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Old 06-13-04, 10:53 PM
  #16  
STIG
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i think they look very good, but i dont see anyone modding them
it's more like a mid 30-40 women's car i think.
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Old 06-14-04, 12:16 AM
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On the plus side, in a testament of Toyota engineering, the 225hp Solara (5AT) accelerated faster than the 6spd Accord Coupe (240hp) from 0-30 (or 50, I forget), turning in a only slightly worse time for 0-60.
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Old 06-14-04, 05:50 AM
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Originally posted by DC52E55
i think they look very good, but i dont see anyone modding them
it's more like a mid 30-40 women's car i think.
True, I only see woman driving these things.
Toyota's marketing for the Solara seems to push
this as well.
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Old 06-14-04, 06:42 AM
  #19  
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It looks much better in person, and the interior is top notch for its price range.
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Old 06-14-04, 09:59 AM
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Originally posted by GlobeCLK
the solara is ugly on picture but much better in person. It needs bigger wheels tho, the car looks fat.

And there's no way that the Solara is the reason why new SC300 is not out yet. People who are in the market for cars such as 330ci, CLK, and G35 coupes are not interested in a FF sports coupe from Toyota. They want a SC430 with a V6 and hard top.
I agree completely .....the Solara is NOT an SC300 by ANY stretch. Its interior, while having the typically good Toyota fit-and-finish, is much less plush and attractive than the SC's. What we really need is a new SC300 or 330 with REAL wood instead of the Solara's plastic, a real Mark Levinson stereo instead of a Camry sound system like in the Solara, and a real folding hardtop instead of the Solara's cloth. It would sell in the 40-50K range instead of the SC430's 60K-plus.
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Old 06-14-04, 12:27 PM
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solara kinda looks like the SC430... but i am not a fan of either when it comes to looks of them.
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Old 06-15-04, 02:02 AM
  #22  
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Originally posted by mmarshall
I agree completely .....the Solara is NOT an SC300 by ANY stretch. Its interior, while having the typically good Toyota fit-and-finish, is much less plush and attractive than the SC's. What we really need is a new SC300 or 330 with REAL wood instead of the Solara's plastic, a real Mark Levinson stereo instead of a Camry sound system like in the Solara, and a real folding hardtop instead of the Solara's cloth. It would sell in the 40-50K range instead of the SC430's 60K-plus.
IIRC, some Camry trim levels come with JBL audio systems or something good like that...
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Old 06-15-04, 04:08 AM
  #23  
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Originally posted by TheOfficeBoy
IIRC, some Camry trim levels come with JBL audio systems or something good like that...
The point I was trying to make, though, is that there is a significant difference overall between the Solara and SC interiors, sound systems or not. Unfortunately, this is just one area that Lexus has neglected...the people who like the SC's interior and who don't have 60K -plus to spend. It was a marketing decision...Lexus apparantly felt that it was not worth the budget money ( yet ) to develop and certify a new SC300 or 330.
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Old 06-15-04, 07:25 AM
  #24  
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Originally posted by TheOfficeBoy
On the plus side, in a testament of Toyota engineering, the 225hp Solara (5AT) accelerated faster than the 6spd Accord Coupe (240hp) from 0-30 (or 50, I forget), turning in a only slightly worse time for 0-60.
Those numbers aren't surprising - when you compare a 3.3 liter producing 225 hp and a massive 240 lb-ft of torque and a 3.0 liter producing 240 hp and ~210 lb-ft of torque - there's bound to be a performance advantage in the greater-displacement and torque (especially 0-60 mph). You also have to consider that the Solara coupe weighs 3200 lbs (the convertible weighs 3500) compared to the Accord Coupe's 3300 lbs.

Now, I realize that in the comparison you posted the Solara was an AT vs. the Accord's 6-speed ... but the performance gains of Honda's 6-speed vs. the auto they offer can probably be measured in tenths of a second.

The gas-mileage with these two V6s is really amazing though. 21/30 for the Accord and 20/29 for the Solara w/ the 3.3 liter.

Last edited by whipimpin; 06-15-04 at 07:29 AM.
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Old 06-15-04, 08:34 AM
  #25  
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when i first saw the new solara, all I could think was SC430 jr
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