll give you that.
I don't have any delusions about Toyota competing with someone like Lamborghini or Aston Martin. I never suggested it and I can't figure out how you got to that idea logically. You completely missed where I mentioned the Supra, MR2 and Celica. Simple, sporty cars, at affordable prices. Not luxury models, not supercars. Cars to compete with the likes of the Honda S2000, Nissan 350Z, Mitsubishi Evolution, Subaru WRX, or even the Ford Mustang GT, Chevrolet Camaro. Relatively common cars that I see on the road every day. Toyota has zero competition for these.
BlackCanary 12:05PM (8/11/2008)
For some reason people like this and the Sebring convertable. I never understood the draw to either but they do seem to be popular. I had a sebring convertable as a rental on vacation once. It was fun for the week.
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LimeyHoya 12:25PM (8/11/2008)
Urgh. This is one car that's guaranteed to send me scuttling back to the rental office if I find it waiting for me. Considering the great work that Toyota is capable of, the fact that they keep this monstrosity rolling out it beyond me.
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Alex 12:28PM (8/11/2008)
My mom has the Solara hard top. Uggh what a dead weight. That car is completely boring to drive. My mom thinks its real sporty. This coming from a lady who used to have a 626. C'mon mom! The 626 was sporty, this is just a two door turd.
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Alex 12:29PM (8/11/2008)
thats a good one, Mike.
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Travis Rassat 12:34PM (8/11/2008)
Here's my crazy theory: I'm guessing they did this to have a car for the NASCAR Nationwide series Car of Tomorrow, which I believe may be implemented for 2010. Rumor has it that it's going to be a "coupe" series with the cars being very, very, very loosely based on the Mustang, Camaro, and Challenger. Since Toyota doesn't have anything like those, the Solara hardtop is closest thing they have to offer.
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