Jislaaik! They Made Convertibles… For Four People?! (And We Found Pics)

Forget your fancy new EVs, bru. Back in 2001, someone actually thought building a convertible that comfortably fits four adults was a good idea. We dug up the photos – and it's a wild ride. ## So, What Were They Thinking? Jislaaik. Seriously. We’re living in an age of hyper-specialisation, where even SUVs are getting “coupe” versions that sacrifice practicality for looks. But in 2001, manufacturers were still trying to have their bobotie and eat it too. The thinking? Probably something along the lines of “more people can enjoy the open road!” or maybe, “we can charge extra for this!”. The automotive landscape was different then. You didn’t have Elon Musk tweeting about disrupting everything. You had…well, you had the Toyota Camry Solara. And a whole lot of other cars trying to appeal to a market segment that, let's be honest, probably didn't exist in the numbers they hoped for. It was a time before everyone decided a two-seater was ‘enough’ – a time when a family could theoretically cruise down the Durban beachfront with the wind in their hair. A slightly baffling time, if you ask me. ## The Contenders: A Blast From The Past Okay, so the source material is a bit light on details here, but the star of the show, at least from the photos we’ve unearthed, is the Toyota Camry Solara. Now, I'm not saying it was a *bad* car, but it wasn’t exactly setting Sandton on fire with its looks. It was…competent. A beige-coloured blob of practicality. We’re talking about a period where convertibles weren’t necessarily about speed or glamour. They were about…feeling. About pretending you were in a movie. About maybe impressing the Checkers lady with your lifestyle. The Solara aimed for that middle ground – a comfortable, reliable, and reasonably priced convertible. The kind of car your aunt might have rented on holiday in Cape Town. ## Inside Job: What Were These Interiors Like? Let's be real, looking at those interior photos is a bit…painful. Velour. So much velour. And wood trim. It’s like someone raided your grandmother’s lounge and decided to build a dashboard out of it. It wasn't befok, exactly, but it wasn’t exactly modern either. You’d be lucky to find cupholders big enough for a 500ml Coke, let alone a proper takeaway coffee. Compared to the interiors of a 2026 Tesla Model Y – sleek, minimalist, all touchscreen – the Solara’s interior feels like stepping back into the dark ages. And honestly, after a day stuck in Joburg traffic, that velour probably wouldn’t feel all that comfortable. ## The Look: Styling That Aged Like… Well, 20 Years Eish. The exterior styling… let’s just say it hasn't aged gracefully. The headlights look like sad, droopy eyes. The body lines are…soft. It's the automotive equivalent of wearing a pair of slacks and a tucked-in shirt to a braai. It just doesn't *feel* right. Compare that to the aggressive lines of the 2027 GMC Sierra 1500, or the futuristic vibe of the 2026 Cadillac Escalade IQL. Those cars scream “I’m here, and I’m important!”. The Solara whispers, “I’m…practical?”. The 2027 Jeep Wrangler Sarge, now *that’s* a look that’s held up. It's rugged, it's iconic, and it’s not trying to be anything it’s not. ## Then vs. Now: Would You Actually Buy One Today? Honestly? Probably not. Unless you’re a hardcore collector or have a very specific aesthetic. Reliability is always a factor, and while the Camry Solara likely wasn’t a *bad* car mechanically, 20 years is a long time. Maintenance costs could be a nightmare. You'd be better off spending your rands on something a bit more modern, a bit more reliable, and a lot less…beige. You could pick up a used, but newer, convertible. Or, if you're feeling flush, you could jump into a 2026 Tesla Model Y. The source material doesn’t give pricing, but let’s be real, a Tesla is going to turn heads in a way a Solara just can’t. ## Beyond the Classics: What's Happening in 2026? Looking at the future, things are…different. The 2026 Jaecoo 7 looks like it's ready to tackle anything, and the 2027 Ram 1500 BackCountry and Rebel X are seriously imposing. The focus isn’t just on open-top fun anymore. It’s on technology, performance, and making a statement. The 2026 Tesla Model Y, with its updated exterior photos, looks like it’s straight out of a sci-fi movie. And the 2027 GMC Sierra 1500? That thing is massive. It’s a far cry from the relatively unassuming Toyota Camry Solara of 2001. We’ve come a long way, bru. A long way. **Verdict:** The four-seat convertible of 2001 was a noble experiment, but ultimately, it was a bit of a kak idea. It tried to be everything to everyone and ended up being…forgettable. While the nostalgia is strong, practicality and modern sensibilities win out. Don't waste your money chasing a bygone era. But this got us thinking: are we sacrificing too much personality in the pursuit of efficiency and technology? Is there still room for a bit of automotive whimsy in a world of self-driving cars and electric everything? Click here to find out what happens when we pit the most outrageous custom bakkies against the latest luxury SUVs!