[8][9][10] The Solara was created to appeal to a demographic of more sport-minded drivers than those who prefer the Toyota Camry sedan, while still needing "room and comfort.

It was added to the third generation Camry lineup in 1993 for model year 1994 to compete with the Honda Accord and other cars in its class.

It was based on the mechanical platform of the previous generation XV10 Toyota Camry and was built at the TMMC facilities in Cambridge, Ontario, Canada.

The upgrades included stiffer shock absorbers and anti-roll bars, a less restrictive muffler, a "tasteful" body kit, larger wheels with high-performance tires, and a supercharger that increased the power of the V6 engine by a claimed 62 hp (46 kW).

[6][14] Claiming that the car's basic structure was designed for this treatment, Toyota made no suspension changes from the coupe.

[15] The second generation of the Solara was completely redesigned (design approval in 2001; JPO patent number 1218292) and introduced to the public in August 2003[1] for the 2004 model year[18] and featured a curvier body, with the option of adding XM radio and/or a navigation system.

[1][22] In June 2006, a restyled 2007 Solara was introduced, with new LED tail lights, a revised rear bumper, and a redesigned front fascia.

[1] Interior changes include Optitron gauges, blue backlighting in the rest of the car's controls, a new steering wheel design that is somewhat similar to the recently revised Camry SE's steering wheel, 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.

[citation needed] The second-generation Solara sold below expectations, as the market for large sedan-based coupes and convertibles was shrinking, and the car had inherited unexciting handling from its Camry parent.

[23] Despite the structural redesign, the convertible was still criticized for soft handling that did not feel sporty,[21] and for significant body shake.

[10] After the 2008 model year, the coupe was discontinued due to faltering sales,[8] but the convertible, which accounted for the majority of units sold, continued to be produced.

[9] Despite statements that the convertible might be sold until at least 2010, production was quietly suspended in December 2008, with sales continuing from inventory to gauge demand.