I'll give them the benefit of the doubt. It's a great looking car, with nice touches like aluminum suspension arms and serious rubber. A hinted-at turbo or super-charged version may well give us a hell of a run for our money. All this for just over $20K, sounds hard to beat!

 

For Detroit's sake I really do hope it is good. One thing it doesn't lack is potential. Our cars could use some competition too (a supercharged, lightweight track version was hinted at)...makes it more fun. Competition is always a good thing.

 

This car might just be right on the money for many future sports car owners in the U.S. GM's desire to lightly produce a quality, affordable specialty car for people who wouldn't normally consider buying a second or third car for the family with the price tag of a new Honda, Mazda or BMW really goes against their grain. It may just lead to some more quality vehicles from GM if they build on this philosophy too. Hopefully the Solstice will put a lot of grins on people's faces that wouldn't normally have been able to experience what us s2k owners have.

 

I saw both the Solstice and the Sky at the Denver Auto Show. I don't like the Pontiac corporate noses but loved the Sky and at one time was willing to wait for one. But you should never buy one in it's first year (except the S2K) and knowing how GM is struggling, we should be suspicious that it is just a fancy dress on an ole hag. The 170 HP and the weight would target the Miata not the S2K. I know that I bought the right car for me, the Sky or Solstice would have been settling or compromising too much.

 

You get the point. $20K target. they are looking to clean up at a lower pricepoint than the S2000. So they designed a Miata-killer with performance meant to hold up to an S2000.

If you have $20-25K to spend, get one of these or a Miata, $30-35K - get an S2000, $40K get a Lotus Elise, $50K+ get a Boxter.

 

Hmmm, unless they changed something mid stream, it sounded like to me that the Solstice was going to be the ultimate GM parts bin car. I have an old car mag at home where the Solstice was the cover story (prob 3+ years old now) and IIRC, they went on at length about all the different components/parts they were going to scavenge from their various diff existing vehicles...

ron

 

I've read that the top is a pain to operate in comparison to the Miata top which is relatively effortless. One thing I do like about the Solstice is their boot cover...very nice. They did however make a sacrifice in trunk space to have it. I once thought the S2k's trunk was small till I saw the Solstice's trunk.

I think that the car will appeal to people looking for a nice looking roadster that doesn't cost a whole lot. People who want more engine performance will likely opt for something else. There are those waiting for a forced induction version of the Solstice (I think it's called the GXP) which will supposedly bring it up to 240ish hp. We'll see if that materializes.

 

Hrrmm,

At a $50K price point I would rather have a C6. But to stay on topic this Solstink would need to weigh under 2400lbs to be any fun. But for me, just because Pontiac made it would be reason enough not to buy it. They use more plastic then Dodge if that's even possible.

 

Of course the car uses corporate parts, but it isnt a rebadged platform whore. GM put much more effort into designing new parts for this car than it does for most of its products. I also remember reading that article a few years back. They were going on about how GM was going to save money by using existing components for key (expensive) areas of the car, but the platform would be completely independent of it's other products. I guess it's going to be more Frankenstein than I want it to be.

 

i still don't see why anyone would get this over a miata? the price seems comparable and i'd venture to say the miata should outperform the MUCH heavier solstice......
i've driven the MY06 miata and was VERY impressed with the exterior, interior, and handling.....