The Buck Stops Here

Thanks for the update, waiting for this special vehicle is very difficult for everyone.

Is there any chance of factory delivery similar to the Corvette?

Take care-Steve

Since when is the end of October summer?

As a GM dealer, we are eagerly anticipating the Pontiac Solstice, and it's success. Do what it takes to make it right- from the start- and keep everybody informed. A short wait now, is better than a problem later. Patience is a virtue...
Slow & steady is the only way to get this ship on course. Please ensure Mr. Lutz, et al. keep their eye on the ball. I think we are heading in the right direction. What doesn't kill you, makes you stronger...
PS We are having tremendous success with the new Buick Allure (Lacrosse, to those in the US), and the Chevy Cobalt.
Please contiinue the Good to Great movement.

GM scored well in the first 90 days, just to clarify. After the 3 yr warranty is up its a different story.
That's the problem, especially with Pontiac, which is probably the worst GM division in terms of quality. A friend of mine owned a grand Am that was nothing but trouble and he ditched it and bought a Nissan (little does he know that Nissan is crap).

Good luck with the Solstice. No doubt its a great looking car, but it had better be good out of the gate and hold up well or else there goes all your good will.

And if you're listening, get rid of that fugly steering wheel in the G6 Sedan!
And according to all reviews the power steering in the G6 stinks.

First of all, it's great to see you involved in a blog on the Solstice. There isn't one bad thing that I could say about the car itself. However, my dealership participated in the Early Order Program. We bought airtime during "The Apprentice" & even shot special commercials. I'm sure that it wont surprise you to hear that the order site was so busy that we couldn't even get logged in for the first 35 - 40 minutes of the promotion & didn't get to order any of the first 1000 Solstices. Needless to say I now have disappointed customers & as of this point don't know when to expect a Solstice if one of these customers came to me right now to give me their order (which many of them would if they had a realistic expectation of when their vehicle would arrive). That said, I am thrilled that Pontiac has a deifinite home run on their hands but concerned with how I can keep my customers, that help me provide for my family, happy by helping them own the car that they desire. It would be a tremendous help if we were given more information as to when we can expect to see a Solstice in our showroom. I've already had to put one of my customers in an S2000 from our Honda store, not because she would have to wait but because of the indefinite amount of time that she would have to wait for her order. Please keep us posted to that we can do everything that we can to meet the needs of our customers. Thanks again for great new product but lets keep our marketing & production on the same page so that when we create the excitement to own such an incredible car right now they won't have to wait six months to actually experience it.

As an original Miata buyer, I encourage you to make sure the new Solstice has great handling, a wonderful manual transmission, and enough power -- to better, not match, its direct competitors. While the Miata isn't as beautiful as it used to be, the new car have evolved into a very refined auto. Given that GM is working on a vauxhal/opel version of the Solstice, you may want to use the highly-talented engineers of Lotus to fine tune your car's suspension and performance qualities. Please give us a Miata-beater, not a Fiero!

It's nice to hear a little more in depth analysis of the Solstice program once and for all, but where's the explanation of the other typically "GM mediocre" products???

Those from GM who keep saying you're "listening" and really reading what we say--get REAL and start posting some REAL responses regarding our actual criticisms about the overpriced and under-designed products you think we should all be raving over.

Thank you for the updates on the Solstice! As a frequent reader of the major Solstice Forum on the internet, I can assure you that these questions have been at the tip of many enthusiats tongues for some time, and I am sure your insights into the Solstice's status and the EOP 1000's build order will be greatly appreciated! We all look forward to seeing the finished product and being able to get behind the wheel of this exciting vehicle! Best of luck with the launch of the fabulous vehicle!

I am very glad to hear this news. And that so many Solstice's are backordered. It is no wonder. It stands out as a roadster. I am also glad Pontiac is really working hard on the quality.

Congrats on a great looking roadster which, by all reviews I have read, should be a winner.

One reviewer (January 24, 2004
by Rob Rothwell / American Auto Press) had mentioned the following: Engine: 240-hp, 2.2-L, DOHC, 16-valve, supercharged inline 4-cylinder
Transmission: 6-spd manual gearbox
(http://car-reviews.automobile.com/Pontiac/specs/2006-pontiac-solstice-roadster-preview/939/)

Any info on when or if Pontiac will be coming out with that option and what an expected base price may be?

I can't wait to take delivery my EOP! If it wasn’t for the Solstice, I probably would have kissed Pontiac and probably GM good-bye (F-body????) I am disappointed about that it'll be released closer the equinox than the solstice, but after seeing the fit issues it'll be worth the wait. The top supplier filing for bankruptcy won’t cause problems will it? Maybe we'll be lucky in the NE and get an Indian summer. When will we get to know what number out of 1000 we have?

Hopefully in the future you'll be using a mast mounted antennae to clean up the lines or at least a power one on the upgraded radios. Please let the radio face plate color match the steel interior (have fingers crossed that the test mules don’t just because they’re test mules). Still think that the two-tone would be fine with envious, but I could be wrong seeing that I don’t have a degree in interior design.

I do have my girlfriend’s blow dryer and some dental floss all primed for delivery! The GM badge has to go! It takes away from the clean exterior. Put the logo back on the seat belt buckles again or something.

It's greatly appreciated that GM is going to considerable trouble to test and finetune this new roadster.

Hopefully the Delaware plant will do better with this model than the problem plagued Saturns previously built there.

And since expectations are running so high for this model, can we hope GM will try a little harder to improve the service support for this model? Expecially since its buyers ___will__ be paying _way_ over MSRP for this one?

Lori,
You said that production begins this summer and it will.Production? Spend some money and push the the date up and start selling them.You will get your money back,OR We all can hear it, "GM's always too late to the game (R)in SPQRC.

Sounds as if you are on target. Congratulations.
Just don't permit the dealer organization to screw you up.

It has been quiet since the calls went out telling us we were one of the first 1000. Why doesn't GM pump up the action by having a drawing with all first 1000 owners names picked along with a random picking of the VIN? While we wait for our car we would at least know what our VIN number is going to be, which one of 1000. It would create lots of hype and something for us to talk about in our Solstice Forums for quite some time. If GM really wants to pump it up, invite the first 1000 Solstice owners to the plant when the numbers are pulled. The press excitement and coverage would be fantastic.

Lori, we all get excited when we see a car like the solstice, and lord knows that pontiac could use it now, but i have been around the GM world long enough to remember the launch of the Fiero, and if you weren't here, it was a disaster! as much as we would all like a roadster in the summer season, not being on time is forgotten before the lack of quality is, so as much as it pains me to say this, because it breaks my heart not to be driving one of these now, stay on the quality course. its the right thing to do.

Lori,

I am thriled to be one of the first 1000 EOP owners of the Solstice, so needless to say, I think your team has done a terific job of bringing the Solstice from concept to (almost) production. It would appear that you have a winner onboard; I've not personally been as excited about a Pontiac (or any GM vehicle) since I was a kid. You've done a lot of things right.
But let me tell you from my perspective some things that could use improvement in your processes:

1) Website. I signed in to receive "updates" on the Solstice on the Pontiac website back in December or January 05; I have not once receieved ANY update via my request, including the EOP program itself. The only information available was throught the Solsticeforum.com site.

2) GM BuyPower. Another website that I used to get information from 5 dealers in my area, relative to the Solsice. Through the site I e-mailed the dealers for specific information about "market adjustments" they planned for selling the vehicle. I got 2 responses overall; only one of those dealers confirmed that they would not sell the car above MSRP. After three weeks I wrote to Pontiac to report that I had no response from the other dealers. I never receieved a response from Pontiac either.

You claim that the Apprentice promotion was to gauge interest?! For what purpose - clearly the Solstice was headed for production regardless of interest. It was a marketing campaign, and a good one at that. The problem lies in execution of the delivery.

I appreciate the promise of quality through rigorous testing, etc., however shouldn't the kinks have been worked out before the Apprentice campaign to assure summer delivery? Frankly I think any justification at this point is lame; GM has tremendous resources to fix this problem in a timely manner. Fix them and get the first car out by the solstice.

As excited as I am to get my Solstice, I can't help but feel a little frustration with GM through this process. Will I buy another GM vehicle after all of these years anyway? I guess it depends on whether the excitement outweighs the frustration. Why don't you "gauge interest" in the Audi A3 Sportback, build the Nomad - I'll be back.

Ms. Queen:

Can you say with confidence that the Solstice will be the best in class for design, quality and performance? If it isn't, then it should be fixed so it is!

I understand you were in charge of Cobalt development. How could you approve a Cobalt design that offers probably the least backseat room in its class? That deficiency in itself makes the Cobalt a great candidate to be a traditional GM "deal" vehicle when the new Civic, Corolla, and Civic arrive by next year.

The launch of the Cobalt seems to have gone reasonably well. Hopefully the Solstice will have the same success.

Get the bugs out before it comes to market. Specifically - make sure the fits are perfect. No misaligned gaps. I have noticed, at the local Chevrolet dealer, that many Cobalt coupes have problems with uneven gaps around the trunk. This is inexcusable. How do problems like these not get resolved before the vehicle is put into production?? At the very least they should not leave the plant unless they are perfect.

I do find it somewhat odd that the Solstice is being launched in the fall - not exactly the time of year (for many) to be buying a convertible.

One more suggestion - have your team develop a small rear wheel drive sedan based on the Kappa architecture (or Beta, if it exists). Slot it into the Pontiac line up as the entry-level replacement for the Sunfire. GM really has an opportunity here to lead into a new segment and not come late to the party as usual.

Since demand for the Solstice is so high, how about diversifying the car to attract even more buyers? If the car had a powerful V-6 (or at least a supercharged I-4) and a one piece removable hardtop (like the Corvette) I'd buy it without thinking twice. A more powerful engine and a hardtop option would surely steal numerous customers from the 350Z's market.

Hey Lori,

This is a great post on explaining how things really run behind the scenes. THIS IS WHAT MAKES THIS BLOG WORK! I believe what you say and I know this is how the industry works as I have experienced all of this in the OEM and Supplier side of the business. I can appreciate you not giving out the SOP date as this depends on how your tests run and the mules perform. Good job on a great post! This is building value with the readers of this blog. Both the real GM fans and the people who doubt GM should take note of this one as what you explained is exactly what happens across the world when GM is launching a new product.

Good luck with the launch!

Sweet! Thanks for the news!

Way to go GM, putting a woman in charge! Now maybe SHE can grasp the concept of common sense, reliability, and affordable driving fun, as the grumpy old men seem to be intent on ruining any chance of something that's both affordable and enjoyable to drive. (Hint, more RWD, more stick shifts, more horsepower, less assisted power steering, less weight, fewer dealer markups, and fewer factory recalls.)

A few questions:

1. When's the turbo model coming out?

2. Would it be possible to make sure each Pontiac dealer has it's own website, and then include the dealerships websites on the Find A Dealer function on the Pontiac website? You've got an address and a phone for each, but no website, which is a little silly. That GM buypower site is worthless. I want to see what's on sale right now at each dealership, not get a quote whenever someone feels like getting back to me.

2. Are you doing anything to keep the Pontiac dealerships selling the Solstice at MSRP instead of ridiculous dealer markups?

If there's one thing GM could use right now, it's a model that the dealerships can't keep in stock, so please make sure this thing goes out the door at MSRP.

If Pontiac lets dealerships kill people's enthusiasm for the Solstice with ridiculous markups, then Pontiac deserves its not improbable fate of brand demise.

On the other hand, if you all can keep putting out decent cars, make sure they're reliable, sell them for fair prices, and then improve your dealerships and websites to keep people from shunning Pontiac before they get behind the wheel, then Pontiac might have a long and prosperous future!

Best of luck!

Dear Lori,

What and where are these auctions for tested GM autos?

Seeing as there is evidence of testing for a supercharged version of the Solstice going on across the country...how soon after production of the standard version Solstices can we see the performance version on dealerships???

Credit where credit is due: coming to market with your new roadster at the same time as Mazda's latest (and very nice, from all appearances) Miata is a gutsy move. Solstice has got to be good. It certainly looks the part.

Hi Lori,
Congratulations on the Solstice! It's the first "must have" car from GM since the '63 Stingray. At a time when Toyota's TV ads compare their cars to appliances (e.g., the housewife with the problem washing machine and refrigerator), I am astonished that GM has the will to build passionate cars. If you can extend that passion and style to the rest of your line-up, you will dominate the market again. No appliance cars, please.

Welcome Lori,

It's great to finally get communication from someone at GM with actual knowledge of what's going on with the production of the Soltice, and it's good to know that you are listening to your customers. I know that you want to deliver your product only when it is ready, and I have no problem with that. However, please hear my concerns:

#1 - LACK OF COMMUNICATION Prior to now, there have been no official status updates to dealers and/or buyers, especially to the first 1000 EOP owners, like myself. I have not received any information either by USPS or email, and I, too, requested updates.

#2 - AVAILABILITY
Introducing a roadster as "Coming summer 2005" is not the same as beginning production in Summer 2005, with delivery by the end of October (just in time for the snow to fly in Ohio). The commercial that aired on The Apprentice states "Coming summer 2005", and it still does (please see Pontiac's website). This implies availability in Summer 2005, and I don't appreciate the spin you have put on this. I have seriously considered canceling my order and going with an MX-5 or S2000, but I will now wait it out provided you continue to provide regular, i.e. bi-weekly updates. (It would be great if you could advise us when ACTUAL production has begun). I understand there will always be production problems, and that they may cause delays. Maybe your EOP was premature and should have been launched when you had a better idea of the actual production date? I know you do not want a repeat of the Oprah Winfrey / G6 fiasco where the interest was there but the product was not.

#3 - FACTS
Finally, you did not need to use The Apprentice to gauge interest in the Solstice. You don't use a contest to gauge interest. You had to know the interest was there prior to devoting the time and money spent in planning and administering the EOP, including production of the brochure and CD created by Kendra, which I already had in my possession prior to the April 14 air date. A business plan justifying production of the car had to have been made long before The Apprentice promotion was initiated. Enough said.

Again, thank you for showing interest in your customers. I look forward to regular communications, a restoration of my faith in GM products, and driving my Solstice this Summer.

I'm glad GM wants to get this right.. but if you know from the get go that release would not be till october time frame, you should have posted "Comming in Fall" instead of summer.. summer is June 21 through Sept 21.. where does october fall into the summer category? for many people in this great nation, october is too late for a convertable.. I think you will lose many initial sales for this fact.. in AZ it don't matter, summer year round.. maybe you should have planned for a spring release like ford did with the mustang convertable.. Brilliant.. and I hate ford.. but they have figured out that driving in snow with the top down isn't feasable.. GET ON BOARD with that line of thinking you must..

Blog nota 10. Gostei do conteúdo e das fotos. Uma boa iniciativa empresarial e blogueira. Amplexos.

Here's a better idea.

Wait until next spring to release the Solstice, instead of rushing the first 1000 to market by October, when the cold winds will cripple the market for roadsters.

By spring 2006, GM will have a chance to check out the new Miata and make necessary improvements to the Solstice, not to mention debugging it so it makes for a flawless launch!

Launching the Solstice in October could mean having to offer big rebates.

The Solstice seems like it should be a hit. If it's a success, it will point the way to saving GM. A small car based on the Kappa platform would also be a great Pontiac vehicle. Look to the BMW 2002 for inspiration. Simple, light, and fun to drive. Make a sedan, a coupe, a wagon. Build it well, price it right, and it will win an audience. Do it before some other company gets the idea to do it first.

Lessons learned: Fiero

I know I'm going to sound like a pessimist, but here's what I think will realistically happen in the months ahead:

1. Pontiac will really struggle to get the first 1000 out by October end. Most likely the schedule will slip to Thanksgiving.

2. Reviews will appear that compare the Miata to the Solstice, saying the Solstice can't match the Miata for driving fun.

3. Meanwhile, with winter underway, Solstice inventories will start piling up. But dealers will still be trying to extract maximum markups.

4. The first Solstice recall will be announced.

5. Pontiac will offer $1000 or more rebates with 0% financing to move Solstice inventory with spring around the corner.

I sincerely hope none of the above comes true, but chances are high that it will. Good luck!

This is an awesome blog, thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to update us.

I pre-ordered on 4/23, and am not one of the first 1k. You said (above) "The commitment is to deliver all “First 1,000” cars by the end of October." This is disappointing because there's no end in sight for the rest of us who pre-ordered. I keep on hearing from my dealer to expect it in Sept/Oct, but now clearly this is not going to happen. He also said I should know the production schedule of my Sol by the end of June. Is this true?

How much longer will I have to wait? Are we talking 2006? I really need an honest answer, otherwise you will lose a potential new customer. This would be the first Pontiac purchase in my family and my wife's family... and right now it's hanging on by a thread.

If I could please get an honest answer to my question, and if you could continue to update us every few weeks, you have a chance of keeping me as a customer.

Thank you for your time!

Thanks Lori for posting. Both my wife an I love the solstice, but we don't drive stick, can you make sure that we can order the automatic soon? thanks.

Lori,
You're right on track - introduce the Solstice when it's ready, and not a day before. She (the Solstice) will not change GM's fortunes even at 100% market share; she's all about halo, emotion, and re-introducing GM to an entirely new clientele.

It strikes me that among the major upsides to Solstice is the positive impact she'll have on sales of the G6 convertible. Any delay in the Solstice means the G6 convertible is that much closer - giving Pontiac a fantastic 1-2 combo.

Congratulations on the show so far (the Apprentice spot was a coup!); best of luck (and effort) on the rest of the program.

Cheers,
Jeff

Hmmm, Solstice. Cool car. No Monaro cross breeding there. No GM beancounter shortcuts. No attempts at marketing it as something it is not. The Solstice should be a well deserved success.

The Solstice and the G6 coupe both have very dramatic tail lights... any chance we could get a similar look to replace the relatively pedestrian G6 sedan?

For starters I'm on the list to purchase a solstice.. Unfortunately like many have said, I've been watching this car since its concept introduction am part of the solsticeforum.com and arrived at my dealer (on the east coast) at 6:30am (waited an hour and ahalf for them to open), and with all this said did not recieve one of the first because of terrible internet problems (yes i know it didnt start till 2pm, but im obsessed with this car)..not good!...not good at all.. but I am patient and am happy to be on a list of recieving one of the first to come to my dealer.
With that said - I've got a question about the interior, in my mind a crucial one! I'm ordering black exterior, with the two tone interior. But you have images throughout pontiac with two separate two tones, is it steel & sand.. or granite & sand??? very important as i have already placed my specs.. and yet have no idea which is which - you say you are in the test portion now.. so why dont we know information like this?? GM is doing an excellent job to become a stronger company but things like this are just plain unexceptable..

Lori: I can't say that I am glad that the Solstice will be delayed past the "Summer Solstice" however as long as you take every single step possible to ensure that the Solstice will have perfect handiling, balance, shifiting and reliabilty, or else the press will shoot it down.

Get out of the box, you crazy Michiganders! Winter in California doesn't mean snow!

While roadsters sit in MidWest garages for over 6 months a year - remember, the sun doth shine elsewhere!

Lori,
Now if you can just get the marketeers back off EBAY with their first 1000 cars and put them into the hands of enthusiasts...things will be good again. There currently are two first 1000 cars on EBAY and one appears to be another dealer such as the one in Florida. Hope you will have someone check them out and pull their orders!!

My wife took one look at the Solstice and loved it! I have not had a Pontiac since my 78 Trans Am. I'm thinking there may be one in the driveway in the near future again.....

Great post. Thanks. I'd walk in and pay cash for one if it was a hybrid. I'm torn between ordering now, or waiting to see if a US automaker gets a clue, and builds a hybrid next year. A hybrid convertible would sell well on the west coast.

Lori,

Thanks for bringing us the Solstice, and at such a great price.

Here is some feedback:

1. Solstice, 6-speed G6 GTP, and GTO = HOT.
2. Torrent with 3400 and SV6 = NOT.
3. Keep the greedy dealers from jacking up the price on the Solstice, please! It won't sell well if it gets another $5K slapped on to the MSRP. At least it won't sell to me, and I'll have to buy a G6 GTP coupe instead, with the manual trans.

I wish you all the best with the Solstice. I hope GM finally breaks the mold of coming up with great concepts and then falling flat on the execution. I've owned (and still own) a few GM cars that have failed to meet expectations. So far, amidst all the marketing hype, I haven't seen different. Will the Solstice be subject to massive recalls? Will the ultimate handling of the production version match those of a...Miata (the new one coming out) or S2000? Even after 4 years of ownership? Will the overall body style of the car look fresh 5 years from now? Will plastic bits stay in place and not rattle like my friends 6 month old Canyon pickup truck interior? Will the Mr Goodwrench treat the owner with due respect and give decent value for money in the servicing? Will the car still run after being serviced? Will the dealer blame the customer if something falls off?

This is your halo car, Bob. There's a lot of healing to do with your customers riding on this car. I hope you pull it off.

Well the roadster market is going to get a little bit bigger.

The sex appeal of a Porsche Boxter with the price tag of a loaded Hyundai.

Wow!!!

And just think, 80% of the public doesn't even know what a Solstice is yet. And 95% still don't know how beautiful it is.

So is your next project a Trans Am, or are you taking the Fiero route?

Hey Lori and GM,

I never thought I'd say this, but I'd like to second the above posts urging you to wait a few months to release the Pontiac Solstice.

I think that GM may have some problems with the idea and workings of linear time.

For instance, outside of Detroit, 90 days is not considered a valid test of a vehicle's reliability.

4 years is not considered a swift turnaround from prototype to production vehicle.

October is not considered summer.

In fact, October is generally considered a very poor time to introduce new convertibles, especially since you'll be competing with both the new Miata, and the used S2000s, Miatas, and other ragtops that people are getting rid of for the fall.

What you ought to do is sell the first 1000 in October, and ONLY the first 1000, and provide those owners with vigorous incentives to report back on their driving/ dealership/ repair experiences, and follow up on those complaints, and then release the Solstice in March/April 2007. That way, you can make the Solstice ownership experience terrific, from the initial peek at the Pontiac website, to the first internet quote, to the first test drive, to the first service, to the avoidance of factory recallsl, to happy long-term ownership.

Otherwise, if you release it in October, I think Andy's post above pretty much nails the timeline.

Of course, if you ALREADY have the bugs worked out, and you're planning on positioning the Solstice as THE BEST CHRISTMAS PRESENT EVER, and plan to have girls in bikinis with Santa hats driving them around with skis and snowboards in the back, then you might be able to prove me wrong. I'd love that.

Best of luck!

Lori, keep us first 1000 as well as the next 7000 in the loop. Some of us have waited our entire lives for such a car from Pontiac. I know as designed the Solstice has some shortcomings, mostly in regards to trunk space. But Mr. Lutz promised us a true-blue American sports roadster starting at under 20,000 and now it is your job to see his vision through. Thank you and keep us posted as a regular contributor to this blog.

Good move holding back full production until the Solstice is rock solid. This is the kind of decision making that will only help GM over time.

You might get some dollars in earlier by rushing to production but you would do more dollars worth of damage to the Solstice (and GM) reputation that way.

Keep up the good work!

After reading Lori Queen's comments about better communication, I was encouraged. After the confirmation call that I was going to get one of the 1st 1000, I have not heard a word from Pontiac. The only information available has been thru the solstice forum.

Where are the duel exhausts on the Solstice (and G6 & Vibe)? A single big tube does not cut it for the so-called performance division. For cying out loud, I saw a Camry with duel pipes the other day

Fiero had mid-engine
Fiero had handling
Fiero had trunk space
Fiero had a hard top
Call me when you build another Fiero, not a Miata-wannabe. Until then I'll keep driving my Fiero.

I don't care about your emotion, or your listening abilities. Your job is to MAKE CARS, and to MAKE THEM WELL. Get it straight. You can have all the 'emotion' you want about a vehicle, and if the car falls apart on you, the 'emotion' is called ANGER.

Am I the only American that cares that General Motors is getting slaughtered by the Japanese? Why is it the Ford CEO decided not to take any payment until the company was in the green, but one of your top executives made 2 million dollars last year?

You want your company fixed? You should hire me. I'll work for free. Just give me the ability to administer 'negative reinforcement' to your engineers when they design a roadster that weighs in at 2800 pounds when the Miata is hundreds of pounds lighter, and trying to pretend they'll compete.

Lori,

Since you're VLE for small cars, what are your feelings regarding a potential market for a small, RWD car with more than two seats, from GM?

Thanks,
Charlie

I ordered my Solstice on April 2nd & the dealership held the order so I could get a "First 1,000". They even said I got it the morning of April 15th when I returned to them with my registration number a half hour before the orders were to be accepted. They screwed me. It wasn't until TODAY that I found out that not only will the car be delayed, but I also wouldn't have a "First 1,000". I'm now wondering & having second thoughts about the car after all.

Hi, Lori--congrats on the Solstice--and on taking it from concept to production with NO loss in style--the production version is just as gorgeous as the concept, and that's a real accomplishment. Both the exterior--and the interior are spectacular, and I appreciate that as much time as spent on the interior as the exterior--the design is reminiscent of roadsters in the $100,000+ price range.

I am on the list to buy one and every time I show a picture of the Solstice to someone, they say, "I WANT THAT!" That's exactly what GM needs and you've delivered.

Kudos also on delaying delivery to make sure quality is high from Car #1. While I'm disappointed I can't get OnStar right now, but I'm excited about everything else.

I have a QUESTION involving interior colors. The unique Sand/Steel combo in all the concept pictures and now the printed collateral is clearly gray and tan.

But the /Solstice area on the Pontiac site shows a color combination nobody can explain: http://www.pontiac.com/solstice/images/bg_image7.jpg

It's very beautiful, a kind of black and gold/copper--but why show a photo of a color combo that's not available? It's only confused buyers.

I hope you make this colorway available in the future.

In the mean time, I hope you'll explain to me, and the people at http://www.solsticeforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2239 what this picture is and why the marketing people chose it for the web site if it's not available.

Thanks for your fantastic work. I can't wait to get the car--whenever it's ready!

The Solstice simply can't be another mediocre car that GM employees and their relatives will be happy to buy at fire sale discounts. Or one that a few thousand GM faithful will buy to bring back memories of the good old days.

Every vehicle that GM launches from now on carries a heavy burden: It MUST be best in class!

Otherwise it's just more grease on the road in the slide to AVOIDABLE bankruptcy.

Indeed Solstice is a beautiful car. This is the first GM car I would spend my money on it.

It's beauty and performance potential can mitigate any minor glitches it may have. It is like bmw and Mecedes, their reliabilities are not quite the best, but people are still buying them.

From now on, all GM cars and truck are gonna be like the Solstice.

Connect with the car buying public at the emotional level.

Oh, while you are at it, can you talk to the design teams in GM and have them get rid of those ungly 4 spoke steering wheels on G6, Malibu, trucks....etc.

I have an idea! Let's give some solstice to Hollywood celebrities like Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie...etc. Man, this cars will be beyond hot. Imagine a commercial using the Mr and Mrs. Smith movie as a backdrop, having these two celebs chasing each other, banging thru the gears, going sideways, then both drive home. After they step out of the cars, they look at each other in a seductive way, saying "honey, we should do this tomorrow again."

Talking about sex appeal:)

It sure would be nice if people actually bothered to read the post you made. It quite clearly states that your goal is to begin delivery of the vehicles by late summer if not earlier. You then cite October as the late fall back date in case problems are encountered.

Of course, everyone latches onto the October date instead of paying attention to the intended date, which does fulfill the original estimated time frame.

Greg

GM blew it on the Solstice. No, not that its a bad car. It's a very exciting car. But GM/Pontiac blew it with the perfect time to introduce a convertible sports car. October is not it.

GM had over 2 years to get this car right the first time, no excuses. The Solstice should have been in production already and released on June 21, the Summer Solstice. A missed opportunity as usual from GM.

Lori please don't bring it out until it's ready! GM can not stand any bad press on the car. It's a beautiful car and needs to succeed. As long as it takes.....

I am not happy that my sol will take until the FALL to arrive, however, when I began to wonder at owning this beautiful auto, I didn't check the weather outside. From concept to production in such a short time shows commitment on Pontiac's side, and I will continue to support the quality end of things. I will have this car a very long time, and it better old up! Now, I would like to be offered a great rateon my financing, seeing that since 4/15 when I committed to purchasing this car, the short term interest rates have climbed again. Who knows what they will be like in October? I'd like to have a firm commitment from Pontiac on what it will REALLY cost me.

I'm going to wait for the Saturn Sky. The additional time should ensure most of the major bugs are worked out. Not to mention, it just looks sharper. I guess their is a positive side to product duplication...oh, I meant shared platform. Let's see, that's 10% divided by two.

Chris

Lori,
How long do you think that GM can survive while ignoring the wants of the buyers? Build AMERICAN cars that last like the Asian and European but look like AMERICAN. Give us the great American V8's and rear wheel drive.

Now that the Solstice is ready and the Sky is well on its way, you (meaning GM) must now have the time to get that Nomad out the door.

Lori,

I just want to say thanks for finally coming up with a RWD sportscar for GM's 'Excitement' division. Any cars that are not mearly reskinned FWD chevies can only serve to improve the brand. I am happy that quality is the priority and eagerly await experiencing one for myself as soon as they start showing up on dealer lots. However, with only a slightly larger production run planned than the GTO and much greater demand, it may be quite a wait.
I hope that the pent up demand felt with a car like the Solstice (as well as the popularity of recent RWD offerings from a couple other manufacturers) helps those in charge of products at Pontiac more clearly see there is room in the mix for more RWD offerings, particularly cars that are sporty but have a practical side. This would be appealing for those who find it difficult to justify a car with two seats as their primary vehicle. Clearly, the Solstice is evidence that some within GM understand that not all RWD fans expect fire-breathing V8 power, but can appreciate a well balanced package with reasonable power. An ample reserve of power is very nice, but not always an absolute necessity.
I hope that this demand for the Solstice as well as the improvement of sales with the excellent 2005 GTO will open the doors to some RWD cars for the common folk. I really hope that people like me aren't left with 1) scrounging for old, used, unwarranteed RWD cars, 2) choosing between pinching pennies to afford or compromising practicality to get a new GM RWD niche vehicle, or 3) going to the competition.

Keep up the good work.

Ms. Queen, I came from a family of GM loyalists. My Grandfather's motto was:"If it isn't GM, don't even think of parking in my driveway". Growing up,(80's), I saw: My uncle trade his '85 Chevy truck for a Bad Oval. My aunt, her '77 El Camino 350ci for a turbo Le Baron convertible. My Mother is still loyal, but sadly, not my Grampa. He bought a new Firenza,(remember those?), for my Gramma. After numerous problems with that junk and multiple arguements with the dealership, he traded it for a new K-car. When it came time to trade in his tired, but trusty,'76 2dr Catalina 400ci, he was absolutely disgusted by GM's new mid-80's "Corporate" B-bodies and FWD cookie cutter cars, so he bought another D-O-D-G-E. If it wasn't for the fact that he's almost 80, he'd love the 300M. Now it's time for me to trade in my '96 Impala SS. GTO's cost too much,(um,take a peek at the cost of a new base V8 Rustang, OR "That thing got a..."). How about a cheaper, stripped down Monaro version, priced under $25K?,(Le Mans or Tempest?). I definately would buy that! I love the Solstice, but its too small. Other than the AWD Vibe,(which I like), and with the cancellation of the Zeta platform, I don't see any future GM products that offer me RWD, sans pricey Caddies, truck/SUV's, the 'Vette, and the sorely missed F and mid-90's B-bodies. Overpricing, forced options, and poor marketing are what killed the F-body's sales, not a lack of interest. The proof is this: How many LS1-6 powered Firebirds/Camaros sit for long on used car lots or at salvage yards? (the last few years of WS6 cars have probably held more value than any other version ever built). PLEASE!! I BEG OF YOU!!!, Don't let the remaining GM buyers down, build us American (muscle)cars, not General transportation! Thank you. Note: American muscle cars are this: Rear Wheel Drive,V8 or turbo/supercharged Inl./V6's, available in either automatic or stick, two or four door, can really perform but still pick up the kids and get the groceries, almost everybody can afford some version of it, and most importantly, it can be optioned however the buyer wants it! Buyer:"No A/C or power options except the windows,the best V8, a 6 speed, a basic interior, no radio, no spoiler or ground effects and a rubber floor mat? Dealer: "O.K."

What Lori is not saying: 1.We're not going to meet our production goals this year. 2. Fit and finish is less than expected on front hood/facia. 3. There is no way to stop dealers from charging $10,000 above sticker. 4. Production ends in 5yrs with no major platform/styling changes. 5. Total production to exceed demand by 50,000 units. Result; Owners overpaying for vehicles with poor fit/finish that look the same year after year and due to high production numbers have no collector value. Launch will go poorly and after the initial spike demand will fall sharply as Automotive Magazines condemn the vehicle for being an overpriced underpowered miata wannabe. Production will continue despite poor sales and extensive rebates will be offered before the whole idea will be wrote off as "Poor timing"
GM stated years ago they cannot make money building small cars and this will be no different. Good luck with Fiero II.

Its no wonder your sales are struggling, just look at what's left on the lots.

Since your lots are running out of G6, but seem to have plenty of Grand Prix, why not run a promotion on the Grand Prix until you get more G6 in stock? And where are the 4 cyclinder G6? Lets get a move on.

And your not promoting the GXP at all. Why? Do yourself a favor, run a test somewhere, stock some of them and advertise on cable the new GXP product, not the price, the PRODUCT. If you say you already tried, no you didn't try, because we never saw you try. Take more than 1 to the car shows, take used ones if you have to. Most people still don't know you have it.

The way your dealers treat the GXP, they lock it up and hope know one wants to see inside, like they might be able to afford one or something??

Do you have any concept of how many people are looking for a full size luxury sedan that is as comfortable as the GXP? If they knew you had the product, they'd come to look? For most people know Pontiac hasn't changed the Bonneville, have you told them about it??? The answer is really no, you haven't told anybody about your great products, all you tell them about it incentives and sales. This is old school retail, and its costing you the store. Try some more image marketing. Do you even realize your competition is even giving away free Cappacino's just get people to drive their cars and take your business away. They know GM products are the best, thats why they are after your sales, do your customers know it?

Where are your new dealerships, some of these places are still in the old parts of town where nobody goes anymore.

Give some incentive for new dealerships to be built, some rewards. Even some incentive for dealers to combine.

Just heard a rumor that a Saturn dealer is finally coming. What took so long?

How far do you think undecided people will go for a GM product when the competition has a new dealer right on the corner where you should be.

There is a brand new Mercedes of Orlando dealer at Millenium Mall. Where is the Cadillac Dealer and why didn't you get that spot?

What's going to happen when you run out of Solstice and G6 and still have a lot full of Grand Prix's?

Every dealer should have 3 GXP's and 3 GTO's in the good colors. Some dealers only have 1 GXP and maybe 1 or 2 GTO's left. There was only 2 G6's left at the Pontiac dealer, they sold all the good combos.

Have people look at these issues. We love you and your new products, just get a common sense department. There is a middle group of people trying to make up their minds what to buy. Other companies are taking your business with location and fast talking. It doesn't have to be that way.

If you don't know where to start with dealer makeovers, just look where your competition is the strongest and go for it.

You would just be shocked at what a new Cadillac, Pontiac, or Buick dealer on the corner in in the nice neiborhood would do for your sales.

My comment is more of a question. What are the estimated fuel usage numbers for the Soltice? I own 60's GM Muscle cars and will be shoping in the future for a commuter and would like something that turns heads as I am certain the Soltice will and with respectable fuel numbers.

Thanks, Waiting Patiently

To Steve, My wife had a Grand Am and liked it better than the Z3 she had. She wishes she had it back. She now has the new Malibu.

My take on all the bitching and moaning about delays in delivery of the Solstice; go back to the policy of not announcing a new car until it is IN production. They had the same moaners and groaners when people couldn't get a PT right away. It is miraculous the Solstice is coming out this fast as it is!

There's one thing I really really want to know... Where is the G6 GTP??

Pontiac's website displays it there, you simply can't build it or search any dealer for it. Every dealer I've called has been quite aloof about the whole topic (something you may want to talk about them about as it really doesn't garner any desire from me to buy anything from them).

Fact is, I'm looking at other options, and if I can't get a high performance sedan with a stick shift from GM soon, I will go to Nissan.

While we're on the topic of manual transmission -- do consider putting that as an option in more vehicles. I'd actually buy the Grand Prix GXP that recently came out if it had a nice quick shift manual gear box. I'm not the only one who wants a high end cars with a manual transmission. A buddy of mine wanted to get the Cadillac CTS 3.6 (Not the V -- he's not that well off), and although you do offer manual transmission, all the dealers in his area were stocked with automatics. The dealer said that the manual's are not a good seller, yet, he let is slip out of the 1 in 20 CTS's that are produced as manual, they sell almost immediately.

Wouldn't logic dictate that you should consider offering a few more manual transmissions? If you ever want to have a vehicle ever taken seriously as performance oriented, you must offer a stick shift.

At any rate, I've gone way off topic from my original question... Where is the G6 GTP??

No excuses, the Solstice should have been ready by May 2005. Engineers, etc. should have been burning the midnight oil to fix these problems. GM doesn't pay OT to salaried employees, so there's your answer.

I received an initial email on May 2nd and a Poster...nothing else, My dealer is f no help...Am I not one of the first 1000? Or is my dealer just getting his allotment and selling them for the most he can as oposed to those that ordered first! I was there at 2 PM the day they went on sale!

I hope the Solstice succeeds. There is no reason why not.... as long it has a personality. I wonder how many people actually care about the run-of-the-mill GM products? They buy because they want a quality car that has an image (Toyota Camry for instance). Putting adverts in the media with "buy at GM employees costs" does what? Apart from showing desperation to sell or realizing that no-one actually wants the products it both devalues the existing cars and means that the residual value will be even less than expected. If GM had pride in their products, understood both the market and customers, they wouldn't be worried about Toyota in the first place.

This is now quite true from the block,
Irish girls spring green skirts do a lot,
but to own of Solistice not a flock,
I would rather then turn to a rock !
Seriously ... considering it ...,
and then considering to own a lot,
and not just an some ugly old pot !

A salute to summer solistíce.

I was in driving in Monaco in a Phantom Rolls Royce - but this Solistice seems more than just Joyce !

Bernhard Franz of Lamb Cars

Suggestion: Why not make my friends and collegues by Solistice , too ? If we bought together 100 or so we could sure get it cheaper by 1 percent! Also, then the car park would look nice !

Hi Lori,
I'm glad the Solstice is generating so much buzz and I'm planning on buying one for my wife. With that said if you're truely listening GM needs several more break through star cars. Mr. Lutz talked so wonderfully about the GTO and I just read in this blog how you can't keep enough on the lots in So. Cal. But I also read how your target numbers for the car are down. What do you expect from a platform that is six or seven years old! Any car buff will pick up R&T or Car and Driver and quickly dismiss the car because of their write-up stating how old the car is and it's nothing more than a reworked Holden. How can this be the best GM can offer? GM is the biggest car company in the world and you continuously put out BLAND cars. Cars with no horsepower, weak steering and styling. Bob Lutz was suppose to shake things up and he was put in another job. Doesn't look good from a company perspective.

Sincerely,
Marc McClelland

Porsche Boxster
BMW 540 Wagon

The reason for my post is to answer a few questions, namely, are we listening? Of course we are . . . I know I am.

Alright!! Only one more week until the Solstice!! Oh.. Wait.. wrong solstice. Next week is the one where we have the longest summer day of the year and wish I was driving around in a posh, new convertible. Maybe we'll get them in time for the next solstice. The one where it's the shortest, coldest day of the winter and have no intentions of putting the top down.

I ordered one on 4/20/05 and still have no idea when I might receive it,the dealer has no clue.HELP

I still do not know what this has to do with getting the Camaro and other RWD models out faster????

I saw one of the preproduction Solstices in Westport, CT yesterday. The only reason I know it was preprod is because of this blog, and that last I checked, October is still a ways off.

The one I saw was red, and it had Michigan Mfr plates.

It was, in a word, spectacular. I've saw the concept and later on, the production car at the NYIAS the last two years, but seeing one on the road, in a bright color (instead of the metallic grey one making the show rounds) is a different thing entirely.

Great car. It's going to be a huge success.

Now go make more cars that are just as good.

Hey GM!
I am one of the 8000 on the list of people who will get the 'early' production Solstice. I have seen others express frustration on this Blog but havent seen any response from GM. I have called the dealership 5 times and they will not/cannot tell me even a ball park date. I was told end of July or August was likely and September if issues arise...now I see on this blog the first 1000 will not be out until Thanksgiving? I really need to know...I need a new car and am not sure I want to wait until Feb or March for this car....given we signed up without getting to test drive the car or see one in person....and now we cannot even get an accurate status...I think GM owes its potential customers some truthful updates. I have been a content Ford, Infiniti and Porsche owner....I got rid of my Boxster due to 'trust' issues with my Scottsdale Porsche Dealer...I was happy to give Pontiac a chance....but I sure hope the car's performance is better than Pontiac's communication about availability of these cars.

When will we know the production schedule? When will we know the actual cost of the product we are ordering?

When is the new Camaro coming out? I am around muscle cars guys everyday, and they all say the same thing,"If you build a good looking 2-door car with decent horsepower, we will buy it." We want a 2-door car that looks good, that can haul more than 2 people and can smoke the tires if you want. Not all of us want a Mustang. What we really want is either a retro Camaro or Chevelle with the technology of today, like an LS2 engine, 6 speed manual tranmission and 19" wheels. Simple-Can you make it happen?
If you make it, we will buy it!

I am also one of the thousand, we ordered mine and I don't think I get it till mid November. Just in time for snow. My new baby will have to stay in the garage :(

I ordered one on 4/20 and am on the list for the first six from my dealer.I talked with my dealer today and was told they would be very lucky to recieve two and they would not recieve any more as pontiac wiil not make an 07" because of all the problems,nice!!Any one else got this great news.Iwill never buy a G.M. product again if this is the case.Sept.21st Wade

Wade,

I'm afraid you may have been misinformed by your dealer. First, we are still accepting orders for 2006 Solstices even today, although we currently have about 15,000 orders from our customers and our dealers. Your dealer might be confusing allocation with the ability to order the car.

Each Pontiac dealer has some idea of how many cars they should receive out of the batch that we are building between now and the end of the year, and we'll soon be releasing an additional" batch" to dealers. What may have happened in your case is that your dealer took more orders than the number of cars they could expect to receive. You might want to clear up that misconception with them.

If your current dealer can't find you a car, you might consider looking at other Pontiac dealers in your area. They may still have available 2006 Solstices that no one has purchased yet. I know that the search may be a bit frustrating, but you may be able to find a car more quickly.

In terms of a 2007 model, I can absolutely guarantee you that Pontiac will produce one. We've been absolutely blown away ( and more than a little humbled) by the outpouring of support for this little roadster and we are looking forward to its continuing popularity in future model years.

Regards,

Jim Hopson
Manager, Pontiac Communication

Jim Hopson,thanks for your response.I have talked with my dealer today and he has said he has six allocated and I am second on the list but he still has no idea if and when I might recieve mine,any ideas?I have contacted several dealershps with no luck.Thanks for your time

Hi....

I ordered a Solstice in September.

Very little information from my dealer in regards to delivery.

Today, 12/22/05, dealer called and said due to all the "GM problems" that my order was "bumped" by the factory. He explained that it was in your system, and then lost. So, he has had to re-order it as of today...and it will be mid-March before I see the car.

Is this true, or just a bunch of dealer hooey?

Did they sell my car to someone else at the $5000 premiums I have been hearing about, and string me along?

Is there a way to track the progress of my order?

Regards,

Evan Smith

Is it true that Chevrolet might get a Kappa sports car called Corvair? If so I'd be first in line to order.

Good morning,

Now we jump ahead to Mar. 2006.....

I'd like to share a story about the new Pontiac Solstice.

I've been following the development of this car since day one.
GM let the reigns go and brought this car to market almost overnight. A
fledgling giant is trying to recapture the hearts of Americans......and
I'm onboard !

The internet easily lets the average Joe be a very well informed
consumer. I did some research on pricing, availability, and specs.
I contacted my local Dayton, Ohio dealership to let them know I'll be in
to work out a deal.

Upon arriving at the dealership I was IMMEDIATELY informed that " I will
have to agree to a $3000 premium even before we start talking. This
wasn't in effect last week, but it is now. You
understand.........supply and demand."
Come to find out, there was an average of a $5000 mark-up on all
showfloor models as well. To say the least, being cut off as I was and
put in such disarray left me completely livid.

So, you tell me. Can I really get an American roadster for under $20k ?
I think it's more like $30k.

Tell me again why I shouldn't be at my local Volkswagen or Honda
dealership ?

Thanks for reading.

Have a great day,

C.Kinder
Springboro, Ohio

As a 63 year old long time GM lover who has tried other brands, I have a question or two for Mr. Bob Lutz and anyone else who wishes to answer.
My wife and I are both lovers of performance vehicles be it two wheels or four. Currently, my wife owns a 96 vette, LT4 with six-speed manual trans. She would like to drive it "properly", but hates the fact that at 5'2" and shrinking she has to move the seat all the way up and hug the wheel with personal endowments adding to the problem. So, when is GM going to recognize this market and provide adjustable pedals and tilt/telescoping steering wheels as options? Especially inform me if you do it for a ZO6 convertible. Meanwhile, what about a Sky Red Line and others just in case I can't fork over the sticker on the ZO6?
Currently, what GM vehicles have either or both of these options?

Solstice is a piece of hot garbage. Sleazy, illiterate dealer tried to sell me one for $35k because there's a premium for the only sporty car GM has ever made besides the Corvette. All the "quality" at the plant won't matter when the platic door locks snap off the the cheap interior compartments' plastic doors warp. I've seen more expensive trim on a Hot Wheels Barbie Corvette.