FRIDAY, MARCH, 23,2007. Today I would like to introduce our newest feature, DAWN2DUSK . Dawn 2Dusk looks in two directions at once. D2D will look down the road to promising vehicles just about to break onto the horizon like the dawn of new day while also giving you one last look at vehicles on their victory lap that may make just find a home in your garage. For our first installment Automotive Declassified will look at the Toyota Solara. The Solara first burst onto the scene in the late '90's taking over from the Camry coupe. Large coupes are an interesting breed. Just when they are about to become extinct big coupes make a come back. Back in the '70's, the heyday of full size coupes, who would have ever imagined that just ten years later coupes were on the way out only to become nearly non-existent in the early nineties as two door hatch style sports cars rose to fame. A once proud breed was now on the endangered list. But never count out the coupe species because the coupe began to make a comeback. Cars never before thought of as coupes started to appear, from Camry's to Accord's coupes began to come back. But once again the coupes are on a slowing trend, but to be more specific, large boulevard coupes are on the downward trend. Smart sporty coupes are holding their own and even becoming more numerous as their large older relatives are seemingly entering their twilight years. The Toyota Solara is just such a coupe. Born out of the idea of a comfortable roomy coupe that treasures ride quality over handling the Solara marches on with really only the Chevy Monte Carlo as a competitor. When Cadillac and Lincoln abandoned the large coupe market years ago you knew the trends were changing. Now just because the Solara does not speak to the "auto flavor of the hour" doesn't mean it isn't a viable player. To be honest there are so many coupe -like sedans on the market currently with cramped, non-usable backseats one wonders if the coupe market has just sprouted a pair of rear doors. The Solara in fact has more rear seat head room than our last reviewed car the Volvo S60, bet then again getting into the back of the Solara can be a bit challenging. The Solara exudes confidence and build quality ,and in SLE guise ,the Solara gives us a glimpse of what the Lexus SC300 would have looked like if it had continued along as a traditional coupe. The styling is questionable. Some love it while others wince. The large "bustle back" looks like it has enough crinoline in it to adorn a can-can dancer, but then again remember large coupes are all about over the top styling, does anyone remember the '59 Caddy Eldorado? The Solara is blessed with a huge trunk and a comfortable backseat that go well with it's laid back image. Driving the Solara is reminiscent of the last generation Camry SE from which it's forged. The handling is controllable with progressive over steer. The brakes are very reassuring and the power is seamless in V-6 versions. The V-4 SE is a wonderful way to drive a stylin' vehicle while keeping the price down, although the wimpy four banger engine sounds out of place in such a vehicle. The Solara convertible is the ultimate Solara and somehow it's styling suits itself to the convertible look better. The convertible truly is one of the last open-air boulevard cruisers that evokes a sort of an Asian-Bentley aura to it. Both of these offerings will provide smiles with the knowledge that you are going against the trends and doing something different while at the same time buying into the end of an era that will without doubt become a future collectible. I can just see one of these Solara's now sitting out on the yard of some antique car show someday with a starry eyed youngster saying ' I never Knew Toyota ever made a cool looking coupe like this". Indeed the Solara is not for everyone but if it is for you snatch it up soon as I'm sure Toyota will be providing deep discounts as production draws to a close. The bottom line is that the Solara is a delightful vehicle,especially in droptop mode, that evokes a slower pulse rate by looking at while speaking to that inner voice that could use a vehicular vacation. Currently a zero down buy, the best way to acquire a Solara currently, is $388 for 72 months in SE trim, and $518 for 72 months for a loaded SLE. These figures are based a a good credit rating when figured on Toyota's excellent finance calculator.
