It’s not often a segment becomes extinct. Sure, there are some classes that aren’t as popular anymore, but they hang around in one form or another. But totally gone? Well, there’s one we can think of.
If you’ve noticed, none of the non-luxury manufacturers really make a midsize coupe these days. One can argue that the Mustang exists, but that’s a dedicated performance model that doesn’t share anything with standard models.
What we’re talking about here is something like a two-door based on a standard midsize sedan like a Camry or Accord. Scour buyers guides around the world and you’ll come up with, well, nothing. Believe us, we tried.
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Enter, the Toyota Corona Macho Machine
The reason we came with that realization is because we recently came across a Toyota Corona Hardtop 2000. It’s a rare sight these days, and a remnant of a now-extinct segment.
Readers of a certain age know this car by its nickname. It was called the Macho Machine, mainly because of the ad materials from its time, and basketball star Robert Jaworski’s endorsement certainly boosted its, er, macho image. Two generations of it were sold here, both cemented in Philippine automotive history.
Specs are conservative by today’s standards. Both generations were powered by a 2.0-liter 18R-C engine and made just under 100hp. Laugh at those figures now, but back then, a Corolla or a Lancer was lucky enough to put out about 70hp. The interiors could be described as spartan in the world of touchscreens, but what it had was a well-built cabin that made its owners feel special.
The Corona Macho Machine came from an era when luxury meant solid build and not tech. There’s not much in the way of plastics, and almost everything inside was trimmed in softly-padded vinyl. It was the age of personal luxury, and these two door coupes were one of the signs that you’ve made it in life. It wasn’t the most practical choice, hence personal luxury, but those cars made a statement.
In 1980, the Toyota Corona Hardtop 2000 retailed for about P80,000. It sounds incredibly affordable until you realize that it cost about double of a bog standard Corolla at the time. These weren’t cheap cars, and neither was its competition.
The personal luxury market
Its biggest rival at the time was the Mitsubishi Galant Lambda. Like the Corona Hardtop, the Lambda was based on the Galant, but given a more stylish body and two less doors. It had pretty dramatic styling too, with its distinct curved rear windshield that must’ve been a nightmare for glass replacement companies. Then there’s the aluminum band around the back that gave it a more luxurious look.
Mitsubishi wasn’t the only competition that Toyota had in that class. Ford actually had two two-door options for the people. The first was the Cortina two-door sedan, which was literally the midsize sedan with the rear doors deleted. The other was the sportier and swoopier Capri, although it had the same chassis as the Cortina.
A car often overshadowed by the collector status of the Toyota and Mitsubishi was the Datsun 180B. It was also known in other markets as the Nissan Bluebird, and it was pretty advanced for its time. Most of its rivals stuck with live axles at the back, but this one came with independent rear suspension, something typically reserved for more expensive machinery at the time.
Let’s not forget the other mid-sized two-door offerings from over 40 years ago. For those who wanted a more German twist, there was the Opel Manta that was based on the Ascona. Some might even be shocked to know that Holden once had a presence in the Philippines and sold the Torana as its somewhat sporty model.
Dwindling demand
The two-door market was healthy in the ’70s and ‘80s, and we’re not just talking about the midsize segment here. There were lesser-door versions of Corollas, Lancers, and Sunnys, as well as Escorts and other Continental offerings. So why did it seem that they all vanish overnight?
The simple answer is demand. Of course, the automotive sector was dealt a massive blow during the latter part of Martial Law, driving out almost everyone sans Mitsubishi. By the time the industry got back on its feet, the automotive market had changed dramatically. By the late ‘80s, midsize coupes were starting to drop off the map. By the ‘90s, there were no more midsize coupes from mainstream manufacturers sold in the Philippines.
It was the same story worldwide. Toyota and Mitsubishi tried to cling on to that segment, and so did Honda. Mitsubishi stopped selling two-door Galant’s by 1987, but Honda and Toyota sold Camry and Accord coupes for as long as it did. The Camry Coupe would be dubbed the Camry Solara, and eventually, just Solara and was discontinued in 2008. Honda was the last holdout among its compatriots, with the Accord Coupe getting axed in 2017.
One could say that the SUV and crossover boom contributed greatly to the demise of the mainstream midsize coupe. Heck, the same could be said about these cars getting rid of affordable compact coupes altogether. The market is totally different now, with ground clearance and raised seating positions being a key selling point.
These days, only luxury marques offer midsize coupes. BMW, and Mercedes-Benz still make them, but more as a niche model. Lexus is also in the came with the RC, although that one isn’t long for this world.
But it could also be said there’s a bit of a coupe comeback. Honda is bringing back the Prelude, and Toyota has all but confirmed the return of the Celica. Of course, there’s also the GR86 and its twin, the Subaru BRZ, and we’ll also count the Mazda MX-5 RF. These are far sportier and compact models, though, but we’ll take that as a win.
