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Car Forum / Mazda / Mazda Miata / February 2005Pontiac Solstice for 20k?
Autoblog reports the new Pontiac Solstice will sticker for less than 20k. $19,995.00 to be exact. http://www.autoblog.com/entry/1234000767031942/ Could this be trouble for sales of the new Miata? Or, are they creating a market for a real sports car, once they get tired of driving what looks to me like basically a Cobalt coupe with the roof sawed off? H. > Autoblog reports the new Pontiac Solstice will sticker for less than > 20k. $19,995.00 to be exact. [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > driving what looks to me like basically a Cobalt coupe with the roof > sawed off? curb weight: around 2900 lbs. It's no Miata. > > Autoblog reports the new Pontiac Solstice will sticker for less than > > 20k. $19,995.00 to be exact. [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > http://www.newsfeeds.com The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! 120,000+ Newsgroups > ----= East and West-Coast Server Farms - Total Privacy via Encryption =---- The Sky is suppost to be under 25k (so $24,999) Since it's the same car with a different body the Solstice must be stripped. And ya, they're heavier. I'll wait for the car mag head to head tests. The Sky does look nice though.  SignatureScott Streeter ss@wpi.edu http://www.wpi.edu/~ss/ >> > Autoblog reports the new Pontiac Solstice will sticker for less than >> > 20k. $19,995.00 to be exact. >> > >> > http://www.autoblog.com/entry/1234000767031942/ >> > >> > Could this be trouble for sales of the new Miata? Probably. It has 18" wheels, and the Miata only 17". Probably lose at least 50% of the buyers upgrading from Honda Civics. Lord knows how big the tail pipe is. If it exceeds 5", there goes all of the rest. >> Or, are they >> > creating a market for a real sports car, once they get tired of >> > driving what looks to me like basically a Cobalt coupe with the roof >> > sawed off? Well, I know that the colleague driving this Australian knock off of the Miata (was it sold by GM?) did not buy any new convertibles. Just think what creative car problems an American manufacturer can come up when given a drop top, as well as the reduced stiffness it entails. >> curb weight: around 2900 lbs. >> It's no Miata. Let's wait for the next generation before making a judgment. >> ----== Posted via Newsfeeds.Com - Unlimited-Uncensored-Secure Usenet News==---- >> http://www.newsfeeds.com The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! 120,000+ Newsgroups [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] >they're heavier. I'll wait for the car mag head to head tests. The Sky >does look nice though. Which Sky? The Sky I saw was the limit. Leon SignatureLeon van Dommelen :) Bozo, the White 96 Sebring Miata .) rammm@dommelen.net http://www.dommelen.net/miata EXIT THE INTERSTATES (Jamie Jensen) > >> > Autoblog reports the new Pontiac Solstice will sticker for less than > >> > 20k. $19,995.00 to be exact. [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > Well, I know that the colleague driving this Australian knock off > of the Miata (was it sold by GM?) did not buy any new convertibles. Are you talking about the early 90s Mercury Capri? It lost every Miata comparison badly, but was always meant as a cruiser rather than sports car. It was a dog. -John >> Well, I know that the colleague driving this Australian knock off >> of the Miata (was it sold by GM?) did not buy any new convertibles. [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > >It was a dog. And a Ford. >>> Well, I know that the colleague driving this Australian knock off >>> of the Miata (was it sold by GM?) did not buy any new convertibles. >> >>Are you talking about the early 90s Mercury Capri? The Capri it was. >> It lost every Miata >>comparison badly, but was always meant as a cruiser rather than sports car. >> >>It was a dog. > >And a Ford. So is the Miata nowadays... Leon SignatureLeon van Dommelen :) Bozo, the White 96 Sebring Miata .) rammm@dommelen.net http://www.dommelen.net/miata EXIT THE INTERSTATES (Jamie Jensen) > The Capri it was. > [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > > So is the Miata nowadays... A little bit, but much less so than a 6. SignatureGrant Edwards grante Yow! Give them at RADAR-GUIDED SKEE-BALL visi.com LANES and VELVEETA BURRITOS!! >>The Capri it was. >> [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > > A little bit, but much less so than a 6. How so? Has the 6 started catching on fire at random yet? ;-) Pat > >>> Well, I know that the colleague driving this Australian knock off > >>> of the Miata (was it sold by GM?) did not buy any new convertibles. [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > > Leon Not really. At least they are still built in Japan. SignatureScott Streeter ss@wpi.edu http://www.wpi.edu/~ss/ > Are you talking about the early 90s Mercury Capri? It lost every Miata > comparison badly, but was always meant as a cruiser rather than sports car. Not exactly true. In early 90's. one of the car magazines tested the turbo version of the Capri against the miata on a track. It kicked miata butt as far as lap times, but they still judged the miata more fun to drive. Later, someone pitted the hottest VTEC del Sol against a miata and ran it up Mt. Hamilton in California. The del SOl got to the top first and the driver had time to write the magazine article while waiting. Still judged the miata more fun to drive. But I'm off topic. The Solstice sure looks a lot better than the the miata. So does the Saturn Sky. I bet they will be fine cars, maybe even great cars, but I think the miata will still be fun to drive. >> Are you talking about the early 90s Mercury Capri? It lost every >Miata [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] >But I'm off topic. The Solstice sure looks a lot better than the the >miata. So does the Saturn Sky. It is spelled "my rocker", not "topic". Geez, Leon > I bet they will be fine cars, maybe even >great cars, but I think the miata will still be fun to drive. SignatureLeon van Dommelen :) Bozo, the White 96 Sebring Miata .) rammm@dommelen.net http://www.dommelen.net/miata EXIT THE INTERSTATES (Jamie Jensen) >> Autoblog reports the new Pontiac Solstice will sticker for less than >> 20k. $19,995.00 to be exact. [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > ----= East and West-Coast Server Farms - Total Privacy via Encryption > =---- its looks might appeal to somebody, but not me. it looks like the suv of roadsters. i don't see it as competition to the miata. check it out yourself... http://www.hotwheelsblog.com/index.php?p=24 >> Autoblog reports the new Pontiac Solstice will sticker for less than >> 20k. $19,995.00 to be exact. [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] >curb weight: around 2900 lbs. >It's no Miata. Ouch! that's alot of dead weight it is carrying. -------- Alex >Autoblog reports the new Pontiac Solstice will sticker for less than 20k. >$19,995.00 to be exact. [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] >market for a real sports car, once they get tired of driving what looks to >me like basically a Cobalt coupe with the roof sawed off? It is absolutely competition for the Miata. Now a lot of Miata nuts deny this (hey, I own one too). But face it: it is a small, 4-cyl, inexpensive, 2 seat roadster highlighting performance (i.e, it isn't a Sebring). GM's Lutz was a big fan of english roadsters in the 60's and proposed that GM make one then. Now that he's in charge (vice-chairman), he pretty much pushed this through by force of will. They did an early press ride & drive in England and had some vintage Triumphs, MG's and (I think) Elans for comparison. GM has said they are targetting the Miata. Maybe the Miata is better, it will certainly have more Miata-ness. But there is only so big of a market for this kind of car, and GM by virtue of its size and access to all markets will take a good chunk of it with this car unless it flops. But by its looks, and by the mechanicals you can see, it appears to be pretty legit. Yes, it may be too heavy (I'm not convinced the std "2860 lb" number is accurate). As to the Cobalt slam, the Solstice is based on a new (Kappa) rwd platform. It has an all independent adjustable double-wishbone suspension and what looks like a mini-vette chassis. It does share the Cobalt coupe engine. The Cobalt is based on the fwd Delta platform. And the SS, as has the Opel Astra (also Delta) have been getting good reviews on their own. Time will tell. >>Autoblog reports the new Pontiac Solstice will sticker for less than 20k. >>$19,995.00 to be exact. [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] >>market for a real sports car, once they get tired of driving what looks to >>me like basically a Cobalt coupe with the roof sawed off? The new Miata will also be much heavier. It has to. Nanny State has decreed you do not have the right to maim yourself is a small car. The Z4, Boxster, and MX5 are all re-designed within the last couple or years. The s2000 is rumored to be dead (Honda is not getting enough sales to make it worthwhile to redesing to the new crash standards) and the Toyota entry is gone (no more MR 2 or Celicas for that matter) so that kind of evens out the field. Questions are: how much miataness will remain in the new model And will Pontiac dealers do a decen job selling the car. <snip> > Questions are: how much miataness will remain in the new model > And will Pontiac dealers do a decen job selling the car. If Pontiac dealers can find buyers for Grand Ams and Grand Prixs, surely they'll be able to sell something resembling an actual *sports* car. I'll forgive them for the GTO...no one could sell *those*, though it's irrelevant, as I don't purchase domestic cars. Signaturetooloud Remove nothing to reply... > If Pontiac dealers can find buyers for Grand Ams and Grand Prixs, surely > they'll be able to sell something resembling an actual *sports* car. > > I'll forgive them for the GTO...no one could sell *those*, though it's > irrelevant, as I don't purchase domestic cars. Where have you been? As far as forgiveness, I can not forgive Pontiac for anything after they produced the Aztec. That thing still hurts my eyes every time I see one, and it's not like you can just flip a channel or look away when you are driving near one. ;-) I also avoid cars made by American companies. My experience with American cars is so bad that it will not be possible for me to live long enough for them to regain my confidence. The Corvette is the only possible exception, but I would still probably buy a Japanese or German car if I had $50K to spend. Pat > > If Pontiac dealers can find buyers for Grand Ams and Grand Prixs, > > surely they'll be able to sell something resembling an actual [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > > Pat Actually the Pontiac lineup doesn't look 1/2 bad these days. I think they have more desirable cars that Mazda does right now. SignatureScott Streeter ss@wpi.edu http://www.wpi.edu/~ss/ > Actually the Pontiac lineup doesn't look 1/2 bad these days. I think > they have more desirable cars that Mazda does right now. http://www.canadiandriver.com/news/050211-8.htm Mazda has 2 out of 10 on the list. Pontiac 0 (nada). Yes, I know it's a rather subjective and artificial list. If I was in the market for a FWD car, the Mazda6 or Mazda3 would be on my list. But I'm not. I'm more interested in the RWD and AWD stuff from Chrysler and Ford. We'll have to see how they pan out. I assume my '91 Miata will be around for a while. > Actually the Pontiac lineup doesn't look 1/2 bad these days. I think > they have more desirable cars that Mazda does right now. No car looks good to me when it is broken down and being towed to a mechanic, which has been my experience on a far more regular basis with American cars than it has been with cars made in Japan. Maybe Pontiac has finally gotten their sh.t together, but I want to see many years of reliability out of their products before I would even think of buying one, no matter what it looked like. Pat Some good points mentioned. This is a serious attempt at an entry level sports car. I do think that some sales will be lost to people experiencing a mid-life-crisis. They generally have no clue what a great car they fall into when they buy a Miata. Many do learn later by accident. These guys will tend to go towards the Solstice / Sky as they are going to be percieved as more "masculine" than at least the current Miata is percieved. It'll be interesting to see if the next generation Miata gets some visual 'testosterone', I can't really tell from the spy shots. I'm not saying it's necessary to do this but I'm not saying it would be a bad thing if done properly. It's great times for the car buying public, Chris 92BB&T > > Actually the Pontiac lineup doesn't look 1/2 bad these days. I think > > they have more desirable cars that Mazda does right now. [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > > Pat > > Actually the Pontiac lineup doesn't look 1/2 bad these days. I think > > they have more desirable cars that Mazda does right now. [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > > Pat Well to be honest the last American car I had was around 86-87 so I have no idea how "good" they are either. Although a new Vette convertible would be nice :) SignatureScott Streeter ss@wpi.edu http://www.wpi.edu/~ss/ > Well to be honest the last American car I had was around 86-87 so I > have no idea how "good" they are either. Although a new Vette > convertible would be nice :) I agree with you here. The Vette seems fairly well received in this group. I think that I know what the responses would be in the Corvette newsgroup if one of their members was to talk of selling their Corvette to buy a Miata (or 3). Pat >> > Actually the Pontiac lineup doesn't look 1/2 bad these days. I think >> > they have more desirable cars that Mazda does right now. [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > have no idea how "good" they are either. Although a new Vette > convertible would be nice :) The last Pontiac I had (and I really do mean "the last") was an '86. PMD bought it back after arbitration. I swore off GM cars for 10 years after. Since then, I've had a couple of Oldsmobiles and a couple of Chevy trucks. Probably would buy another Chevy truck, can't buy another Olds (wife's minivan is convinces me I wouldn't go there again, anyway), and will never, ever, ever own another Ponti-crap! Miata vs. Solstice/Sky -- no contest, I think. >>> If Pontiac dealers can find buyers for Grand Ams and Grand Prixs, >>> surely they'll be able to sell something resembling an actual [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] > Actually the Pontiac lineup doesn't look 1/2 bad these days. I think > they have more desirable cars that Mazda does right now. Eh, I disagree. The 3 is a great little car and the 6 is better than the new G6, which all the car mags are basically saying is an OK car, but nothing great. The Grand Prix is nothing more than a boy-racer version of the Impala. The Bonneville looks silly and drives poorly. Aztek? 'nuff said...and they can't hardly *give* GTOs away. Signaturetooloud Remove nothing to reply... |
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