Original Solara Prototype

[Fairlite]

Hi all,

I was wondering? Does anyone have any pictures of the original Solara Prototype that was shown at one of the car show in 97 I think? I saw one picture and liked what I saw, it was slightly different from what was released as the final version. I can't find any pictures of the car anywhere now and I wanted to see them again.

Thanks

[Yanks0114]

This picture was taken from camryman.org

It is most likely the concept version for the gen 1.5 solara



Here is the gen 1 prototype I think,

[SKYravefever]

Hehe.. sorry to say it, but the gen1.5 prototype looks too much like a boat, i.e. sc430. High belt line, long wheelbase.

[xyntax]

I like it, but it kinda looks like a Sebring. I really like the gen 1.5 front end bacause of its headlights, fogs, grill, and the single grill design on the bottom. The double bar made the Solara look flat-faced. Now the 02-03 looks slick and sharp.
I know I could get flamed by saying this, but what the heck, I wont close my eyes on my opinion. The gen 1.5 tail lights compliment the Solara design better. The gen 1 tail lights looked sophisticated and neat but it had to go sooner or later. It was just too "early 90's" look. And the grill was awful.

[Jackass-Jeff]

I like it, but it kinda looks like a Chevy. I really like the gen 1.5 front end bacause of its headlights, fogs, grill, and the single grill design on the bottom. The double bar made the Solara look flat-faced. Now the 02-03 looks slick and sharp.
I know I could get flamed by saying this, but what the heck, I wont close my eyes on my opinion. The gen 1.5 tail lights compliment the Solara design better. The gen 1 tail lights looked sophisticated and neat but it had to go sooner or later. It was just too "early 90's" look. And the grill was awful.

agreed

[NASTY]

I like it, but it kinda looks like a Chevy. I really like the gen 1.5 front end bacause of its headlights, fogs, grill, and the single grill design on the bottom. The double bar made the Solara look flat-faced. Now the 02-03 looks slick and sharp.
I know I could get flamed by saying this, but what the heck, I wont close my eyes on my opinion. The gen 1.5 tail lights compliment the Solara design better. The gen 1 tail lights looked sophisticated and neat but it had to go sooner or later. It was just too "early 90's" look. And the grill was awful.

agreed

i bet the majority disagree (we've gone over this so many times, might as well start another!)

[aleath]

What do they do with these cars (like the 1.5 gen concept car) after the car shows? Does Toyota just store them somewhere or are there executives driving around one of a kind cars?

[[ solara girl ]]

i agreeeeeeeee! (only because i have one).

but to me, the 02's just look more luxurious and stylish.

[xyntax]

What do they do with these cars (like the 1.5 gen concept car) after the car shows? Does Toyota just store them somewhere or are there executives driving around one of a kind cars?

hmmm... strap crash test dummies in them and run it up to 65mph into a wall diliberately? After that, serious looking people with lab gowns stroll around it and write stuff on paper...

I wish they would just give it to me.

[Ragtop George]

What do they do with these cars (like the 1.5 gen concept car) after the car shows? Does Toyota just store them somewhere or are there executives driving around one of a kind cars?

Somewhere in New Mexico there is a huge warehouse in an abandoned military base full of old concept cars......

[hari-bhari]

hey where'd u read that ragtop? thats really cool, a bunch of us should get together and have some 'gone in 60 seconds' action, lol. by the way, my 2 cents on the tailights and front grill: i like the fog lights in the 1.5 better, but i really DONT like the tail-lights at all. that's not to say that the gen 1 tail lights are prefect, they do look a bit old-schoolish, but IMO the 1.5 tail-lights make it look like a toy. and as for the grills, i like the gen 1 and 1.5 about the same

[700t]

The 1st gen coupe was dubbed at the factory as 700t and the convertable was 699t. Just in case anyone find this interesting.

[Flipside909]

This picture was taken from camryman.org

It is most likely the concept version for the gen 1.5 solara

Nope, this is where your knowledge is limited. The convertible is actually the first concept of the Gen1 Solara that debuted in late 97 early 98. As for the DWP Solara, that was final prototype debuted for 1999 back in 1998.

[bkp_duke]

I have a couple friends that work for Ford (one in product design and one in crash test) and they tell me that all of Ford's protoype cars are stored in vaults under their manufacturing facility in MI. Apparently they have all the cars back to the original model T.

I would assume that Toyota and other manufacturer's do something similar. They probably make 5-10 prototypes, show 1-2 of them store 1-2 of them, and then crash the rest (which, BTW, they get to COMPLETELY write of their corporate taxes, so they always crash test the loaded versions of the cars).

[Jackass-Jeff]

Has anyone looked closely at the design of the 02 lights? It seems like it's red around, red in the top middle and yellow in the bottom middle w/ the reverse whites toward the center of the car.

If you look closey, you'll notice that the red and yellow half circlish things weren't really meant to look the way they do... they were supposed to look like little circles (at least I think so)... hahaha they obviously don't due to the reflective nature of the other materials inside it to make it seem like it's all red and yellow. If they were to just change the center red/yellow pieces, they'd be perfect.