Solstice Delivers

Thanks for the timely update on the progress of this special vehicle for GM and Pontiac.

Waiting for mine is tough duty.

Take care-Steve
S/F

Bob,

I've seen the Solstice on the streets here in TO and must say it looks good. I had a Benz SLK when they first came out and must admit there is something to the small drop top.

With a family now I can't afford a roadster that costs what the German's are charging (gotta have that family sedan to get them around), and was pleased to see the Solstice should have greater performance than the old Benz at 1/2 the price. I hope it's a great drive (benz wasn't so great at handling, but a lot of fun with the top down) and can't wait to get to my local dealer and try one.

I also hope that your comments on the future products prove true, as I always wanted a Cadillac, but don't like the current CTS interior and don't want to spend the $ on an STS.

With the "latest air induction system for vastly reduced induction noise, and a freer (but still legal) exhaust system" will we see a slight HP bump from the 177HP previously stated?

The Pontiac Solstice is an awesome sports car and I can't wait to purchase mine! Better yet, I can't wait to drive mine. I want silver!!!

I give GM tons of credit for waiting until the car is tight. This car is, and will be, a HUGE success! Only one problem... the Solstice has been in production for about a week and Purchasing is already global sourcing the suppliers components around the World. One (1) week into production! This sends a message about loyalty to the suppliers that dedicated themselves to this program since late 2003. This also sends a message to the Wilmington plant and the buying public that GM doesn't care about consistency of product.

The product is awesome but the process needs HUGE improvements. I still want one in silver!!!

Ok...Pontiac Solstice is cool..now, how about slightly stretched 4-seat, 2-door, rear-drive, V8 Solstace, rebadged as a, you got it, Chevy Camaro??

Bob & the GM team,

Great going! Surely you MUST know that you not only represent your company, but the entire nation.

We all want to buy American cars because we love America and love being American. The passion for driving is an American passion we don't want to drive foreign makes.

But as you know the past 20 years have forced us to put pride aside and buy the right car for our families.

For every one of those 20 years, we've had our hearts broken as we've shaken our heads while we sign the check on the japanese car we had to buy.

So it is with my great hope and prayer that what you say above is true. I really, truly hope that GM is back. The GM of the golden years when American cars rocked and foreign makes sucked in comparison.

You're not just doing it for GM. You're doing it for America. I can't wait to read the reviews in the auto rags and especially the comparison to the new Miata. Please tell me the Solstice blows its doors off!

Hurrah!

Bob where's the Beef?

After the demise of the Grand Prix (even though I was one of the invites to the private event to the G-Force, the actual production model left something to be desired), I have been waiting to replace my 2000 W Body (Grand Prix) with something that is an upgrade as well as a replacement.

The Solstice and the GTO are my options. I do like the V8 Grand Prix, and your promises of the 2005 1/2 year model bringing the V8 was true to your word, but the GP still does not have the WOW factor like the Pontiac Solstice. The GTO is a heavy hitter in the performance arena, but as you well know even with the new LS2, it is 10+ year old technology and style.

So the Pontiac Solstice is a great option. I do wish that there were more performance options for the platform and I expect that SPO will have some items available (per your stance on the other Pontiac platforms).

But we have been waiting long enough. I first saw the Solstice at the same Chicago Auto Show where the G-Force was unveiled, and the Wow factor was there, but the Grand Prix Owners were still waiting for the new GP and many turned a blind eye. I however did not.

A beautiful vehicle...which all Pontiac Enthusiasts are waiting for...but what we all want to know is WHEN?

So when I ask “Where’s the Beef” it is two fold. When can we order one of these bad boys, and when can we see some performance improvements for this one of a kind car?

Excellent!

I may trade my M Coupe for a Pontiac one of these days...

We want to believe you, Bob, but we have had similar hype. Waiting to read my "Autoweek", "Automobile", and "Car" magazines before celebrating.

First congratulations on the Solstice!

I think it is maybe one of the prettiest cars, bar-none, that I've seen in a l-o-n-g awhile. It's design, I believe, harkens back more to the elegant, "less is more" style philosophy of the 1930's and 1940's. The 1950's are largely considered to be "Detroit's Golden Age", but I believe the products produced in the 1930's and 1940's have very elgant, subtle, design touches. Nice.

I am speechless at photos that I've seen of the product. I can't wait to see and test drive one in person. I stand and applaud all involved!

There is potential greatness at GM. This, I have no doubt. I cringe however at your dealership/stealership arm, who have already plotted locally to charge way above MSRP for this affordable sporsts car. Having seen it in person at several auto shows, I love the styling and the interior design. At $20-$25K, this is a great buy for an affordable sports car. Watch your dealers make this a difficult process for the not-so fortunate potential buyers after the first 1000 are delivered. There are dealers already asking $5K above MSRP for this car. I plan to wait a bit until the usual feeding frenzy by folks who gotta have the first one in their neighborhood and by the dealers who feel the initial interest in the car justifies markups of several thousands. ALl I can say is, give me mine in Mysterious with a supercharged V-6 and price it accordingly.
S23
Good luck.
Steve

Bob:

I have seen the design in person at auto shows and it is excellent. I am glad to hear the journalist feel the powertrain and platform are excellent too. GM'ers are second to none in being competent. It was the matter of not being organized properly and not having the right priorities. From what I can tell you are correcting these issues.

Respectfully,

EMV

The "rights" to buy one are over $5000 on eBay already.
I would say this is a winner for sure, nice work GM!

It looks great.....It seems that this could be a good base for the next Opel/vauxhall speedster, and I read that Saab has some interest in the Kappa platform for a Sonett....

The design it is very clean with a muscle car cues. It has no strange lines or similar as we can see in BMW bangle designs. the interior looks great, but remembers me a lot at the L shape of the 9-5. Only the rounded aire vents I find that are in excess used by the designers as a fashion that reduces the originality of the product.

But looking at this car and the Saturn Sky, what's the difference between them, what's the segmentation? the engine is the same and with 170-177bhp aprox.

And looking at the first pics of the 9-5.....why the 9-5 audio/climate controls are from this and other GM cars??(when Saab is in charge of the development of Infotaiment/audio systems in GME)

I don't understand this type of synergies when GM expect to have an advantage in design, as we seen when was anounced the GME design center.

I hope and I am sure those two cars will hit the rivals. You have a big opportunity in the coupe and roadster segment, when many others are failing and the cuope-cabrio products are becoming a threat. But the new wave of individualism, alone/single living in many countries give a good opportunity. In China there is a forecast that in 2020 will be 40 million of singles/unmarried people.

About Saab, I must say that I am a little disappointed with the restyled 9-5, I hope it will not loose any of his performance cues.... I will be very pleased if some day you explain what will happen with Saab, what will be its position in GM and what will happen with its engineering if all is centralized in Russelheim.

thanks and good luck

Mr. Lutz,
When will GM start taking orders for the Solstice with the auto transmission?

Good news bob, this car deserves it!

Anyone who pays over MSRP for one of these is foolish. Wait a few months and get a discount. The dealers know they have to make their killing quickly cause these things don't last. Look at PT Cruiser for example. After the initial heat, they offered rebates....

Bob,

Thanks for delivering this great product. I hope it is just a taste of what is to come from GM. The interiors are looking better, the styling is improving. We need some American cars to get excited about, cars that make us get excited when we look at them!

The Solstice certainly does that, as does the upcoming Saturn SKY. I thank you guys for making my jaw drop several times.

There's still work to do though. The G6 is a great start for Pontiac to go along with the Solstice, but the Grand Prix is stale. Also, if Pontiac is a performance division for driving enthusiasts, why not RWD across the lineup? A small Pontiac RWD car that comes as a hot sedan or a two door hatch? The G6 is great, but would be even better as a RWD sedan with hot styling and a couple and convertible that could be even more fun to drive with RWD. The GTO needs to look more exciting. It's got the power but not the looks.

I'm excited about what the future holds and hope GM makes the right moves to bolster Chevy, revive Pontiac and Buick, and keep Cadillac rolling (rumors are the next CTS is hot!).

Thank you for all the hard work.

Yay for the Solstice!

Just don't let the dealers kill the production launch with excessive markups.

There's a term for people who want to buy a sporty 2-seat roadster for $20-25k and find themselves confronted with a several thousand dollar dealer markup at the Pontiac Dealership:

Miata Buyers.

That new MX-5 is going to be tough competition, as it's the same price, 390lbs lighter, and has been extremely reliable over its history.

Sure, the Solstice has it beat by a country mile in terms of aesthetics, but the competition's going to be tough enough without the Pontiac dealers alienating potential customers.

Come on GM, make the Solstice a hit by selling all of them at MSRP and letting them get back-ordered.

It would be great to see GM sold out of a car that was selling for full price, and that would make for some great press.

On the other hand, the bad publicity generated by people who overpaid for their Solstice once the first factory recall comes in for a faulty component due to the above-mentioned global sourcing / cost-cutting could kill the buzz in a heartbeat.

GM should be taking every possible step to make sure that this launch is a tremendous success, and keeping the dealers from getting greedy is a pretty obvious one.

(Of course, as someone who wants to buy the new Solstice GXP Turbo in a year or two, maybe I shouldn't be giving this advice. If the dealers get greedy and botch the launch, and the sales don't come anywhere near expectations, that means GM will resort to its usual tactic of large rebates to boost sales, making that future Solstice GXP that much cheaper for me. So forget what I said before GM, let the dealers charge as much as the market will bear. $5,000 markups? That's not nearly enough. If the buyers really want them, they'll pay a lot more than that. Who cares about long-term sales prospects, go for the short-term gain!)

Less of the Hollywood-style hype, and more great cars, will convince this former GM engineer that GM is truly "back". And make no mistake, the Solstice could very well be one of those great cars!

It will be interesting to see how its brother, the forthcomming Sky, will be handled by Saturn dealers.

As for what will happen at Pontiac dealers, others have already said it.

Last week we made several jaunts from the resort we stayed at in Jeffersonville Vermont along VT-108 through Smuggler's Notch into Stowe. What an incredible stretch of road that is, full of twists and turns along with steep climbs and descents.

As we plodded along in our minivan, the engine gasping for power and the body rolling through the turns, I kept thinking to myself what a blast the same drive would be in a Solstice.

Is there some list out there of the most exhilarating/fun to drive stretches of road in the USA? I think that those are the places where you should film the Solstice for ad campaigns.

Bob,

I just hung up the phone with my local (Detroit, MI) Pontiac dealer.

I wanted to inform the dealer that I'm heading over and, "...get ready to pull out the brochures and ordering pad". He said, "We don't have any print information on the vehicle whatsoever."

Hmmm.

Bob,

Great to hear the Solstice is in production.

I’ve seen a few pre-production models on the road here in SE MI. They look great. I have a feeling the Solstice is going to be more popular with young females than nay other market segment. Not that that’s a bad thing. I just remember back in the early 80’s when a redesigned Firebird was introduced. At first I wanted one. When I noticed that most the drivers of this cool new Firebird were women I changed my mind. I couldn’t buy a girlie car. A few years later I had the same problem with the Fiero. At the time that turned out to be a good thing. Yet, today the Fiero has a small classic car cult like following that the early 80’s Firebird may never have.

GM may have a new classic with the Solstice. Unfortunately, its long term success will be determined by how well it is accepted by male enthusiast.

Just out of curiosity, will the Solstice be this years Oprah car?

Congratulations, Bob on the birth of your child. And she is a beauty! Being a Pontiac enthusiast since conception, I can only hope that the Solstice is the harbinger of a full RWD performance renaissance at Pontiac.

Considering that GMC is to be focused on trucks, Pontiac should be focused on cars. No minivan. No theta or lambda based utes. No Delta car as has been rumored. How about a small-mid rear drive sedan (Grand Am? the G6 moniker is not cutting it) a large-mid rear drive sedan (Grand Prix), rear drive sport wagons in both sizes (Torrent and Tempest), a new GTO and a new Firebird to go with the Solstice (please add the Solstice coupe for those of us in Chicago!) That would give Pontiac a very balanced lineup that screams performance.

All of these vehicles, save the Solstice, could be built on the same architecture, permitting assembly at the same plant, a la Cadillac at Grand River. Co-development with Holden seems logical. No steel wheel, single exhaust, rental fleet base models. Supplying those vehicles is the job of Chevrolet and Saturn. Pontiac is performance. How about using the 4.2 liter I-6 as a base engine with 5.3 and 6.0 V-8s in GXP versions?

I think you will find this to be an efficient, economical to build lineup for success. I already own a new GTO, so I am willing to put my money where my mouth is. Please do not disappoint me.

Mr. Lutz;

Now that you have a car that people ACTUALLY WANT, when are you going to fix the dealers that will sell it?

Dealers are already charging/anticipating to charge a $10,000 premium for the car. So that cute affordable roadster becomes an expensive, poor residual pain to buy/own. Leaves a bad taste in your mouth and makes you buy a cute Japanese roadster or a tectonic German one.

Why not direct market the car over the internet, I'll give you my credit card number, and you can deliver it in 4-6 weeks to my garage?

I'd probably pay a $1000 premium to NOT deal with the dealer;)

Same goes for all your upcoming launches- eliminate the st(d)ealer or fix prices, and watch market share and good faith rise beyond your wildest expectations....

Thanks for the update, however as a customer and GM fan it's frustrating to see this car finally coming out just before fall. After all the excitement generated at the Auto Shows it's a shame GM waited until the car was mostly forgotten to finally let customers actually get them.

If waiting this long, you might as well waited until the 06 Shows and then had the things on the lot ready for people to buy.

For those of us who live in areas where this kind of car is not practical several months of the year, all you're doing is making sure local dealers get stuck with the things on their lots all winter long.

If GM customers are worried that the Solstice is a "girly" car that their manly selves can't be seen in, then the Solstice is obviously a poor choice. There's just not enough trunk space to store that much insecurity.

Come on, if it's a small RWD two-seat roadster, it should be both girly enough for the ladies, and manly enough for the gents, (or vice versa if you're not into gender stereotyping).

Look at it's competition, the Miata. While it's adored by female drivers everywhere, there are also plenty of hairy-chested brutes squeezing themselves into them every weekend as part of the club-spec Miata racing program.

Cheers to GM for making a car that everyone with a sense of fun can enjoy, regardless of gender.

Dear Bob

Why is GM so upset about Chryslers ad touting higher resale value when its true and documented by the ALG?

Take the chassis of the Solstice and make an affordable ($19,000) Camaro and Firebird out of it.

And, or, a Chevy Chevelle and Pontiac Tempest 4 compact RWD 4 door.
This will get GM back into Cali in a big way!

The Solstice is great for what it is... But when are you going to bring back some competition for the Mustang? I don't think the Solstice is going to fill that void in your line up. I've got an older Camaro and I'd LOVE to replace it with a brand new one. Right now GM doesn't have much that I'm interested in and my family has always bought GM vehicles.

I have looked at a couple of Solstices and a Sky. They look pretty similar and both are head turning cars.
However, it is not enough if GM shoulder pats itself on developing good cars for low volume segments.
What GM still lacks is a sound family sedan that can take on Camry and Accord head on. After having driven both these vehicles and GM's comparable offerings (Malibu for eg.), I feel GM has a lot of thinkign to do.

Mr Lutz;
Several posts here, including my own continued theme, have referenced the poor dealership experience and the inherent greed of your delaership arm when new vehicles come to launch. A poster above references a direct internet based marketing approach, and I applaud that idea. Why not consider a different way of releasing and marketing these new GM vehicles. Most of the folks posting here are Pontiac loyalists and GM fans. We want style, performance, price and good customer service. We can get it at other namebrand auto establishments. Why not reward us for our loyalty and our continued support of GM despite it's recent negatives.
Steve

Anyone notice that whatever topic is started here, the conversation invariably starts shifting to Camaro.

Anyway, this comment is for you Bob. Please, please, please.....make sure any new Camaro is not too large or too heavy. An overly beefy Camaro would really disappoint me.

Charlie

Great work GM. Now the next logical step is a coupe version like the orange concept car. Many believe the coupe looks better than the convertable. The tuner crowd will go crazy for a coupe version as it would make a perfect project car for road racing as well. I hope there are plans to increase production of this and the Sky as they will sell. If you build the coupe, they will come!

Dear GM,
Your cars are not bad.
Malibu is a good car in need of a better interior. My suggestion is to hire some French designers from Renault.
G6 is a nicer car. Absolutely no problem except it LOOKS smaller than its intended competition. (as does the Cobalt.) New Impala will be ok. Many people keep talking about the Camaro. Bob, get the new Goat out there, and focus on fuel economy. Get rid of Buick, I really don't know why it exists. Cut the number of trucks and SUVs and suck up the losses before it too late (being too late means GM and Toyota merging with Toyota in charge instead of GM in charge.) Please tell somebody that you need a new small block to put into the Solstice. (Think Sunbeam Tiger.) And finally
Get a truck version of the HHR oput there for those people who are trading in there gas guzzling trucks and SUVs. I am not saying you should give up the market, just cut out the number of choices.
Think small and keep your eye on the design. People can see feel and hear quality, and I believe GM can deliver it. But you have to have the look to hook them.
P.S. No more focus groups. The US market will demand a variety of products. Some of us geezers will always remember the "69 Mailbu, but when we are ready to trade in our Honda Minivans, we will not be buying the souped up Goat, but the HHR or the Coabalt. The younger people need are listening to the siren song of the Scion and you need to shut that noise out. Remember who you are selling to.
Good luck. GM was good to my family and I appreciate what your company is capable of doing to lift this country again.

Bob,

Congratulations, the Solstice looks great. But you still have a problem. Solstice or Sky, G6 or Aura? Why not cut one of the divisions, so you can put all of your resources into making one truly great car, instead of making 2 good but not great cars? I know it's hard, but in order to make class leading cars, GM needs to cut 1-2 divisions. Good luck and keep up the good work.

The Solstice has a nice interior but needs more go power.And on an unrelated note Why does GM give their cars in other countries better interiors than in the US? A perfect example is Holden... The Chevrolet S3X and various Opels.

Bob!

This car has your name written all over it, and my name too.

It is calling me out!

You are Leonardo Di Caprio just before Titanic

You are JK Rowling just before Harry Potter

You are Carlos Ghosn before Nissan's rebound.

You are Harley before their comeback

But this is GM and its a big ship but momentun will be in your favor soon I am sure.

Thank you Lutz for creating a dream and delivering,

Thank you Rick Wagoner for hiring the best.

Like nobody else you understand the design the one variable in the auto industry which you have complete control. Use it because it will solve every other problem.

Imaculate!

Exciting!

Nice!

A car that looks better than a Porsche for the price of a souped up Civic.

Hi Bob!
I'm from Germany and can only say this car is awesome. It really looks fantastic. A fresh new look which is really cool. Something new, not as German cars which often look like the others.
Don't Stop makin' such cool cars!

Btw.: Will there ever be a Re-Make of the 1966 GTO?
I mean the old Design (perhaps little bit freshed up) with up to Date technics?
I really loved the Design of that Car!

Frank

Bob,

Throw the LS2 in it and I will order one, Until then I will continue hoping and waiting for the new CAMARO.

The Solstice sounds great, but I would really like to see GM fill the space in the roadster market by competing with a Honda S2000 to slot in between the Solstice/Miata class and the Z4/SLK/Boxster class. It would be built with the following:

Engine: >300hp/>250 lb-ft V6 (perhaps hybrid option?) and a redline at about 8000rpm

Luxury: A retractable hardtop

Weight: less than 3000lbs

Price: Well equipeed for less than 40K

I'd like to buy a new car in about three years, so please start development now.

Thanks!

Well, Bob, what the automotive press says to the CEO at a new car press preview can be trusted about as much as what the editors of MacAddict say to Steve Jobs at an Apple Computer new product introduction. These people are, first and foremost, stoked about getting to see the new toys before the hoi polloi, and are willing - nay, EAGER - to play the part of fawning, drooling, brown-nosing sycophants in order to insure that they keep getting invited to these shindigs for privileged members of the Fourth Estate. I'll wait for the published reviews, after they have come down from their high and their higher cognitive functions return. And after that, I will probably go down and charm my local dealer into giving me a test drive by letting him think I am another fool willing to stand in line for three months and pay a $5,000 premium to call a new Solstice my own; unless of course I am demanding and want some say about the color and options, in which case, I would pay a $10,000 premium and wait a whole year.

For my part, I have some prejudices. First of all, I can't think of ANY past GM product that has ever lived up to its pre-release hype; and I'm supposed to believe that this time is any different?

Secondly, I've driven other GM products using the Ecotec power plant, including the brand-new Cobalt and the relatively new Malibu. If you have, in this short time, magically transformed this raucous thrasher of an engine into a refined powerplant fit to motivate a true sports car, and you can offer it in a vehicle with such a low MSRP, WHY, for the love of Pete have you not passed these improvements on to the Cobalt and Malibu - cars like MOST of us will end up actually buying, no matter how much we lust for a Solstice, because we need un-cool things like back seats and trunks that can accomodate more than a 12-pack of Heineken?

Or are you just punishing us for being working stiff married-with-children losers? If this Solstice version of the Ecotec is so wonderful, MAKE IT THE BASE POWERPLANT IN THE COBALT!! That would give Corolla and Civic owners something to envy; or at least stuff a sock into their snorts of sneering derision.

Third, I remain skeptical about the Solstice's true sporting character, because at a curb weight of 2860 lbs (indeed, a whopping 413 lbs heavier than a Mazda Miata and 52 lbs heavier than even a Cobalt Sedan!), this is one heavy sled of a two-seater. And while the Solstice's engine produces a modestly respectable 74 hp/liter, you must wind it WAYYY up in order to get access to it. That, and its torque specifications, imply an engine that must be flogged like an old Yugo to get its maximum potential dragging around an overweight package. I'll reserve final judgement until I drive it, but the numbers do not look like the stuff of which sports cars are made.

Lastly, I wonder to whom GM plans to sell these cars? Two-seat sports cars are a niche market, to say the least. This car has been so over-hyped that unscrupulous dealers (in other words, virtually ALL of them) will gouge early buyers mercilously, ripping off some fast short-term profits. But what's in this for GM in the long run? This car won't threaten the BMW Z4; too cheap. It won't impress Corvette wannabes; too anemic. I would be struck DUMB if many NASCAR types would bite, either. NASCAR is traditional Camaro Country; two-seat sports cars are too "California," too "Euro/Japanese" - the kind of car these guys wouldn't be caught DEAD driving.

The apparent target is Mazda Miata. But history has shown that brand loyalty among import buyers is much stronger than among domestics. The Solstice would have to be some extraordinary car to pry a Mazda Miata person loose. The Mazda is much lighter and almost as powerful. What's more, it's out-the-door price (as opposed to the MSRP, which is pure science fiction) is likely lower, since it is a long established model which the PR/Press hype machine has long ago ceased being interested in.

It is especially puzzling that GM put perfectly good development money into a project like Solstice while leaving a gaping hole in their product line where the F-body Camaro/Firebird used to rule. Why enter a niche market where GM has no track record, while leaving to languish a traditional and very strong domestic segment - the genuine, all-beef, red-blooded AMERICAN V-8 powered 2+2 sports/performance coupe? It's as if GM is saying, "We're going after the white wine and cheese, Queer-Eye-For-Straight-Guy set. As for the Monday-Night-Football-watching, burgers, brats and beer guys - let 'em eat Mustangs." Ford - in case you haven't been watching - is selling as many Mustangs as they can screw together. Yet GM (and apparently Daimler/Chrysler, who are still hallucinating that ANYONE is going to buy the Crossfire) is content to allow Ford a 100% share of this segment by default! It just makes no sense!

Dear Bob:

Congradulations on the success of the Solstice. From what I've seen and read it's a magnificent car. I've been waiting to replace my '98 Grand Prix GT with something that can get me to work a little faster. I have a strong preference for rear wheel drive and respectable fuel economy. The Solstice looks amazing but I'm not certain how well it will function as an everyday vehicle. The GTO consumes too much fuel for my budget (especially with fuel prices expected to rise). Unfortunatley there aren't any other rear wheel drive vehicles in the sub-Corvette/Cadillac line-up. What's preventing the world's largest automaker from following Chrysler's lead into the affordable rear wheel drive sedan market?

Now lets talk about Pontiac's future. Things that make you go UMMMMMM!

1. Porsche has approved its 4 door/seat sports car the Panamera. What a concept! A 4 door sports car.

Ummmmm! The G6, of course, a 4 door sports car. Ahhhhh vision. No that's a 4 door Solstice.

2. Concerning Pontiac/Buick/GMC there is the Lambda crossovers which we all know about. I'll call them by their autoshow names...

Buick's most important new vehicle in a decade the Buick Centieme will be sold side by side with the GMC Graphite.

GMC's first crossover competing directly with the Centieme. Ummmmm! That can not be a good thing. One, I assume will eventually die or they will canibalize eachother.

Or better yet rationalize the dealer structure to make sence and avoid the overlap.

3. Verbage!

- Niche brand ??? Pontiac sells 400,000 vehicles a year and that is a niche? Buick sells close to 800,000 vehicles between here and China and it is a niche brand?

-Low Volume ??? The Solstice, low volume? You sell 10,000 before the first add, sell 1000 in the first 41 minutes and that is low volume?

Now your getting rid of the Greek Alpha to Omega and replacing it with bad English. I hate these adjectives. Just don't do like Ford and call all your platforms the Mazda 6.

4. Buick is the Cinderella of the GM family, all the hard work and awards and the least amount of attention. All she asked for was the Velite but instead she gets booted out of her own dealerships looses her independance, gets starved of investment then when she gets the product has to compete directly with her brother.

Oh brother.

Sometimes I think GM is being treated like she treats Buick, and things will only get better when she is given her glass slipper. And a red carpet ride right to the Hummer showroom. Ummmm!

5. I would love to get my hands on some of your orange marmalade. Ummmmmm! Then I will be the product tzar. Ummmm.

Mr Lutz. I have a question for you. Is the Zeta platform back on again? I see that the new GTO is reported to have the Zeta platform in 2008. I thought this was dropped. Is this back on again?

"The Solstice would have to be some extraordinary car to pry a Mazda Miata person loose."

Well, I own a Miata (a 2002) and the Solstice would easily pry me out of it.

The new Miata is an also-ran in the making. It looks way too much like the current car, whose styling got tired a couple of years ago. The changes that were made to the exterior are not all that flattering and it's creating little to no buzz in the marketplace.

Combined with the stunning looks of the Solstice and Sky, the Miata could very easily be #3 in a couple of years. As it is, with 10K Solstice deposits, it will dominate this segment... Mazda didn't sell that many Miatas last year.

Bill:

I consistently get 21 mpg city and 27 mpg highway in my 2004 GTO with the 6-speed manual.

While I don't drag race in the car, I do drive it aggressively on a regular basis and still produce these figures.

That's not bad for a V-8 RWD coupe. I doubt you'll find much better.

Greg

I think the Pontaic Solstice helps that brand -- so good showing! I personally prefer the Sky, and think it brings GM a lot of brand switch opportunities.

Background: my wife and I both own Bimmers, but are looking for new cars. I've looked at lots of GM cars, but they miss by just enough to not make the sale. None are bad cars, but for us, there's always something a bit better, or they miss by just a little (what I want). Like the SSR which would hook me if it was AWD, 1000 lbs lighter and $10K cheaper. I'd like a small sport crossover or utility car -- like an A3 or Jeep Compass Concept; GM has nothing in the segment. My wife is looking for small and sexy, but nothing does it for her.

The wow factor of Solstice and Sky change our thinking a bit (my wife likes the price, but prefers more brand cachet and the "batman" look of the rear doesn't do it for her -- I like it). The Sky is far better than anything else and is gorgeous -- but just not enough as it is to quite hook either of us (as is). Excellent value, so it isn't price. In fact, I'd pay more if it had the features I wanted, and her too. A few things that would convince me; a hybrid version (appeals to the green in me), or an LS2 (the 40-something male ego). I'd rather a coupe with a fast/hatch to have some utility and a targa/large sunroof would be perfect (that would do it for her too). The vert looks nice down, but we live in weather challenged area, and the horrendous blind spot (from the pics) and suspected road-noise of a vert would make it a hard sale. A convertible hard top might be sellable to us. It would also help if it was available now, and not in a year or more. So you'll probably miss this selling round to us, but maybe next time, if you keep your products going in this direction.

P.S. The Camaro of my youth would appeal if executed as well as the Sky -- but I'm not waiting the few years for it. So keep up the good work, improve your time-to-market, and get a little more wild and spread a product further with more upsale options, and I suspect the 5 year outlook of GM will be much brighter.

eaton 53 wrote in response to my posting:

"Well, I own a Miata (a 2002) and the Solstice would easily pry me out of it."

Yes, very well. I don't claim that the Mazda Miata is the best sports car in the world, and yes, it IS old news. But will it REALLY be eclipsed by GM's Solstice and Sky?

Remember the history; GM's previous forays into the affordable two-seater segment were such gems as the Pontiac Fiero and Buick Reatta - the less said about these stinkers, the better.

And based on Saturn's track record of noisy, agricultural drive trains and Fisher-Price material and build quality, how can you rationally hold up the Sky as a superior choice to the Miata? Have you DRIVEN a Saturn Sky; or even SEEN one?

Old news or not, the Mazda Miata has an established track record over time of typically superlative Japanese build quality and reliability and unsurpassed refinement, performance balance and value in its price class.

Now, contrast that with GM's long moribundity in every phase of product quality - design, engineering, reliability, performance, refinement, material and build quality.

I am not saying that EVERY GM product is or has been awful. And I acknowledge that GM is clearly trying very hard to shed their Soviet-like bureaucracy and reverse decades-long institutionalized mediocrity. But three or four years' evidence of reawakening life is just not enough to offset DECADES of decline. Calling the Solstice/Sky "Miata beaters" without having driven or even SEEN production samples of either, is simply not rational.

I am old enough to remember GM product lines of the 70's, 80's AND 90's - liberally festooned with thoroughly execrable rolling piles of dung. What's more, I OWNED a couple of them. GM's utter indifference to both vehicle quality and customer satisfaction chased me away from domestic cars and left me embittered against GM for years.

I would LOVE to return to the fold and keep watching and sincerely hoping for GM to build a car I can afford ($20,000 to $30,000) that truly equals the top-of-the-class - without reservation. Malibu, for example? Better than its recent GM predecessors, but better than a VW Passat? Honda Accord? Or Nissan Altima? I still, sadly, have to say "Hell, no! Not even close!"

Perhaps you know the old saw, "In God we trust... others must pay cash"? Based on their respective track records, I am willing to believe on faith that any new Toyota product will be a quality effort and a good value for money, but GM, after betraying that trust over decades, hasn't yet done enough to earn it back. So GM has to SHOW me!

I'm open to being shown. But until I get to see and drive some home-run, top-of-the-class new GM products, I'm still waiting.

"...which produces a very pleasant sporting exhaust note and adds greatly to the character of the car."

Quick thing I've noticed: execs and marketers talking about cars really takes all the fun out of it. The language is all off: 'sporting exhaust note' vs 'rumble.' I noticed this on some of the newer commercials, which talked to 'real engineers' (forgot which maker). They really took all the fun out of it.

Well Robert,
It appears you deserve a break from the criticism on this one as it pertains to design and likely quality. I will say you statement that GM design is back is quite over the top. Have you taken a look at some of the ungodly looking cars that you've just announced such as the Malibu and the Uplander/Montana. Quality may be good but the designs are quite unappealing. You won't get off that easy with the American consumer.

Now that you've declared victory in design and initial product quality, we can assume the product will follow. That is almost a question.

Now it is time to totally destroy and rebuild the dealership pre and post sales processes. You have a perception problem that is personified by the proverbial used car salesman image. Especially in your volume brands. If you do start bringing design excellence, you need to make the experience a pleasant and professional one at the dealership. And do it before the Solstice arrives.

Nothing special ... wouldn't notice it here in Europe ...

"But will it REALLY be eclipsed by GM's Solstice and Sky?"

With 10K deposits in hand, this race is over.

Cars that were built 20 years ago have no relevance today... GM's quality has improved tremendously. So what matters is the new Solstice and the new Miata... and I have seen both. The Solstice and Sky are so much better looking in every way than the Miata that it would be invisible if parked in the vicinity.

The same old, same old worked when the competition was the likes the Mercury Capri but it's not going to cut it now. I don't know if Mazda miscalculated, was overly cautious or has simply run out of ideas, but they blew it with this new one and will pay the price.

As for powertrain, no worries. I drove an HHR 2LT with the 2.4 today and if anything it's smoother than the motor in the current Miata.... well done!

Response to Yuri;

You have got to be kinding, you think the Solstice is nothing special? Well, I'm not living under a rock here in Finland. I think the styling of the Solstice and Sky are jaw-droppingly beautiful. Yuri, the proof will be in the sales of these two sports cars, and so far there is a huge interest in both of them in the states.
Thanks Bob for bringing both of these fine looking cars to fruition. If future products are designed with this much passion, GM will turn things around in the near future. I would also like to chime in my vote for a compact RWD family car,full size RWD Chevrolet to compete with the Chrysler 300, and the return of the Camaro to compete with the Mustang.

c o n g r a t u l a t i o n s
on a good looking roadster Mr. Lutz and confrers.....
criticms....
1. why isn't the brochure available still
2. slight more power would be nice (say 205-215)
3. augment sales by offering over- the- internet purchasing
pros....
1. I love the large grill nosepiece/overall shape/sleek design etc.....reminiscent of the old jags...and morgans
2. I've thought about a car like this since I was a kid.....even considered purchasing a kit a few yrs. back......now as a professional in my early 40's I can fortunately afford any car I like so.............I've deposited on a SOLSTICE. All my friends /colleagues will want one. Thanks again...... best regards,
Dr. joe

ps.-- since March I've not heard anything from the dealer.....sure wish they showed more interest in their customers, just keep me updated...... can you suggest how I can track my car production/delivery??

In response to Weirving:

You are totally misinformed calling the Pontiac Fiero a stinker. The 1988 Fiero GT on 1980's era tires does the slalom at 64mph. Your pride and joy the 2005 miata does it in only about 62 mph.
Furthermore, the fiero chassis design has been used to build Corvette's since 1997 with the improvement of hydroformed frame rails.

Mr. Lutz, if you really read these postings, I have a challenge for you. Take one of GM's 1988 fiero gt's and your Solstice out on the new Milford race course. Be ready to be disappointed when you see nothing but taillights in your Solstice. It's all about selling what your customers REALLY want.

I'd love to buy one of these cars. I'm anxious for it's release. I went to a dealer and asked for a brochure. Without a word he handed me a poster and disappeared. No other customers in the place. Are you trying to sell this car? Are you being stingy with the brochures? Are the brochures even available? Why do these guys brush off customers just because we're not buying today?

Let's Face it The Solstice is extremely sharp but don't get too wishfull on a "SUPER" Solstice. The'll never let it steal any Corvette thunder. I e-mailed Pontiac and beg them not to short change the Solstice. My proposal was to develop the chassis to accomodate the 3 new inline Atlas engines 2.8(4 cyl.),3.5(5 cyl.) and the 4.2(6 cyl.)from the trucks. These engines rev well and have gobes of torque from there 4in. stroke. Upgrading to variable intake as well as exhaust valve timing would have these engines putting out world class HP.and Torque. Atleast a 200HP 2.8(4cyl.)- 250HP. 3.5(5cyl.)and 300HP. 4.2(6cyl.). Now you have a car that can compete in 3 sport car class segments. Economy(Miata),Mid(BMW Z4)and High End(BMW M5)at 20,25 and $30,000.

Dear Bob:

I've worked for Chevrolet for almost 20 years.

I think the Solstice is really great and will help Pontiac division tons.

But, Chevrolet really needs it's Camaro back in the fleet.

If the Camaro is done right inside and out with a great performance package Chevrolet will have a GREAT SUCCESS on there hands!!

Thanks,

AJ
Camaro Owner &
Camaro Supporter

Bob, the Solstice should be a big hit this year but why does Pontiac not offer a well-equipped G6 with the 2.4L engine and in particular with a manual transmission? 4-Cylinder models are Toyota and Honda’s best selling models, happen to be the top 2 selling cars in the U.S. market, and are the best selling models in California, a market where GM is lacking terribly. Honda, Nissan and Toyota sell thousands of 4 Cylinders with manual transmissions, especially young first time buyers who benefit most from the $800-$1,000 lower sticker and prefer the “Sport” flavor that the manual give these cars.
A review of sales numbers (Jan-June 2005) reveal
Toyota Camry 216,607
Honda Accord 176,232
Nissan Altima 130,476
Chevrolet Malibu 100,863
Hyundai Sonata 55,534
Pontiac G6 53,441 Total Malibu and G6 154,304

Obviously offering these models have helped all three manufacturers post better sales figures than GM - there may be a market for 4-cylinder family cars.

It will be interesting to see how well Ford does with the Fusion, which will not only offer a 4-cylinder model with a 5 speed manual, but will offer it with the options available on V-6 models.

The Sonata sales numbers are of particular interest, it illustrates the advantage of offering good content at high quality levels. GM has the quality, even better than models that outsell it. If GM wonders why it still struggles to sell vehicles to California buyers it is simple, it is the Content that sells to California buyers. Toyota, Nissan, Honda and Hyundai offer it, GM doesn’t – they sell cars in California, GM doesn’t.

There is no reason for this to be – GM does make a competitive 2.4L 4-Cylinder engine, and the G6 offers a manual transmission version. They only need to revise the available options to strengthen the chance of selling the existing line-up. There is nothing wrong with the G6, the base price is competitive, but the available equipment does not measure up. GM is still doing what it always does, a good price for the basic model – and then forces the customer to spend thousands to get hundreds of dollars of equipment. The most glaring example is fog lights, why must a customer buy a V-6 engine to have fog lights? Fog lights are not available on 2.4L models - people who buy 2.4L models never drive through Fog? And why no cloth 6-way power seat or a fold flat front passenger seat? Many buyers prefer the lower cost and easier maintenance of cloth seats and the folding seat offers the ability to carry surfboards and other long items. Another issue is the red dash lighting on Pontiacs, with the Mustang offering over 100 different colors, why can’t Pontiac at least offer Green, White and Blue as options? Personally I like the Red, but have talked to people that hated it, and did not buy a Pontiac because of it.

Why not offer a separate 4-Cylinder model (G6 SE maybe) with some reasonable content. These models should have a different model designation to make them easier to market and for buyers to understand. Models like these would prove very competitive in California, and would get people to actually look at your cars. The styling of the G6 is sporty and offers good interior room, cargo utility and performance. Car buyers have a specific price range they are looking at before they research the internet of visit a dealership, not offering a model around $20,000 that is well equipped result in lost sales and turns potential G6 buyers into Accord/Camry/Altima buyers. A suggestion would be offering a Coupe and Sedan version of the G6 as shown:
G6 SE 5-speed at $19,995 OR G6 SE Auto at $20,995 with:
2.4L Engine
5-Speed Manual OR 4 Sp Auto (where is the 6 – Speed?)
Fog Lights
Adjustable Pedals (Auto)
Tilt Wheel
Steering Wheel Controls
Fold flat Passenger Seat
6-way Power Drivers Seat
Manual Adjustable Lumbar
4 Wheel Disc Brakes
Side Curtain Air Bags
Keyless Entry
Power Locks w/Remote Start
16” Alloy Wheels
CD Player
Cruise Control
Power Windows
Body Color Side Mirrors
Heated Power Mirrors
Spoiler

Optional Equipment:
8-way power cloth seats
10-way Heated Leather Seats
16” Chrome Alloy Wheels
Bose/Monsoon Sound system with Sub-Woofer
Stabilitrack

GM had better do something quick, the new Ford Fusion and Hyundai Sonata will take sales away from the G6 if GM keeps doing what it is doing. Offering a competitively priced G6 coupe with the 2.4L and 5-speed manual (and for once – make the clutch/shifter action like a Acura/Honda) would give Pontiac a desirable car for the youth market. This car has all the looks young buyers could want, offers a solid platform and engine upgrades are available from both the aftermarket and GM dealers. This model could break Pontiac out into new markets and give Accord and Acura RSX buyers a new option.

With the Solstice attracting potential buyers to dealerships who want to drive one, Pontiac needs to be able to offer a sporty model that starts at the same $19,995 as the Solstice. Since most buyers who will be coming to dealers to look at a Solstice really need a larger car, being able to offer a G6 Coupe with 2.4L and manual starting at $17,990 – with nicely a equipped SE at $19,995 would give dealers models they could sell buyers that are either stuck on the price or really need a bigger car. Offering the economy of the 2.4L, the utility of a fold flat front seat, the convenience of a cloth 6-Way power seat with the safer night and inclement weather lighting of fog lamps will make a desirable package. And there are the existing V-6 models for buyers who want even more performance. Besides serious Solstice buyers are shopping it against the Miata/MX-5.

There is no reason for GM to let this continue – they offer this equipment on the V-6 models and could offer the models described above at a profit. It cannot cost that much to actually paint the mirrors on the car and make it look like a quality product instead of a rental car, and Fog Lights are a safety feature that makes a car look much more expensive than the cost of the lights. Car buyers do demand 6-way power seats and Fog Lights on their cars and find the power of 4-Cylinder engines more than adequate. If GM could capture these buyers the G6 could challenge for the #4 spot, and along with a similar Malibu Sedan would make these the best selling car platform on the market. The Convertible and GTP are all great additions to the lineup, but appeal to small market segments. Ultimately revenue on mass market models is more important to the bottom line than profit on small market models. Thanks again for your time and keep up the good work.

Hey Bob - congrats on the Solstice! I saw this car in person in Indy a few weeks ago and its an impressive piece. FYI - 10 yrs ago I sat with you at a dinner table and you described a friend of yours from your Marine aviator days. He was a fellow aviator who owned both an MG Roadster and Coupe. I recall how you described your friend's two sports cars and how they made an impression on you. Fast forward to now and I can see how the idea of this type of car has been in your brain since your days as a Marine jet pilot. And now you have brought similarly exciting sports cars back to the market! No need for any focus groups at GM as long as you are on board to intuitively lead the way with great products. Congrats and best wishes,
John Hennessey
Hennessey Performance Engineering

I think the Solstice is a fine roadster, however; it looks fragile and resembles a lot the style of the 350z. However I would rather purchase a Miata.

Suggestions to GM:
-Do not spoil Opel cars with so post-modern fascias with so sharp lines, make the designs a little bit smoother.

-Bring the Camaro back, do not make it so big and heavy, but make it look like a Camaro, with large hood, short tail and a low, really low height. But specially a 300 or more horsepower V8 motor with good mileage and RWD. It would devour the Mustang, no doubt.
-Why is the Suburban a little bit shorter and much taller than previous versions. It also seems to be thiner. It doesn't need to have so much equipment, it is meant to be simple and roomy.
-The Impala needs to recover its taste of large and low height car and needs RWD. It looks more like an Accord now.
-How about a new Tracker?

Congratulations for the Trail Blazer, the Opel Vectra, the Corvette, the Opel Zafira, the...... oops, that's it.

I'm praying that Bob Lutz sees this, as I have fallen totally for the Solstice COUPE...this is written from the perspective of a typical middle class Northeasterner. (Cash in hand, I would add, waiting to hand it over for a gorgeous Solstice COUPE !!!) Living in the Northeast, I have an '02 Miata which is utterly useless for 5 months of the year. Sadly I drive a fat marshmallow old Buick Century(the "Snow Beast" )half of the year. The Miata really is nothing but a toy, most residents of the northern half of the US would agree. Also,there's no space to put anything but my 1 through 9 irons - the woods are too long, I can't even FIT them in the Miata's trunk!The car literally sits on the side of the house, under a heap of snow, from December through mid-April (if we're lucky enough not to be pummeled in early November). My Miata is a fun car that is AFFORDABLE, for almost anyone. The "usefulness problem" with my Miata could easily be solved by the introduction of the Solstice Coupe: no one from the beginning of the snow belt line, north, buys a Miata as their primary car. For the Solstice convertible, that means that HALF THE PEOPLE IN THE US will only view the Solstice as a toy. Almost every time I drive the car, I overhear someone say "those are nice, but they're totally impractical, I'd never buy one". I'd be the first to agree. I find myself always having to defend my purchase by telling these people that I have another car to use the other 1/2 of the year.

A few months back, my wife and I purchased a 2005 Buick LaCrosse for HER daily driver. A beautifully designed car, it exudes quality and class, yet is affordable. This is where GM needs to be, going forward. The quietness, and overall quality of the car, is such that Toyota and Nissan buyers need to experience this car. American style, engineering, and pride in workmanship is BACK. This kind of quality, over time, will speak for itself, but GM needs to SELL (advertize!) on quality, style, and AMERICAN pride of workmanship, QUICKLY, to help shift overall perception and buyer confidence. I'd like to see commercials that harken to the "dream cars of the 1950's" autorama shows. Show the public that true GM quality and style are BACK. GM exec's should be walking with a swagger, showing their cars with glamour and excitement, not constantly showing us the latest price cut gimmick, and jsut a .07 second screen flash of the left front fender of the product they have worked so hard to design, engineer, bring to market. Price cuts are great, but who buys a Lexus because the Lexus commercial ONLY says "we've got a promotion right now that gives you $500 off, like this guy here with the welding mask on gets". Bonuses are an ADDED incentive, but should not be the PRIMARY selling point. Especially with the style and quality of the new models from Buick and Pontiac. (except for the GTO, which I can't bear to look at...hey, if you're trying to give us a musclecar, give us a damn musclecar, not a 1.5 scale 1995 Civic with cutsy tootsy Daisy Flower wheels and 1000 horsepower. It's about IMAGE, guys, remember ??? I hear Jim Wangers is available, as a consultant, if the GTO project team really is THAT clueless. FYI for that team: please compare sales charts between the new GTO and the new Mustang. Then take a 5 minutes to actually think about why the Mustang is selling as fast as '66 GTO's.

I have one other point that Bob Lutz might be interested in- I also have a 1971 Opel GT, which I've kept more for sentimental reasons, for many years. My Opel GT, being a COUPE, and with at least ADEQUATE room for my stuff, (and another passenger, at the same time), got me through my college years and beyond. Bob Lutz, was involved in the production of the Opel GT, back in the late 60's. Although it was an "image" vehicle, meant to spur sales of the more mundane US imports of GM's Opel arm, at the time, those of us who purchased it were not concerned that it was a car that was considered "totally impractical", for Northern US buyers.

Build us the COUPE Bob, and you will leave the Mustang in the dust. The Solstice is modern, yet classic, and is exactly in step with where GM should be. It will outsell the Mustang, if a coupe version can be had, in short order, BEFORE it becomes perceived as another totally impracticable version of the Miata. Also, the coupe just looks ultra-cool. People would buy it if it had a goat-treadmill under the hood. Who cares about how the Solstice does in SCCA showroom stock B competition? The typical buyer looking for a very cool, but USEABLE vehicle, isn't just the guy watching the SCCA Runoffs on SpeedChannel on a Thursday night in October at 2 AM. if it does well in SSB, sure, that's bragging rights, but if the car is perceived as totally impractical, how many are you really going to actually get on the American roads? The point is to sell product, to get as many Solstices on the highway as possible, spark new interest and respect for the Pontiac name, and spur sales of the rest of the product line. SSB victories will not accomplish that task anywhere near the extent that a more practical COUPE version would. A good SSB record, would certainly help to legitimize the car's image as a true sports car.

One last point: a major downfall, and highly criticized at the time, with Lutz's Opel GT effort, was that although there was a good deal of storage area in back, there was no opening "hatch" in the back. I've always wondered who was responsible for that utter act of sheer stupidity. Let's not forget the hatch, this time. What's REALLY scary to me, is I don't see an operational hatch when I look over the COUPE show car photos. I'm having nightmares again of dragging a muddy flat tire back through the interior after changing a flat tire on a dark rainy night, circa 1971. Dropped the wet tire straight onto my date's lap. Didn't matter. The little COUPE was so cool, I still have the car, (and the girl).

I certainly have to agree with GTGeff on the comment about Fieros. Your reply suggests comparing vehicles introduced decades apart from each other. If both were in stock form, saying the Solstice is faster can only be replied to with "no sh*t, Sherlock." But consider what Fieros are doing on the street NOW—L67 and V8 powered Fieros are breaking the 500hp mark regularly (consider the speed this provides in a sub-3000lb car), with quarter mile times in exotic car territory. Handling can be upgraded to a point that can be touched by very few other domestics. For me it boils down to cost per performance, and you can't beat a built-up Fiero for that. For many others, it comes down to simply how much fun it is to drive. If you've ever driven a Fiero, you know it's stiff competition in this category. I'm not just talking about it competing against the Solstice; I mean to say that Fieros in the hands of modern Fiero owners are emberassing everything from Miatas to Vipers on the street and track, and painful though it is to bear the brunt of the insults of uninformed detractors jumping on an anti-Fiero bandwagon, knowing that this post won't make a difference doesn't bother me too much because it just means I can continue to have a car that beats everyone's expectations and is inexpensive to own/maintain/replace. I see a real future for the Solstice if only GM can prevent little mishaps like how fires in very few Fieros ruined the Fiero name thereafter. The solstice is a promising car with a lot of potential—and besides, since when do car manufacturers ever get it right the first time? Let's wait until they've a few years into production. As for who will buy them…I think the answer to that is "people like me." There's a new breed of drivers as those of us who grew up with the Internet start buying cars. We are headstrong and independent—we don't care so much about reputation and status as we do about performance, potential, and style—all things that are relative and, to varying degrees, subjective. You know what I mean if you're one of us, but outsiders have difficulty understanding.

I would like a positive answer if the solstice will also be released as the fastback coupe shown as a concept at the 2002 auto show?
I'm still waiting, will not buy the convertible.

5.3L Small Block V8 Engine (from Impala SS)

------------------------------

It produces 303 HP @ 5600 RPM & torque is 323 (lb.-ft.) @ 4400 RPM.
Fuel economy is 18 city and 27 highway (in the Impala).

Seems like a good comprimise to the LS2 (if GM would consider a V8). Its all aluminum, uses cylinder heads originally developed for the Z06, gets better fuel economy, and it produces more power & torque than the Ecotec turbo. And it would most likely be within GMs strict tolerances--LS2 fitment is too tight by GM standards. The LS2 adds 200 lbs to a base Sol's curb weight, the GXP adds about the same weight gain over the base. So I'm guessing that a Sol with the 5.3L would weigh less than the GXP.