Pontiac Solstice for 20k?

Autoblog reports the new Pontiac Solstice will sticker for less than 20k.
$19,995.00 to be exact.

http://www.autoblog.com/entry/1234000767031942/

Could this be trouble for sales of the new Miata? Or, are they creating a
market for a real sports car, once they get tired of driving what looks to
me like basically a Cobalt coupe with the roof sawed off?

H.

On Wed, 16 Feb 2005 18:37:08 GMT, "HardwareLust" >
wrote in newspMQd.8563$uc.4764@trnddc09:

> Autoblog reports the new Pontiac Solstice will sticker for less than
> 20k. $19,995.00 to be exact.
>
> http://www.autoblog.com/entry/1234000767031942/
>
> Could this be trouble for sales of the new Miata? Or, are they
> creating a market for a real sports car, once they get tired of
> driving what looks to me like basically a Cobalt coupe with the roof
> sawed off?

curb weight: around 2900 lbs.
It's no Miata.


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Red > writes:

> On Wed, 16 Feb 2005 18:37:08 GMT, "HardwareLust" >
> wrote in newspMQd.8563$uc.4764@trnddc09:
>
> > Autoblog reports the new Pontiac Solstice will sticker for less than
> > 20k. $19,995.00 to be exact.
> >
> > http://www.autoblog.com/entry/1234000767031942/
> >
> > Could this be trouble for sales of the new Miata? Or, are they
> > creating a market for a real sports car, once they get tired of
> > driving what looks to me like basically a Cobalt coupe with the roof
> > sawed off?
>
> curb weight: around 2900 lbs.
> It's no Miata.
>
>
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> http://www.newsfeeds.com The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! 120,000+ Newsgroups
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The Sky is suppost to be under 25k (so $24,999) Since it's the same
car with a different body the Solstice must be stripped. And ya,
they're heavier. I'll wait for the car mag head to head tests. The Sky
does look nice though.

--
Scott Streeter

http://www.wpi.edu/~ss/

"Red" > wrote in message
...
> On Wed, 16 Feb 2005 18:37:08 GMT, "HardwareLust" >
> wrote in newspMQd.8563$uc.4764@trnddc09:
>
>> Autoblog reports the new Pontiac Solstice will sticker for less than
>> 20k. $19,995.00 to be exact.
>>
>> http://www.autoblog.com/entry/1234000767031942/
>>
>> Could this be trouble for sales of the new Miata? Or, are they
>> creating a market for a real sports car, once they get tired of
>> driving what looks to me like basically a Cobalt coupe with the roof
>> sawed off?
>
> curb weight: around 2900 lbs.
> It's no Miata.
>
>
> ----== Posted via Newsfeeds.Com - Unlimited-Uncensored-Secure Usenet
> News==----
> http://www.newsfeeds.com The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! 120,000+
> Newsgroups
> ----= East and West-Coast Server Farms - Total Privacy via Encryption
> =----

its looks might appeal to somebody, but not me. it looks like the suv of
roadsters. i don't see it as competition to the miata. check it out
yourself... http://www.hotwheelsblog.com/index.php?p=24

In article <opMQd.8563$uc.4764@trnddc09>, "HardwareLust" > wrote:
>Autoblog reports the new Pontiac Solstice will sticker for less than 20k.
>$19,995.00 to be exact.
>
>http://www.autoblog.com/entry/1234000767031942/
>
>Could this be trouble for sales of the new Miata? Or, are they creating a
>market for a real sports car, once they get tired of driving what looks to
>me like basically a Cobalt coupe with the roof sawed off?


It is absolutely competition for the Miata. Now a lot of Miata
nuts deny this (hey, I own one too). But face it: it is a small,
4-cyl, inexpensive, 2 seat roadster highlighting performance (i.e,
it isn't a Sebring). GM's Lutz was a big fan of english roadsters
in the 60's and proposed that GM make one then. Now that he's in
charge (vice-chairman), he pretty much pushed this through by
force of will. They did an early press ride & drive in England
and had some vintage Triumphs, MG's and (I think) Elans for
comparison. GM has said they are targetting the Miata.

Maybe the Miata is better, it will certainly have more Miata-ness.
But there is only so big of a market for this kind of car, and GM
by virtue of its size and access to all markets will take a good
chunk of it with this car unless it flops. But by its looks, and
by the mechanicals you can see, it appears to be pretty legit.
Yes, it may be too heavy (I'm not convinced the std "2860 lb"
number is accurate).

As to the Cobalt slam, the Solstice is based on a new (Kappa) rwd
platform. It has an all independent adjustable double-wishbone
suspension and what looks like a mini-vette chassis. It
does share the Cobalt coupe engine.

The Cobalt is based on the fwd Delta platform. And the SS, as has
the Opel Astra (also Delta) have been getting good reviews on
their own.

Time will tell.

On Thu, 17 Feb 2005 00:25:57 GMT, (Dave) wrote:

>In article <opMQd.8563$uc.4764@trnddc09>, "HardwareLust" > wrote:
>>Autoblog reports the new Pontiac Solstice will sticker for less than 20k.
>>$19,995.00 to be exact.
>>
>>http://www.autoblog.com/entry/1234000767031942/
>>
>>Could this be trouble for sales of the new Miata? Or, are they creating a
>>market for a real sports car, once they get tired of driving what looks to
>>me like basically a Cobalt coupe with the roof sawed off?
>
>
The new Miata will also be much heavier. It has to. Nanny State has
decreed you do not have the right to maim yourself is a small car.

The Z4, Boxster, and MX5 are all re-designed within the last couple or
years. The s2000 is rumored to be dead (Honda is not getting enough
sales to make it worthwhile to redesing to the new crash standards)
and the Toyota entry is gone (no more MR 2 or Celicas for that matter)
so that kind of evens out the field.

Questions a how much miataness will remain in the new model
And will Pontiac dealers do a decen job selling the car.

Scott Streeter > wrote:

>Red > writes:
>
>> On Wed, 16 Feb 2005 18:37:08 GMT, "HardwareLust" >
>> wrote in newspMQd.8563$uc.4764@trnddc09:
>>
>> > Autoblog reports the new Pontiac Solstice will sticker for less than
>> > 20k. $19,995.00 to be exact.
>> >
>> > http://www.autoblog.com/entry/1234000767031942/
>> >
>> > Could this be trouble for sales of the new Miata?

Probably. It has 18" wheels, and the Miata only 17". Probably
lose at least 50% of the buyers upgrading from Honda Civics.
Lord knows how big the tail pipe is. If it exceeds 5", there
goes all of the rest.

>> Or, are they
>> > creating a market for a real sports car, once they get tired of
>> > driving what looks to me like basically a Cobalt coupe with the roof
>> > sawed off?

Well, I know that the colleague driving this Australian knock off
of the Miata (was it sold by GM?) did not buy any new convertibles.

Just think what creative car problems an American manufacturer can
come up when given a drop top, as well as the reduced stiffness
it entails.

>> curb weight: around 2900 lbs.
>> It's no Miata.

Let's wait for the next generation before making a judgment.

>> ----== Posted via Newsfeeds.Com - Unlimited-Uncensored-Secure Usenet News==----
>> http://www.newsfeeds.com The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! 120,000+ Newsgroups
>> ----= East and West-Coast Server Farms - Total Privacy via Encryption =----
>
>The Sky is suppost to be under 25k (so $24,999) Since it's the same
>car with a different body the Solstice must be stripped. And ya,
>they're heavier. I'll wait for the car mag head to head tests. The Sky
>does look nice though.

Which Sky? The Sky I saw was the limit.

Leon

--
Leon van Dommelen Bozo, the White 96 Sebring Miata .)
http://www.dommelen.net/miata
EXIT THE INTERSTATES (Jamie Jensen)

"Leon van Dommelen" > wrote in message
...
> Scott Streeter > wrote:
>
> >Red > writes:
> >
> >> On Wed, 16 Feb 2005 18:37:08 GMT, "HardwareLust" >
> >> wrote in newspMQd.8563$uc.4764@trnddc09:
> >>
> >> > Autoblog reports the new Pontiac Solstice will sticker for less than
> >> > 20k. $19,995.00 to be exact.
> >> >
> >> > http://www.autoblog.com/entry/1234000767031942/
> >> >
> >> > Could this be trouble for sales of the new Miata?
>
> Probably. It has 18" wheels, and the Miata only 17". Probably
> lose at least 50% of the buyers upgrading from Honda Civics.
> Lord knows how big the tail pipe is. If it exceeds 5", there
> goes all of the rest.
>
> >> Or, are they
> >> > creating a market for a real sports car, once they get tired of
> >> > driving what looks to me like basically a Cobalt coupe with the roof
> >> > sawed off?
>
> Well, I know that the colleague driving this Australian knock off
> of the Miata (was it sold by GM?) did not buy any new convertibles.
>

Are you talking about the early 90s Mercury Capri? It lost every Miata
comparison badly, but was always meant as a cruiser rather than sports car.

It was a dog.

-John

wrote:

<snip>

> Questions a how much miataness will remain in the new model
> And will Pontiac dealers do a decen job selling the car.

If Pontiac dealers can find buyers for Grand Ams and Grand Prixs, surely
they'll be able to sell something resembling an actual *sports* car.

I'll forgive them for the GTO...no one could sell *those*, though it's
irrelevant, as I don't purchase domestic cars.

--
tooloud
Remove nothing to reply...

In article > , "Generic" > wrote:

>> Well, I know that the colleague driving this Australian knock off
>> of the Miata (was it sold by GM?) did not buy any new convertibles.
>>
>
>Are you talking about the early 90s Mercury Capri? It lost every Miata
>comparison badly, but was always meant as a cruiser rather than sports car.
>
>It was a dog.


And a Ford.